TheDeuce

I think if we can get some nice compensation for him, show him the door. Yes, we have had players leave and go onto stardom elsewhere. But were any of those players LBs? NO!!!!! Our LBs were just awful last year. If Payton finds Watson expendable, then I'd be fine seeing him gone.

jnormand

I think Coach P is going to get rid of anyone he dosen't think is going to make the grade. The guy is cleaning house. I don't think Watson is going to be a super star, but I still believe he CAN be good enough to be a solid #2.

Savant brings a good point here. Bockwoldt and Watson and everyone else may improve dramatically this year with Coach P.

Deuce, I know that, overall, our LB's were really, really bad last year....looks like Coach P thinks so too.

BiggPoppaFro4

Yes watson can be a solid contributor and I happen to think he can be a great LB in the league...one of those guys whose plays at that high lvl for about 10+ yrs and ends up having folks say "that dude brought it every week"

But he HAS to be the guy to take it, not sit back and wait or hope it happens for him. he is starting with a big strike against him in the fact of his DUI. Then the fact that our whole team is percieved as talented, but not worthy. He has to be the 1st guy in the building and the 1st guy up and yelling at teammates for bad plays. He has to set the example to prove it or he's just another Joe and needs to be gone...I still think we can bilk some team out of a 4-5 rd pick for the guy we've got b/c of his 2nd rnd potential.

I honestly see him as a guy we could be real sorry for letting go, but right now he's that dude on the bubble of who cares and see ya.

Savant

We might just need to trust Gibbs. His background is as a linebacker coach. Also, I'm sure there are a slew of factors that we're not aware of that has gone into the descision to shop him around. Would I like to keep him...yes. But I'm gonna trust this new staff until they give me reason not to. To honest though it's nice to have some depth at linebacker for once. I'm just extremely worried about our O-line, not to mention the middle of our D-line. Then there's depth at CB (which is why I'm against trading away a starter that can play and wants to play corner.) I'd trade away some of my depth at linebacker if I was eyeing some first round/second round type talent that you think will drop till the second day of the draft for some reason or the other. But we need to pick up a center in the draft in the first day. Especially considering that the position isn't that deep in this years draft. Looking at free agency, the best center still availible is Jeff Mitchell from Carolina. Which he's a 8 year veteran, but I'm not sure about his health or if he even started last year. Questions, questions....

jnormand

Good post Savant. I'm trusting this staff until they give us reason not to. Also, the coaching staff appears to be adding depth at multiple positions. I think they are going to make the right choices at the right time. It is going to be interesting on draft day, that is for sure.

LSUJeremy

I'll be more than a little pissed off if we trade Dwight Smith. The guy is one of very few playmakers on the defense Will Smith and occasionally Grant and McKenzie. Smith brings an attitude and toughness along with talent, football smarts, and playoff/Super Bowl experience. He's pretty young as well.

I see zero upside in trading this guy for a 3rd rounder unless you can guarantee me a starting defensive playmaker with that pick.

So far, I like the moves our new staff has made - Fujita, taking a chance on Simmons, and not only getting rid of Gandy, who was becoming a liability at LT, but actually sticking him with our rival and letting our DE's line up against him twice a year. The saftey moves have me really curious, though. Signing 31yo Stoutmire. Getting a guy in Scott that the Falcons were less than enamored with (remember that not only is Mora a defensive guy, but was a DB's coach with the 49ers). The Keith Davis thing I can't get a feel for, either. Everything I read is that the guy's too slow to be a FS, gets out of position, is mainly a speacial teamer, yet the Cowboys match the offer but are still expected to address the position in the draft.

I guess Bellamy and Mitchell are goners. Right now our proven commodities are Dwight Smith and, to an extent Bullocks. Someone shed some light on what's going on with this position cause I'm in the dark.

One more question - If this were last year with this staff would we have gone harder after/signed Hartwell (MLB Falcons)?

Saintsfan66

Yes, I will be -REALY- PO'd if we trade Smith for a 3rd round pick and realy would not be happy to hear we involved him in -ANY- trades unless we are getting something rediculous. He's a great player that can play all secondary possitions including Cornerback and I dont real see a team giving us what he is worth, not to mention we are getting him for next to nothing, paying him like 1.25 mil a year?

BlackandBlue

system player. perhaps the current regime feels he can't play in this system.

TheDeuce

I think Scott will do just fine here. He started in Atlanta and put up some pretty good numbers. I think that this coaching staff is going to be a better one than in ATL, and I think that he'll be able to use his athletic ability (which is his strong point) to its fullest while still being coached correctly. I liked the trade. Has anyone heard yet what the "undisclosed draft pick" for 2007 will be?

BlackandBlue

I doubt Scott starts.