Leave The Extra 4th Out of It.
 

Since we have an extra 4th round pick now why is everyone ready to trade it. This is under valuing the power of round 4.

Alot of deals can be broken or made on the value of this pick on day two of the draft. I have heard to many GMs around the NFL talk about this round as key to many trades over the years. This is opening day of round 2 of the NFL draft. Alot of player that should have been picked by the end of day 1 are still on the board for one reason or another. You can obtain a quality football player at bargin basement prices. Also when trading up for higher picks on day one this is the round on day two that can make it work. Heck the Miami trade for Williams hinged on us swapping 4th's. That allowed the dolphins to move up 11 places in 2002. Miami took Randy McMichael TE Georgia and we took Keyuo Craver CB Nebraska.

Our team has been bleeding perfusly over the last 3 years. We have torn it apart each year making it worse. Prime example is the OL and DL. Just look at the players lost; Roaf, Turley and Glover to name a few. We are playing a 43 defense because we have to not because we want to. It is how the pieces line up thats all. Same on Offense. Granted the offense has better pieces to work with.

Why would you trade a player that will be in the NFL for years to come and a power pick for a band aid on a wound that need stiches?

Face the facts that we are not going to the promise land this year or next. Donnie Edwards and others mentioned will not get us there and will not be with us when the time comes for us to arrive there. Keep the pick and build a core that will keep us going to the promise land for years to come. I would rather sign Free-agent LB Jamie Sharper first than trade a Veteran and the future of the 2007 NFL Draft. Remember how limited we were without a third round pick this year. An additional pick is going to free us to do so much more. Granted a 4 does not do much in round one but it can do things in round 2. You pretty much can move freely in round 3 with the additional 4 and not hurt your team. Now you can target players by moving up and not by moving down like we had to do this year.

This year we got rid of mistakes from the past to build the type of team that can win year in and year out, we hope. Next year we start adding more pieces and deciding which player under one year contract (which we have many) fit this team and which of the future FA that have been with us should stay or not. Why do you think we signed so many one year deals and did not extended contracts this year. Cap room for next year is the answer. Look for one or maybe two big ticket FA to land here next year.

Bit the bullet now and play with what you have and keep our picks. We have a better club this year than the last 2 years. It may not show in wins but it will show in playing time for the younger players and will payoff next year in wins. We need to add other players but we need to keep your picks also and if possible get more picks to build for the future if you can. If we do trade for a player and have to use our picks and/or players, be it for a player like Rickey Jackson that was with us for years. We must think long term.

Can't say I am 101% on board with ya but that was a nice rant.

My thoughts exactly. :lol:

You do make sense, so i have to respect what you said. Very solid arguement, but...dont you at least kind of feel like bringing in someone like Donnie Edwards would be good for the Saints in more ways than one? Yes, he would immediately be our best LB. Yes, he would make us look better on paper...but the thing i would like about getting him would be the fact we would finally have a respected, successfull veteran LB to keep this team together and to help TEACH these young LB's we have. The Saints have invested a lot of high picks in LB's over the last 4 years and so far, none have panned out. Edwards is one of the best LB's in the league, not because of his physical ability, but because he has the right mind for the game. He could come in and teach Fincher, teach Allen, even teach Fujita about what it takes to be successfull. He is a very smart, savvy guy and i would love to have him here.

Now i do agree with you in that with him or without him, we do not make the playoffs this year. But i do think his value to the saints would last longer than his playing days provided the LB's we have now and the ones we bring in in the next 2 or 3 years could sit and learn from him...all the young QB's say they learned so much from the veterans that they played with, i am sure it would be the same with the LB's.

Now, as far as Stallworth and the 4th rounder for Edwards thing goes, i look at this way. No matter how you see it, Stallworth does not suit for the Saints in 2007. That 4th round pick was basically given to us for a guy that never played a down with the Saints. So long term, i do believe that Edwards gives us more to build on and gets us closer to winning than the other two do.

One last thing, i think the thing that you are banking on may be the shakiest thing of all...you are expecting the Saints to do the right thing with that 4th rounder...how often does that happen? The Saints have been dynamite at pinpointing the top 20 players in the draft, but after that, its like they give up. Counting on them to do the right thing with the pick is what scares me...

