Is this the most exciting draft for Saints fans?
 

In the last 15 years draft coverage has grown incredibly. The last time we were this high in the draft there weren't this many expected impact players available in the top 10. The Jets took Keyshawn Johnson, and the genius Ditka traded down with the Raiders (Darrell Russell) and took Naeole.

In this draft, because the Texans are expected to take Bush, we're widely acknowledged as THE player in the draft where our decision will change the choices of numerous other teams. We have our choice of players on both sides of the ball who are expected to make major impacts in the league, and seemingly, can't screw up.

It seems like every time they talk draft on ESPN, or whatever website, the Saints get mentioned, which for me makes it all a lot more interesting. Yeah, we sucked last year, but being in this position is fun, and I'd have to say this is the most I've ever looked forward to the draft.

Has there been a more anticipated draft for us in the last 20 years?

No, and I was wishing when we were 4-8 year before last to be in this position, but it worked our right for it to happen this year, in the best complete draft in a while. We have lately been too bad to make the playoffs, but too good to get a high draft pick, now we are not as bad as we seem IMO, AND we have a high draft pick with which to select an impact player who will help us next year and for years to come. I am always excited about the draft, but you don't have a pulse if you aren't amped by all our possibilities in this one.

Not since The Ricky ordeal. Funny thing about that day was that I saw him get selected...and then I got bored real fast. Now...I'm not saying that the Ricky thing was a GOOD idea but I admit it was exciting. However...I really did not realize the impact that Ditka's insane decision would have on our team years after.

This is the most exciting draft for Saints fans.
Until next year....

Like the Brees deal or not, Loomis had put the Saints into EVERY serious discussion about this draft and makes it very difficult to project. Kudos to the front office.

Don't tell that to xan. :wink:

I'm not saying that the Brees signing was a bad idea, I'm just saying we were negotiating against ourselves. If we paid him $4 million less, I'd be on your side of the aisle!! I think we'd be in the discussion regardless considering how many holes and how we let Bentley go for nothing.

Did I take the bait or what.

4 million dollars less, and Brees would be a Dolphin.

And maybe Culpepper would be a Saint. Either way, we'd have signed a Pro Bowl qb for $4Million less. Possibly having room to sign Bentley, or one of the other serious linemen that went FA fishing, though we would know that Culpepper could throw from day one, giving us a heads up on whether we'd need a qb at draft time...And this would still be an exciting draft...

The 34th pick of the draft... nah that's okay. I rather have signed Brees for the extra money rather than giving the Vikings compensation for him while absorbing his HUGE contract. We had the room to overspend on a good but injured quarterback who's able to throw already I might add.

Getting back to the topic though... I'm excited every draft no matter where we're at. My favorite time of the year because the season usually sucks. I love playing GM and scouting for rookies.

Bentley wasnt comin back any way.....unless we tagged him and paid an outrageous amount for a C. Bentley was dead set on getting out of here and heading to where he wanted to be, with the Browns......Yea, we paid a big price for Brees...but would u rather save that money, keep Brooks, and waste the money or throw to some old, aging veteran that our FO thinks has some gas left in the tank, like the last couple of years???? If Brees doesn't pan out, cut him, thats why we structured the deal the way we did....the signing of Brees gives us flexibility to do whatever in the draft, instead of being dead set on QB, cuz without Brees, we know exactly what we would get. Now, with the signing of Brees, there is still the chance for Leinhart, or Brick, or Hawk, or whoever, so it greatly confuses the hell out of the rest of the draft. Read any mock draft, any mock draft, and there will be a paragraph as to how the Saints jackd up every mock and how no one knows where they are going to go with it......i like it......

correct me if im wrong but doesnt culpepper have a 100 million dollar contract?

I'm real excited about this draft. I'm so excited that I was going to head over and see if I could get in and see the draft live but I'm going out of town for the weekend. Would have been cool to have a Saints fan in there cheering for whoever we draft (or booing if its Mario). Either way, I think that if we draft well this can really start our team on the right track.

where are you going.. that you would miss the draft?!??!?!?!?!?

Yup pak he does... which is why there was no reason to even consider that. We'll make good use holding on to our 34th pick.

