Should the Saints ask Brees to talk to Donnie Edwards?
 

One thing you can forget about is a bountiful June 1 free agent market in the NFL, mostly because this year the cuts are unnecessary now that the salary cap is close to $20 million more than it was last year.

Still, there could be several interesting players out there for the Saints, including two at linebacker, a position we really need to improve upon.

San Diego Chargers veteran Donnie Edwards and University of Virginia’s Ahmad Brooks may become available and we should definitely look at the possibility of picking one of them up.

Edwards and the Chargers have reportedly been at odds throughout the offseason and a serious rift seems to have developed between he and general manager A.J. Smith.

Some expect San Diego to either waive or trade the 33-year-old, although Smith denies those allegations.

Edwards is a bit light (6-foot-2, 227 pounds) but has played on the inside of the Chargers’ 3-4 scheme for the last four years and has posted more than 100 tackles for seven consecutive seasons. He played the final 10 games of last season with a torn meniscus (knee) and still registered 112 solo stops.

Brooks may be even more enticing. The 6-4, 260-pounder reportedly runs the 40 in the 4.5-second range.

So how would he be available? Well, Virginia coach Al Groh threw him off the Cavaliers’ roster during spring ball due to an unspecified off-field incident.

Such circumstances have haunted Brooks since he was in high school. The blue-chip recruit was forced to take a prep year before reporting to Virginia because of non-qualifying standardized test scores.

Here are the plusses for Brooks:

He’s a rare talent who has extensive experience playing inside linebacker position.

Before an injury-marred junior year, he was a Butkus Award finalist, first-team All-American and top 10 draft lock.

Because he planned to return to Virginia for his senior season and missed the draft deadline, Brooks will be available in the July 13 supplemental draft.

Brooks currently is working out with Atlanta trainer Chip Smith and has signed with an agent, so there’s no turning back.

The question is, should the Saints draft him and forfeit their first-rounder in next April’s regular draft. new England is eyeing him and they pick in the latter stages of the 1st round.

If they have him rated as high as some do, the freakish talent with good size and demeanor may just be worth it, but after the off-field incident, does he lose that appeal of a high character player that Payton is looking for or was that incident forgettable?

As I was gonna say in the other Ahmad Brooks thread, if NE is looking at him, I want him. Brooks will be a player. And we need a ILB. There is no way i'd give a first for him though. NE can afford to d that, we can't. Hopefully we could get by with a third, if we went after him.

Whodi, they resigned TeSucky Jones. :o

Are you gonna question NE? Let's not get uppity here. lol

they are looking at edwards too, NE that is

Edwards could help them to a Superbowl next year, and then retire. He could help us to 7-9 and then retire. Little bit different playing fields here. Ahmad at least gives us a good couple of years before we find out he is still a screw up and we made a horrible choice. :wink:

I doubt the Patriots win another Superbowl in this decade. Their window of opportunity (where all their ducks were lined up in a row), has passed, and the Saints will have a better season than 7-9. I say 10-6 and we get in the playoffs. Think positive guys. i agree with you about the fact that Brooks is a better choice than Edwards but since NE is interested in him and will likely take him in the 1st round, our chances of getting him look dismal.

You think we'll get 10-6 and the playoffs? I'm all for thinking positive, but 7-9 was my optimistic outlook. I look at our schedule, and there is NO WAY I see 10 wins. Keep up the psotive attitude my man. And I would never count NE out. They won a Superbowl with half their secondary out and starting undrafted rookie FA Randall Gay. They made it through the season playing Troy Brown at CB. They might still have a window.

I can see 9-7 or 10-6... especially if we can obtain Edwards. We have a good combination of vets and rookies... definately looks possible. We're the Saints... always expect the unexpected. :wink:

Okay, someone tell me where the wins come from:

at Cle-Yes
at GB-Should be a yes
ATL-Emotion, let's say it's a yes
at CAR-No
TB-LEt's say yes to be positive
PHILLY-No
BYE
BALT-again, yes to be positive
at TB-No
at Pitt-No
CIN-No(Palmer will be back by then)
at ATL-No
SF-Yes
at DAL-let's say yes cause we have beat them the last two times we played just to have a reason
Wash-with all the let's say yes positives, let's say no here
at NYG-No
Car-No

Even with several should be a yesses, that's just 7. What am I missing here? EVERY team in our division got better, and they were already ahead of us. We don't have a MLB or a DT that would start anywhere else. CB2 is still a weakness, which means nickle is a weakness, etc etc. Where are all these wins coming from?

Give us a win versus Carolina... that's one. That will put us at 8-8 and maybe we'll pull a win out our a-hole somewhere. 10-6 okay, probably unlikely... 9-7 I can see it.

Now you've got to remember our divisional games are usually pretty close. Substitute Brooks for Brees... and that's some extra wins. If Brooks can lead us to all those .500 seasons, Brees will do one better. Hollis Thomas can be a starter anywhere else and I think Fred Thomas can be good #2 guy (if he regains form). As far as the nickel position, yea it does stink.

Better coaching, better quarterback, a better DT, a healthy Deuce... equals another win or two possibly.

Better coaching, yes. Good as john fox or Jon Gruden? Unproven. Hell, good as More Jr. is unproven. Yes division games are usually close, but the division has gotten BETTER. All teams went and addressed glaring needs, except us. We picked up a RB when w ehave a starter there already(although I am VERY glad to have him), picked up a safety when we have 20, and some late round OTs. I like Haas late, but he is still a 6th round rookie. Carolina came off an NFC champ game, TB came off a playoff season, and ATL was right there, and their defense I think will have the biggest improvement. I just don't see it. We HAD been close, but when the mile marker keeps getting further away, we stay just a tad bit behind. I was actually being real optimistic, like I said. I'd be surprised if we won 5-6 games. Remember, it's a process, not a one season fix. Isn;t that what Mr. Payton said?

