saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

How old is this guy dan goodspeed. how about a corner ???

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

I often wonder what the Saints could have been, if they would have just paid Warren Moon the money he was looking for? If memory serves me correct, it was basically either New Orleans or Houston, and Moon went to Houston because they were more willing to meet his contract demands.

Since the Saints do have many holes to fill, especially on defense, they should definitely look at CFL talent.

As for Goodspeed, he is a stud in the CFL. For the Saints, he could be a very nice backup on the offensive line, or maybe even push for a starting job. From what I've read about him, he is very good for the running game.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

I'm now convinced that the Saints organization doesn't know how to effectively manage mid-tier talent. Top level talent from odd places (Colston, Evans) seems to work out. But anyone who has been playing in the CFL probably isn't top tier talent.

I say leave it alone and spend money on big time defensive free agents only.

SFIAH

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

Is there no talent left to look at in the N F L ????

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

There's nothing wrong with scouting for talent in different places. Look what Kenton Keith did for the Colts last year. If we sign a CFL'er or two, I'm sure it wouldn't be a guaranteed contract nor will it be for any significant amount of money. I don't have a problem with that OT we're looking at... nice size. Hopefully he can play... maybe he'll earn himself a roster spot.

Oh and that's how much they make... so there's hardly a risk.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

53 Niko Koutouvides MLB 6-2 238 26 4 Purdue. Heres someone who needs a break after playing behind Lofa for four years.

Niko a class kid, talented player and get this NO CONCUSSION !!!!

Hey Drew tell the powers that be about NIKO !!!

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

Yet all of us here rant about the Saints' problems evaluating second tier talent and going after guys who are injury prone and over the peak in their career.... How is this any different?

If we're talking depth, then maybe.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl players?
 

Well I never said we've had trouble evaluating second tier talent. But even if we did, does that mean we should stop trying? It's not like the guys we're considering bringing are over the age of 30 and injury prone. These guys are most likely just camp bodies... just like undrafted free agents we're going to sign after the draft. It's not like we're looking for starters or anything over there. Let them come in and compete... there's absolutely NOTHING to lose here.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

pre draft smoke screen? Are the saints open to picking another OT again this year? Great bluff if that is what it is. At 10 and 41 are going to be crowded with OTs.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

Um... That would be me.

Ummm... Yes. We should stop trying.

I see two problems with that argument. The first is that the organization is wasting time evaluating such talent instead of getting the top tier talent that we actually need. The second problem is more pervasive. That is the thinking in the organization that they can succeed with "diamonds in the rough" which causes them to not try to go after top tier guys.

The Saints need top tier guys because way too often plays get screwed up due to coaching and scheme. You need top tier talent to overcome those obstacles.

I know that's sad to say, but I think it's true. The offense would not be anywhere near where it is now if Payton had started off with a rookie QB. Brees makes that offense go. Top tier talent.

We need that on the defensive side of the ball.

So don't waste time on CFLers, or drafting in the backwoods, or looking at mid tier free agents. Get the super tackles, LBs, and CBs in the league to make the defense better now. Then back them up by drafting the best atheletes we can find.

That's the only way to get our problems on defense fixed.

SFIAH

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

Wow... that makes no sense. I guess after the draft, we shouldn't go sign any free agents. With your train of thought, there would have never been a Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Willie Parker, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Terelle Davis, Jeff Garcia and so on so forth. There's something called depth... not just the starters on offense and defense.

The way you've been thinking ever since the season ended, we'd be wasting our time doing anything except looking at the big name free agent defensive players and the top defensive talent in the draft. I bet if I'd suggest us trade our 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7th round pick to get another late second rounder you'd be all for it. I mean why waste our time scouting for diamond in the roughs when we need top tier talent. Why have a 7 round draft?

Common sense tells us we need to bring in as many players as we can to evaluate in order to fill a 53 man roster. There are players that slip through the cracks when evaluated... and a successful and smart organization are the ones that can find them.

Just off the top of my head for some of the playoff teams... Ryan Grant, Ahmad Bradshaw, Randall Gay, and Asante Samuels. These guys are supposely 2nd, 3rd, 4th tier guys coming out of college.

You are making a big deal out of absolutely nothing... the offseason really must be that boring.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

The context of the players you've listed are critical. Many of them came into organizations that were well established and had both scouting and coaching staffs to bring out the best in that talent.

I'm pointing out that the Saints at this point in time does not have the organization to support this type of player. Colston and Evans were both flukes. That's a part of the problem that I alluded to in my original post.

You cannot deal with depth until you have your starters in place. Free agency and the draft needs to be about getting players that can make an immediate impact.

Not the third rounder. I'd happily package the others for a solid defensive starter in a trade.

