Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

Right now, the guy the saints would take over anybody is Ellis. he is the top guy on their board. I think they like Rivers too..but the saints are the team that was hurt the most with Laurinitis and Malcolm Jenkins returning to school.

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

If Saints history tells us anything, especially under General Manager Mickey Loomis' tenure, the team will be reluctant to open up the pocketbook to pay the huge asking price for either Pro Bowler.

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

At 10 both of them will probably be off the board'. QBs will tumble in the draft. They have not look that good to go in the top 10. Defense is dominate in those picks this year. Then what will we do? Go with a small school CB and pay him big bucs, hoping he can handle the steep learning curve in the NFL. I am not that thrilled with taking that risk.
So what is left
#1 WR, #2 LB, #2 OT? Trade down if it pans out this way and then reach on a player or two at a lower salary.
I am sold on either one Ellis or Rivers at 10 now. The rest can be had lower. Though Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma would look good in B&G. But he is our #1 trade bait right now. Buffallo will take him at 11. so we have an out if both are of the board. Let some one else take the risk on a small school CB at 10. There are plenty of others to choice from. DT are pretty deep this year. round 2 and 3 will have there fair share of good prospects too.

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

Not to get off point, but does ANYONE ELSE find Biloxi-Indian's avatar...well, disturbing?

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

Certainly not my intent to create a disturbance with a picture. Now lets get back to Saints football!

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

Ellis is stout. Here is his 2007 stats....

CAREER: He has 28.5 tackles for a loss and 17.5 sacks in his career.

2007: Ellis, a 2-time All-American first teamer, started for his third season at nose tackle as a senior in 2007 and was as dominant as ever. Overall in 2007 while starting all 13 games, he has 58 tackles, including 12.5 for losses of 75 yards (with 8.5 sacks for minus 67 yards), plus 7 deflections, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. He was 1 of 15 semifinalists for the 2007 Bednarik Award and 1 of 8 semifinalists for the 2007 Lott Trophy. He was named to the 2007 AP (unanimous), Football Coaches, Football Writers, Walter Camp, The Sporting News, ESPN.com, SI.com, Collegefootballnews.com and Pro Football Weekly All-American first teams and Phil Steele's All-American second team. He was named the 2007 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (USC's fifth such selection) and Pac-10 Morris Trophy winner (for the second year in a row), he was a unanimous choice on the 2007 All-Pac-10 first team and he made the ESPN.com All-Pac-10 first team, Collegefootballnews.com All-Pac-10 first team (he was its Pac-10 Player of the Year), Rivals.com All-Pac-10 first team and Phil Steele's All-Pac-10 first team. He was USC's Co-MVP and also won USC's Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year Award and Co-Lifter of the Year Award. He was a Senior Bowl invitee.

He had 4 tackles (including 1 for a loss) and 2 deflections versus Idaho, then 5 tackles, including a sack, and 2 deflections at Nebraska. He had a tackle (0.5 for a loss) against Washington State, 4 stops at Washington and then had 3 sacks among his 6 tackles versus Stanford. He had 2 tackles, recovered a fumble (to set up a USC field goal) and had a deflection against Arizona, 5 stops (1.5 sacks) at Notre Dame and 12 tackles, including 2 for a loss (with a sack), at Oregon. He had 3 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss (with a sack), and a deflection against Oregon State, 6 tackles at California, 4 stops (2 for a loss, with a sack) at Arizona State and 4 tackles and a fumble recovery against UCLA. He had 2 tackles and a deflection against Illinois.

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

Its a sad feeling isn't it? Every year with all of the cap space and never a peep about the team being interested in any of the big name players. We have to settle for the Simmon's & David's of the league. Wait maybe the Saints would be interested in 69 yr old LB Zach Thomas? He's a big name or maybe another 3rd tier linebacker like Simoneaux?

Re: Free agent bits and pieces......
 

As long as Benson is selling tickets, he is cool.

Other owners tell their GM's to go out and sign Playmakers.
I doubt Benson even knows his own Playmakers.x(