Can agree with everything you said... but if TB can turned it around after a horrid season, why can't we? Best case scenario for me is 9 to 10 games... worse case 5 or 6. Nothing will surprise me though. None of the moves that we made this offseason besides Brees were significant, but we did get better ourselves. How much remains to be seen.

Wasn't Tampa Bay like two years removed from a Superbowl victory and several straight years of being in the playoffs and NFC champ games? We aren't quite that caliber. They were just bouncing back to where they had been, but point taken.

We have always had good players for the most part. Good players but Underachievers. I think they were just not optimally coached nor were they utilized properly. Case in point Stallworth. He even recognizes the difference. I think Payton will show how valuable this kid is. I mean look back ... we had the opportunity to put DelHomme in a position to show his worth, but we squandered it by continuing to play a lame Brooks. Then remember them trying to run Deuce without a FB making a hole for him. He had to make some noise before they put it back the right way. That never should of happened. We were always so close. All those 8-8 years could of easily been 9-7 or 10-6 years under better coaching. I am just old school but I believe that the Saints getting better begins with US the fans believeing in them. Too many people in the Gulf South say the Saints suck, and you know what, if you keep saying it, the spoken word has more power than you know. People talk smack about a curse in the Superdome, the curse is the negative fans. So STOP it already. Start acting like true Saints fans and start believing, and talking like the Saints are Champions and they might just start playing better. NUFF Said

Okay, slow your oll bro. Cause I don't have the Saints in the superbowl doesn't mean I would think or say they suck. My biggest off-season wishes were for them to get rid of Brooks, Haz and Venturi. Actually, it has been my biggest offseason wishes for 2-3 years, and this time they finally did it. Like I said, just cause I don't think they will be in the playoffs, doesn't mean I won't be cheering my head off when I see them live, or sitting at home in a jersey and hat kicking back watching every game. Don't get it twisted. Cause someone isn't putting them in the playoffs yet doesn't mean they don't have faith. Reality does not equal negativity. There are way too many questions marks for us going into the season for me to feel we will be a playoff team. Doesn't make you a better fan. I love my boys just as much as anyone else here, and give my heart and soul to them EVERY season, whether I like the players or not. Keep it cool.

:drink: (those are Nesteas sw :wink:)

MMMMMM, Nestea. :beer:

:bang: I am cool dewd. :bang: Just Frustrated. :bang:

Just because I am passionate about our boys, and ocassionally spout off does not mean I am not keeping it cool. My post was aimed at our underachieving fans, who are fans nonetheless, but could do better. Don't put the shoe on your foot, unless it fits. Anyways, the whole beauty of these forums is that we can give our point of view, and be heard. Some people will always agree, some people will always disagree, but that was my point of view, and i am sticking to it. :saintsfan:

Along with winning, comes positive mental attitude, so for those of you that need the Saints to win before you change your tune, then so be it. But I have a good feeling that come December, you me and papz are going to be slammin nesteas together in celebration in some dive bar in the french Quarter.

:love: Man

Mmm, Nestea. :patos:

Why do I get the feeling papz would try to slip me a Long Island Iced? :wink:

Who me?! :couch:

I think we need to address the other corner spot more so than LB. If Simmons returns to preinjury play of 2003-2004 he can dominate. Fajita is also a young tough LB. Colby Bockwold may also be serviceable and don't count out James Allen just yet. Corner though is a big ?

OK,

Edwards is offically free. Just saw it on NFL network (so is Wilkinson). I hope to God that Brees and Edwards have a good relationship and Edwards has an interest in New Orleans. If we can sign him, he'll be a super addition and fill our last LB spot.

I'm not sure of the financial situation with Wilkins either. Having Thomas and Wilkinson at DT with Sully and Young as back ups would be great. Our run D would amp up big time. Imagine.....

D-Line: Grant, Wilkinson, Thomas, Smith
LB: Fujita, Edwards, Simmons

That's one hell of a front 7.

I know I been dissin him cause of his age, but i'd take Donnie Edwards on a two year deal. I'd still bid for Brooks though as well.

I've always been a huge fan of Donnie Edwards' style of football. I dont think we'll land him, but he'd be a hell of an addition. Over 100 tackles in the last 4 seasons. The guy can play football for sure.

OK, we all have to know by now that 99% of us that post regularly on this board are diehard saints fans. Some of us look at the saints through magical glasses and convince ourselves that they are better than they are. Some of us look at the Saints, hoping for the best, but being realistic and saying we have a way to go. But all of us here want to see the Saints win. Now, that being said, adding Donnie Edwards would be the best move the Saints could make at this time of year. He immediately becomes the leader of the defense and gives our LB's some credibility. A lot like Darrin Smith did when we got him during training camp in 2000. Now, if the Saints bring him in with the intentions of playing him for 2 years while grooming a replacement, that works fine...if they bring him in thinking he has 6 good years left in him, that's a mistake. I say sign him, give up a 5th for Ahmad Brooks...and hope for the best.

all for the signing! He can help groom the younger LB's! Though I still would like to see what Colby can do at MLB! As for CB let the young kids play and develop, thats why we drafted em! With an improved LB corps and a new aggressive system it should take a lot of pressure off the secondary and we should see them start making plays and getting more INT's! Harper, Bullocks, Lay, and McKenzie, A young secondary with lots of potential.