Oh, I'm watching the draft Pak, just going to have to watch it on TV instead of in person. One of my friends and I were planning on going to Radio City but I got a family thing down in PA. However, I don't see myself leaving the television much that weekend.

.. and you keep going back to Brees and the money.

First,

Bentley was NOT coming back. Sure the FO could've franchised him and have a disgruntled center for another year, if that's what you wanted to see. Personally, I want to see players who want to play for the coach, team, and fans.

The Saints would NOT have been able to sign either Bress or Culpepper for 4,000,000 less.
You keep mentioning that no one other than the Dolphins and the Saints were bidding for Brees, but you fail to realize that in great part it was because Brees' agent was asking for 10 mil guaranteed from the start and the Saints jumped and said "we'll pay it" , and had the cap room to pay up. That immediately put just about all teams in need of a QB out of the bidding because they just didn't have the cap room to compete against that. The Dolphins still tried to do it offering 4,000,000 less, because that's all they had, and figured that maybe, because of the situation in N.O. and the Dolphins history and location and coach blah blah Brees would've taken less money to go there. And he almost did. And maybe it is that the Saints did overpay Brees without bargaining much, but that was the cost of bringing someone like Brees into the situation the Saints are in, and create the excitement that the move has generated.

As for Culpepper, Culpepper wasn't a free agent. He was traded, which means the Dolphins are going to absorb Culpepper's salary , which was restructured, and Culpepper is getting 7,000,000 bonus and 1,000,000 base salary this year. Drew's guaranteed money is 10 mil for the entire contract, I believe Culpepper's guaranteed money for the life of his contractis more than that. Culpepper may be able to throw the ball today, but can he move now? His mobility was a great part of his play.

The last thing I want to say, I always see posts of people calling Benson cheap, and not willing to open his wallet to bring in name players. Whoop, there it is!

I understand folks being down on Brees for his Arm, but lay off the big contract...you have to spend to win, make money, etc. I'm just glad to know our FO had the stones to not just beat the Dolphins offer, but put them way back against the wall on matching it...that's cojones. Good lord, I'd hate to think we were the Marlins of the NFL (Jeffery Lurie Sucks!!!)

That one investment made a huge difference in what we get to do now. Can you imagine what FAs we'd have gotten if we said "Josh McCown is our Man!!"....yikes....I personnally thought the best we'd do was make a run at Kitna, so I'm way pleased.

I live onthe west coast so watching the draft is kinda cool b/c I don't have to wait until 1200L. Just 0900L. Come on 2 weeks, pass fast!!!

Yes, I'm incedibly excited about this years draft. I think I've set myself up for disappointment though, being so excited.. I hope not. In other topics though, I dont think the Saints have hurt themselves at all by picking up Brees. To be completely honest, I chuckle every time I see somebody post that. I watched Brees when he was a rookie on, I recall spacificly saying that once he stopped throwing bombs and started learning, he was going to be awesome. I was right. The problem with him early in his career was he'd toss 3 60 yard TD's in a game but he'd also toss 3 or 4 INTs going deep the same way. The guy has stopped tossing bombs and has started learning Defences, that is all he needed. We know Bouman is a bum, you think the rest of the NFL doesnt know that? Trust me, teams know we may still grab Leinart. If they dont offer us anything come draft day, we'll probly still get him and then shop him out and trust me, we are going to get the offers. I wouldn't at all be suprised to see Rickey Williams trade go down for somebody like the Raiders or the Jets.

Well xan? :shock: :P

At this point, our draft will be a success or failure by the talent and holes filled with the 7 other draft choices. What we do with the first selection will be nice, but no matter how that plays, this team needs significant starting talent and quality depth. Maybe this will be the year we wax proudly as we point to the moment our crack FO finally figures out how to draft and develop talent.

I am not going there whodi. I choose to breathe deeply and let the anger pass. What's done is done. Make the best outcome with the assets at hand.

This isn't just the biggest draft for the saints in years, its one of the most aggressive off- seasons in years, which is going to make the season real interesting to watch. Even without the draft, this will be a highly anticipated season for the saints.

I can't wait till saturday. Order a sack of crawfish, a couple cases buds and planning to give my wife two or three hundred bucks to go to the casino, so she can stay out of my hair all day. My buddies and i have this contest every year, what we will do is make picks for the first round, whoever has the most right wins the pot. This year the money is all mines.