Originally Posted by BakoSaint (Post 992578)

I dont expect us to be in the Super Bowl every year but what I take pleasure in is the process of a realistic plan to get there. If we went 7-10 after cleaning out the cap and came in 2nd place in the division while getting some exciting wins against division rivals with a young up and coming team and lots of cap space I would view that as part of a process toward possibly winning it all a year or two down the road and would be excited. If we went 3-14 during a rebuild and got the #1 overall pick and a new head coach i would not love the 14 losses but i would be excited about a new season with a new head coach. If the next season we went 9-8 with an affordable rookie qb, young core, and cap space I would feel the sky is the limit for the coming seasons. I want a long term plan to win it all, not this year, not every year, but some year, and any year its possible. With Brees I felt we were a threat to win it all every year, if we could make a bad defense into an average one and a a few balls bounced our way.

But what we have now does not excite me. 9-8 with all in maxxed cap trading draft picks and deferring cap dollars to 33-35 year olds into 2028 does not seem like a plan to win it all in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028. It seems like a plan to hope to settle for 9-10 wins and one week of playoffs, best case scenario. I want to strike fear into the Chiefs or 49ers etc, if not now, down the road. I enjoy the a process too, but I enjoy the process of ambition, not contentment with medicirity. The process of ambition can start from the lowest of the low. It could be a 5 win season when you aren’t expected to win 1 because you did everything to clear the cap. But its not a process of settling. It’s not a process of saying 2nd place in the division every year is good enough because in the 1970’s we were last.

Originally Posted by SaintFanInATLHELL (Post 992574)

Very few are happy. It's just that most of us are not going to wallow in the misery of not seeing any change. It has to be brutal to think that everything here is crap and nothing is going to change. You seem prepared to go the 2, or 3, or 5, or 10 years or more of not seeing the change that you seek. You keep equating acceptance of reality with being happy. They are not the same.

SFIAH

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992587)

This appears to be a concept that is beyond their ability to fathom, SFIAH. They do not understand that we all want better and are not satisfied. But, I'm not going to make myself, and more importantly others, miserable by obsessing over something that none of us have any control over whatsoever.

Originally Posted by mapcow (Post 992599)

I KNOW the Lions Fans feel great about the Detroit Lions, moreso, than Saints fans feel about the New Orleans Saints.... Trust me, it's true! :beatnik:

Originally Posted by mapcow (Post 992599)

I KNOW the Lions Fans feel great about the Detroit Lions, moreso, than Saints fans feel about the New Orleans Saints.... Trust me, it's true! :beatnik:

Originally Posted by BakoSaint (Post 992578)

I dont expect us to be in the Super Bowl every year but what I take pleasure in is the process of a realistic plan to get there. If we went 7-10 after cleaning out the cap and came in 2nd place in the division while getting some exciting wins against division rivals with a young up and coming team and lots of cap space I would view that as part of a process toward possibly winning it all a year or two down the road and would be excited. If we went 3-14 during a rebuild and got the #1 overall pick and a new head coach i would not love the 14 losses but i would be excited about a new season with a new head coach. If the next season we went 9-8 with an affordable rookie qb, young core, and cap space I would feel the sky is the limit for the coming seasons. I want a long term plan to win it all, not this year, not every year, but some year, and any year its possible. With Brees I felt we were a threat to win it all every year, if we could make a bad defense into an average one and a a few balls bounced our way.

But what we have now does not excite me. 9-8 with all in maxxed cap trading draft picks and deferring cap dollars to 33-35 year olds into 2028 does not seem like a plan to win it all in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, or 2028. It seems like a plan to hope to settle for 9-10 wins and one week of playoffs, best case scenario. I want to strike fear into the Chiefs or 49ers etc, if not now, down the road. I enjoy the a process too, but I enjoy the process of ambition, not contentment with medicirity. The process of ambition can start from the lowest of the low. It could be a 5 win season when you aren’t expected to win 1 because you did everything to clear the cap. But its not a process of settling. It’s not a process of saying 2nd place in the division every year is good enough because in the 1970’s we were last.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992604)

Originally Posted by lee909 (Post 992670)

I'm more concerned not over extending players already past their best to make the room to sign these players than i am bringing in players. Its a multi year project to revamp this team.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992681)

This is why Lattimore shouldn't be going anywhere.

https://twitter.com/uSTADIUM/status/1754713043143897529

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992394)

We've got some $34.5 million in roster bonus for simple conversion. Should free up some $28-$29 million.

It looks like we can free up an additional $91 million through simple salary conversions.

We also have $3.6 million in 2023 rollover. All of this can be done with no, or minimal, player or agent intervention so it is readily available.

So, without any negotiated contract restructuring we can cover the annual deficit and have up to around $39-$40 million available for free agency and draft picks (usually around the $5 million range).

That's easily enough for a dozen or more free agent signings with the way Harley structures the deals.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992675)

That is, of course, if the plan was to "revamp this team". In a recent NOF video with Nick Underhill and Mike Triplett, Triplett said that isn't the direction he is expecting them to go this off-season. He said he expects them to stick with adding pieces and trying to win now.

Originally Posted by lee909 (Post 992700)

Great cant wait to be paying a 40 year old Cam Jordan 25ml plus in dead money not to be on the team cause we have converted his deal again

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992711)

Hey, it is what it is. They run the team, not us. ;)

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992681)

This is why Lattimore shouldn't be going anywhere.

https://twitter.com/uSTADIUM/status/1754713043143897529

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II (Post 992758)

DA and Mickey Loomis would have to be pretty pi$$ed off at him to get rid of a shut down corner. Lattimore could leave and we'd be ok with Adebo and Taylor but not great like when Lattimore is out there. Our defense is a top defense because Lattimore can literally shut down his half of the field.

Sure he missed some games last year and we survived without him but we didn't play lights out without him. And the season before that he had a busted spleen, I believe, and came back strong in his first game back.

Besides, he's 28 and has had injuries the last couple of years. What is his value at this point? I'm thinking two second round picks plus some lagniappe later in the draft or a player trade.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992761)

Why would they be pi$$ed off at all? Injuries are part of the game and are pretty much expected. That's why it is commonly said, especially among GM's and coaches, that the NFL is a 100% injury league. They know every player will at some point miss time due to injury. A few unreasonable fans are the only ones who get pi$$ed at players because of injuries. One would think most fans are knowledgeable enough to know better.

Originally Posted by K Major (Post 992702)

Time to get younger. Our BEST players are old.

There is no coincidence that most of the playoff participants are younger than the Saints. Packers, Cowboys, BUCS, Detroit, Eagles, Niners, Ravens.

It’s a young man’s game … Unless you enjoy missing post season.

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II (Post 992802)

Zach Baun could very well be back next year. I can't believe that they wasted him for 3 1/2 years before playing him to his strengths. Now we will probably re-sign him and be stuck with a Sam linebacker that can't cover. I hope we find his replacement this offseason who can also get after the QB.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 992876)