ssmitty

I think the reports over the weekend that the New Orleans Saints are interested in drafting Matt Leinart with the second pick in the draft are absurd. The Saints are not taking Leinart, not unless they want to set a world record for dumbness. You don't spend what they spent on Drew Brees ($10 million in the first year of the deal, $12 million due in a roster bonus next March) and then go spend $22 million more in guaranteed money on another quarterback. This is the logic I've heard from people when discussing the Saints and Leinart: Well, they're not sure Brees is going to stay healthy with the shoulder injury he's rehabbing, so they've got to play it safe and make sure they've got a quarterback of the future. Well, OK. That's the same thing as saying you're going to buy one house that needs a lot of work and then, because you've got enough money to buy another one in the same area, you buy that one too -- just because you want to make sure you like one of them. Teams don't acquire two marquee quarterbacks in the span of two months. They just don't. If they believe there's a good chance Brees won't be healthy enough to continue his career at the same level as the last two seasons, they'd never have invested in him.

but we don't believe that, do we? smitty

SkipThomas

With all of that said, don't freak out if the Saints draft Lienart when their turn comes up with the #2 pick. The Chargers parlayed that into something special with Eli Manning a couple of years ago and it could be the way for the Saints to force the Jets or Titans hands on a trade. I personally want to see them pick D'Brick or Hawk but if they draft Lienart, I won't be upset either...If Bush is there, I want to see them pick him. He will add a dimension to the team we've never ever had...someone who can take to the house from anywhere on the field. Put his speed on the field with Bennett's and Stallworth's and opposing defenses will have fits trying to figure out who to defend.

TheDeuce

Yeah that's a good point skip. If we actually drafted Leinart at #2, we could still trade his draft rights for somebody else's picks. I'd still rather see us trade out of the spot and not draft Leinart because knowing our luck nobody would end up wanting to trade for him and we'd end up with two QBs.

xan

The only way anyone will take the Saints seriously about trading for the rights for the #2 pick is for the Saints to actually draft Lienart. No one in the media up here that follow the Jets thinks for one minute that the Saints are doing anything but blowing smoke hoping to dupe someone out of multiple picks.

spkb25

hey skip have you been reading my post again. i am with you man. i said the same thing that we may very well go head and draft matt. this way if teams were hoping to get him because we wouldn't draft him well now they might have to talk to us. it is a risky proposition though. if we don't get a serious offer then we are out of luck or heading up a creek we are all familiar with

jrmllb

Yeah I would take bush if we can get a C also and another guard

JKool

Oddly, this is a team that drafted Duece when it already had a marquee back. I don't think ending up with Leinhart is out of the question. I also agree that taking him is the surest way to get something we do want in a trade, rather than trading for picks, which is chancey.

I think that taking a LB as much as it is an area of serious need in the first would be a mistake. We should take the marquee RB, QB or D'Brick. D'Brick fills an obvious need and is the lowest gamble. Leinhart or Bush give us trade options (at least until Leinhart actually hits an NFL playing field, when his trade value will decrease - not because he is bad, but because additional evaluation isn't usually a value generator for high draft picks).

That said, in general, I'm a "best value available" kind of guy when it comes to the draft. There is lots of offseason left.

"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

BlackandBlue

agreed. if he's on the top of your draft board, you know, the draft board you put together that you've spent all this time and money forming, you take him, if he's head and shoulders above the rest.

after watching the offseason thusfar, I'm willing to trust this new regime with the draft. simmons raised an eyebrow with me, and not something i would have expected from the haslett era....

JKool

I hope your trust is well placed BnB, I really do.

xan

Is it the Best Athlete Available or the Best Football Player available? Candidates with "potential" are just athletes who haven't figured out the game. Candidates who don't score well on the athleticism scales, but win are "overachievers." It amazes me to think of how the Patriots, who have, with their first selection taken:

2005 32 (32) LOGAN MANKINS OG FRESNO STATE
2004 21 (21) VINCE WILFORK DT MIAMI (FLA.)
2004 32 (32) BENJAMIN WATSON TE GEORGIA
2003 13 (13) TY WARREN DT TEXAS A&M
2002 21 (21) DANIEL GRAHAM TE COLORADO
2001 6 (6) RICHARD SEYMOUR DL GEORGIA (duped us into Sully)
1999 17 (17) DAMIEN WOODY C BOSTON COLLEGE
1999 28 (28) ANDY KATZENMOYER LB OHIO STATE
1998 18 (18) ROBERT EDWARDS RB GEORGIA
1998 22 (22) TEBUCKY JONES DB SYRACUSE
1997 29 (29) CHRIS CANTY DB KANSAS STATE ( - Bust - )
1996 7 (7) TERRY GLENN WR OHIO STATE (rookie of the year, selected before Harrison)
1995 23 (23) TY LAW DB MICHIGAN
1994 4 (4) WILLIE MCGINEST DE USC (15 of 29 picks were D, Only true pro-bowler in that round)
1993 1 (1) DREW BLEDSOE QB WASHINGTON STATE


For the most part, the Patriots have had 4 top 10 picks in the last 13 years, and split between O and D; each player has had a major and positive impact. Overall, because they pick so late in the draft, they tend to have taken defense over offense, and linemen over skill players. This trend may also be because the highest rated skill players are taken much earlier in the draft, leaving the Pats to select "best player" available. Few of their selections would be considered elite of the elite athletes. Like any team they've had disappointments and busts with that 1st round pick. Yet, they all were very good and smart players in college, all with good football playing smarts, all coachable. Not having to accommodate many high profile, high maintenance athletes, they have focused on team building and execution with that extra time.

So, what to take from this? (I will admit that I cut short the analysis) Athletes without focus or athletes with "tremendous upside" don't fit in the currently most successful franchise's scheme. They draft players ready to play, who understand and can play the NFL game without remediation. I have read on other posts about drafting Williams because he's a tremendous athlete, but he really doesn't come from a program or have a background of playing at NFL standards. Other candidates can also be classified like this as well.

There have been too many drafts and FA signings where the Saints have essentially decided that the team would be running a year long summer camp for learning to play football. They need players who can play, play at NFL standards and speed, and play today. Not maybe play, or "if we teach/rehabilitate/medicate."

Play. Execute. Excel. Draft PLAYERS.

Calvin: "I wish I was a Tiger."
Hobbes: "Common lament."