Other than Colston, what late round or undrafted free agent has played consistently for the Saints in the last two years?

I'm glad that you agree! :D

And I'm saying that at this time the Saints organization has not proved that they qualify.

Look at what happened to the crop of mid tier free agents and draft picks from last year. The draft class was virtually redshirted in its entirety. Free agents such as KK and Simmons did not get significant playing time though they played better than the starters in front of them.

Jason David. 'nuff said.

With top tier guys there's no doubt about playing time, leadership, or impact. They will succeed in spite of obstacles in scheme and coaching.

Actually I think Payton gets the diamond in the rough on the offensive side of the ball. However, the defense hasn't proven itself enough to be dealing in flights of fancy.

And they went to organizations that have made them into top tier guys. Now it's time for the Saints to reap the benefits of that training.

It's not boring at all. The Saints organization needs to look in the mirror and understand who they are. They are not going to make progress being a great offense and a sub par defense. While I understand that defense can in fact be built with great talent evaluation, coaching and scheme, the Saints have not proved that as their strength over the last two years. The scheme isn't going to change. Coaching has only had minimal turnover. Talent eval has been weak.

The only way to combat all of these is superior talent. Talent that everyone in the league covets. That gives an objective measure of the talent level.

The Colts didn't want Jason David. No one else did either. That should tell you something.

SFIAH

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

I've read all that and came away with this...

- When the Saints drafted Colston and Evans, they got lucky. The Saints shouldn't receive any credit for developing both into ProBowl type talents.

- We should not address depth until we sign enough top tier starters.

- The draft shouldn't consist of 7 rounds.

- Because we not did not do a good job evaluating talent last year, we're failures and should stop trying. How would you characterize the year before last? We went from being geniuses to becoming complete idiots... go figure... and it's the same staff.

And we can't do the same? I'm beating the dead horse but once again... Evans and Colston. You want to Saints to "reap the benefits of that training" yet you're opposed to bring in new blood to develop. All 7 picks from the Giants roster contributed to helping them win a SuperBowl. Not all were top tier talent.

You could have fooled me. I mean a insignificant move such as signing a CFL player certainly generated a length discussion.

I'm pretty sure they understand that after last year's debacle.

Talent evaluation as far as signing free agents have been weak... not drafting. The year before last we had a good class. Last year's class didn't get to see the field so we don't know what we have. I haven't dismissed them yet... and I know you haven't as you believe Meachem might be able to handle a starting gig.

We should just forfeit our 4th -7th rounders. What's the point right? We're pitiful in evaluating talent and developing players... 2nd tier players should even be considered. Screw looking for players that's slipped through the cracks... let other teams sift through all that dead weight and let them reap the rewards of another Randall Gay etc.

How do you know? Were we the only ones to make him a contract offer? Did he visit any other teams before he signed with us? Was it because the Colts didn't want David or was it because they couldn't afford him?

You go on and bury you head in the sand... we're not the Yankees and the key to a successful franchise is to find and develop young talent. You can't just go out there and buy a winning team. Because we had one bad year, suddenly everyone is incompetent. Wow.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

Okay, you have multi-quoted us to death....

:pokechop:

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

I'm in your corner Papz. The Saints needs to go everywhere to find talent. I don't care if its Zimabwe to find a Cornerback or Serbia to find a DT or Great Britain to find a Kicker.

Sign the CFL guys, evaluate, keep if good enoug else cut. Remember Michael Lewis, he was delivering beer and still good enough to play in the NFL. Joe Horn worked at a furniture factory so what says that a guy in the CFL couldn't make it. Also, sign CJ Bjork from the Packers practise squad for depth in our LB corps. He's a great fit at MLB in the 4-3.

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

not to get off the subject, but i questioned the fact a while ago , do the saints have the right personnel to bring in the talent we need.......
i don't know.......
if so, why have'nt they?
i know, i know , i know, sometimes it's a crap shoot......
but does it have to be with us?
unless we have the scouts and the coaches on the same page as to who they want, and the money payers to bring them in as well, it's not gonna happen...
this is the yr all the fans need to see the owner put up the bucks and the right scouts and coaches find the players we need.
we could be there, why are'nt we?

Re: saints to pick up some cfl play
 

I am sticking with Bob on this one. The saints are happy with the OT picks from the past two years and will stick with them. This is a smoke screen. At 10 we sit atop the #2 OT in the draft ahead of a group of teams that will be looking for a OT. Chicago is my choice to move up order to get their choice of OT since at 15 they may get the #4 OT. They have two third rounds and one third is the price to move up. So unless the saints are looking for a player to start in short term so the draft choices have another year to get ready and stinch is traded this makes no sense. So I am sticking with Bob on this one.