Other Targets???
 

Witherspoon is off the board, which pisses me off because he seemed like the most likely to sign with us, and would also be a HUGE addition. However, there are still some big names out there. Probably won't sign anybody important, because hell, we are the Saints, but here's a list of some names that I hope our FO is looking at:

Akin Ayodele
Ben Leber (apparently wasn't a fit in a 3-4 defense, and with the addition of Merriman, he seems to be on his way out. He's a big guy who hits hard)
Scott Fujita
Charles Woodson (I know we've come close in recenty years to getting him. Now that he's kinda fallen off as a premiere CB, maybe we could get him for less $?)
Deshea Townsend
Grady Jackson
Rocky Bernard
Drew Brees
Trey Teague
Kevin Mawae

I doubt we get any of these guys, but they are all guys that I would like to see in black and gold. Has anybody heard anything on these guys? Any thoughts on them?

RE: Other Targets???
 

I doubt Brees signs now. We obviously offered him the most money and he's still balking. Mawae's a possibility but he's old and the Saints will probably overpay for him. I would like Woodson, but again he will most definitely be asking for much more than he's worth.

RE: Other Targets???
 

I noticed Julian Peterson didn't make your list. In my opinion, when healthy, he is a better linebacker than Witherspoon.

RE: Other Targets???
 

Leber's off the board, signed with the Vikes.

I can't imagine Grady being willing to come back to N.O. after he had a class A hatchet job done on him last time.

RE: Other Targets???
 

He didn't make my list for the same reason Lavar Arrington didn't make my list: he's going to be wanting way more money than what we can afford. I know he's a great player, but if we can't land Witherspoon, how in the hell are we going to land Julian Peterson?

Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

Not to quibble too much with you Deuce, but we really should have a lot of money under the cap. Once we drop Brooks and if we drop Gandy, we should be able to afford anyone we want.

The knock on Peterson is that he can't seem to play 16 games. I'd pull the trigger on Arrington in a heartbeat though. He's worth the money, but I doubt he leaves the east. Getting to play against washington twice a year would really be nice for him.

RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

Understandable opinion, and I recently posted a link from ESPN.com showing that we have about $20 million in cap room with the new agreement. But honestly BMG, when have the Saints ever been willing to dole out big bucks for a guy of Peterson's caliber? How about never. He'd be awesome, even though he is injury prone, but our FO doesn't have the brains or the savvy to get him here.

And about Arrington, the chase is now apparently down to NY Giants and the Dolphins. The Vikes and Browns are also considered players.

Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

Having the cap room and using the cap room wisely are two different things. These guys are the type that don't mind overpaying for the second tier player, just as long as it's less than whatever the Pro Bowler over there wants. I'd tend to agree with Deuce...if the second tier players don't wanna sign with us, then we'd REALLY have to break the bank for an Arrington or Peterson. Say the Rams offer him 5 mil a year....we'd have to offer him 8 mil to get him to consider us. Offer him 6 or 7 mil, we have no shot.

This is the same case with Brees. It's well known that we're offering him the most money, yet he's still hesitating. The Dolphins are probably not far off of our offer, and he's considering taking less to play with them.

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I agree entirely about our unwillingness to pay for a high profile free agent.

The wierdest thing about this free agency for me isn't that we aren't doing anything. The strangest part is that we are seriously offering 10 million for Brees.

If we don't get Brees, I almost wonder if the FO will have painted itself into a corner and have to get a big name player? Here's hoping anyway....

RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

One thing that I think might explain the Brees situation is the draft status of the Saints. He might not be willing to come here if hte Saints are going to get Leinart in the draft. I believe that's why he's hesitating right now. If we told him we were going to trade out and go defense, I think he'd have excepted the offer by now.

RE: Other Targets???
 

arrington and petersen will be overpriced but sometimes you have to overpay when the need is great enough. the LB the past few years has to be the antithesis of the dome patrol.

i like bernard but he is more like what we have than what we need. Kemoeatu would have been perfect.

LB's ayodele jacksonville and andra davis browns are unrestricted and should be considered too.

RE: Other Targets???
 

I agree about Ayodele. He has helped make the Jags' D really nasty, but I just haven't heard anything about him.

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Agreed....although I'm sure that money is the bottom line, I'm sure he's wary of being placed in a situation similar to what he was in in SD. He wants to be THE man.

Why don't they just lie to him....lol

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

anyone willing to give back $4 million dollars is due for a huge payout, and Arrington has been licking his chops at the opportunity.

i think Peterson can be had cheaper, because of his recent brush with injuries.

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

We already lost out on Witherspoon and if we don't get Brees either, we're going to over spend on one of those two. We actually started aggressive but it hasn't gotten us anywhere... how depressing.

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papz, I think that's just wishful thinking. If we lose out on Brees, we'll probably end up making Fujita our biggest FA addition. Giving him $5 mill a year haha

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Come on that's just wrong... I haven't had anything to drink yet and I feel like barfing after that.

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... I don't see a mention of Willie McGinnest... he still can play, and what's left for him to accomplish but to be the mentor for young LBs? Not only that, he'll bring some of that N.E. attitude to the team...

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

T-R, has he been playing in a 3-4 defense? I thought he was more of a DE/LB kinda guy. I'm not sure. I would love his presence, but once again, this FO is too dumb to make a nice signing like that.

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

Heres what I am thinking.... We are the Saints guys and how maney big name FA have we went after tha past few years...... um....... yeah that right no 1 i am really not surprised by this.... I could give a crap for signing brees.... we need to be looking at other ppl what like 3 have visited new orleans..... and no 1 signed yet.... well we lost witherspoon and i was really excited i thought we would get him but he goes to the rams, Brees left new orleans without a deal and goes to the phins today.... Just sux, if we did get a chance at getting arrington or peterson i dont care over pay them we need some lbs badly and we need a DT badly so signing peterson or arrington and overpaying i wouldnt care because they are good players and thats wat we need....... Someway saints will find a way to screw up something.....

never fails guys.... it never fails.........

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Other Targets???
 

You're right about that. I just don't understand what these people think... I mean they see other teams who are aggressive in free agency and are willing to make changes, and those teams become successful. But we are never willing to be aggressive. I would think that after seeing us struggle for 40 years, that somebody would realize that something needs to change.

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... well, he was more of like "I make plays no matter where I line up" kinda guy... I have never seen the Patriots play and McGinnest not make plays... but like you say, I would be more interested in the presence of a guy who's been there done that and has a winning attitude...