All that being said, you made some very valid points and i really understand your position. This is just a comment from the guy on the other side of the fence.

Good point Bob.

thanks jeebs...its nice to rant here and there...thats what we are here for.

Oh I love to rant. My biggest rant is our uniforms. I think its time for a little change. Our color's should never be changed but.....I think we need to tweak a few things.

nice one Jeebs...You have some key points...McMicheals still in league....Craver not in league (according to NFL.com)...

dido bob
I understand what you say and I have to agree with most of it. MY faith is against the history of the saints. But after the way payton drafted this year I will have to back him. I know I am a turkey on thanksgiving day with that statement. But I am willing to risk it. He had me scratching my head both days. But they all seem to be working out.

oh by the way:
Chargers | Edwards won't play Saturday
Thu, 17 Aug 2006 10:49:27 -0700

Jay Paris, of the North County Times, reports San Diego Chargers LB Donnie Edwards (back) will not play in the team's preseason game Saturday, Aug. 19.

Good points

Craver is still playing but for the FA's team

He was bad, he just was the best player off the field getting into trouble

I have to agree with Bobs take on this, Edwards can do more good than I think some guys are thinking. He is a proven Veteran player, would could help mold our Defense into being better all around. He has been around for a while, and could really teach our younger sub-par LBs (namely Fincher) alot about the game. Especially with our MLBs being so weak right now. Hagan is right, he won't get us to the promise land, but he will help long term in terms of knowlege, which this teams defense lacks alot of. IMO, 4th round picks are not that important. Yes, they are the most important picks on day 2 of the draft, but how many players are drafted in the 4th that are real impact players. I know some of you guys can spout out a few names, but their are 32 players drafted in this round every year, only 2 or 3 actually make a big difference. If they get lucky, they get a quality player, but I'm not big on taking chances with late-drafted rookies. Give me a veteran who can help the team right away, instead of a rookie who takes time to mold, and still is a long shot to make it in the NFL(talking about 4th round picks here).

To ask if it is worth it to pick up Edwards and lose a fourth, is to ask would you have done it for Sam Mills. This team desperately needs a leader on defense. Edwards would give them that. One man can make a difference. As long as he's in shape and ready to play, I don't have a problem with it. Also, when have the saint's ever had a high pick being a linebacker? It wasn't recently that's for sure. They've had their chances to pick up some quality backs in the last few draft's and blown it big time' drafting Cie Grant instead of Brady James, and this year they passed on a lot of talent through the first four rounds of this draft. If we pick up Edwards this year, we can draft a linebacker in next years draft, or perhaps search for some talented, proven younger free agents. Anyway, linebackers is still our weakest position on the team, even weaker than offensive line, which I believe will be much better than people expect, especially after getting a few games under their belts. Go Saints!

I am glad you brought up Sam Mills...now before i say this, i am in no way comparing Edwards to Mills...but it is somewhat similar...the Saints gave up on Mills and thought he couldnt play anymore...then he goes on to Carolina and they end up building a statue of him outside the stadium...age is a factor but i do believe it gets blown out of proportion in the NFL...apparently, once you hit 30, you are damaged goods...but there are a lot of guys who played well into their 30's and played well. Junior Seau is still in the league and announcers revel in his presence. I think the moves makes too much sense not to do it.

i agree that age gets blown out of proportion... i mean since when is 35 or 36 "old"? players today take good care of their bodies, much more so than even 10 years ago... that being said, i still don't see edwards as a clear- cut, end-of-discussion solution to the problems we have on defense.... last time i checked he played LB, not DT or CB, which is where we really need help on the defense.... edwards would help, don't get me wrong, but only to a certain extent... i believe that if we improve the front 4, then the linebackers we currently have would be more than adequate to fill our need....

I was clear when i said the addition of Edwards makes us a better team, but not a playoff team. It has been said the whole offseason that you cant patch all the holes on a 3-13 team. Not to mention the fact that the coaches hadnt seen hardly any of these players in person, in live games, or even in practice, so they had no idea what they had. LB is our weakest spot on this team by far. It doesnt matter how the DT's play if the LB's cant play...same goes for the CB's. Adding Edwards takes us from 4-12 to 6-10.