NOSaints

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?

saintswhodi

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.

LSUJeremy

Whodi, they resigned TeSucky Jones.

saintswhodi

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

LKelley67

they are looking at edwards too, NE that is

saintswhodi

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.

NOSaints

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.

saintswhodi

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.

papz

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.

saintswhodi

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?