hagan714

Start with our players Cher. get that out of the way now. It will make next years FA even better.
Gibril Wilson right now is becoming my #1 target. Briggs is a maybe. After that it is a mess. Nothing but questions and bunch of backups.

Sign Smith and Trade another Smith? Trade Grant? All three in rotation?

FireVenturi

I would rather Vilma, mainly because of the $$$$$ briggs will want

BrooksMustGo

I think Briggs is achievable. With Briggs we would have a player who:
1. Could start immediately
2. Could produce immediately
3. Could call defensive plays
4. Would only cost us money, ie we wouldn't have to trade for him.
5. We have the cap room.
6. Briggs can shed blocks and our DT play is pretty weak.

The problems I have with Vilma are
1. He couldn't shed blocks before the injury. He won't be able to shed blocks here.
2. He's injured and he has a chronic condition. Vilma was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in high school, a bone defect that can cause instability and loose particles in the joint, and this is a possible cause behind his season-ending 2007 injury. 3. He would cost us a trade.
4. He will be looking for a big money, long term deal too.

I agree with Detillier, we need a new starter at DT, ILB and CB. I also agree with Detillier that we try to address as much as we can in free agency. Briggs makes sense. He could come in and be the face of our defense, just like Drew Brees. I'd rather totally overlook the LB position in free agency if the option is to trade for Vilma.

http://www.blackandgold.net/site/signature/buddysig.jpg

iceshack149

Good argument, BMG. Welcome back.
Briggs is a proven talent so there is no guess work as to what kind of player he is. He would most assuredly improve this sad defense.

I'm also in agreement with peanut and Bobaganoosh. Enough already with the "Saints never try to pick up anybody good" junk. The team has proven to make efforts for quality players over the years and who of us knows what efforts they make unbeknownst to the public?

BrooksMustGo

Thanks Ice, things have been really busy for quite some time.

I also agree that Coach Payton tries to address positions of need in free agency. The problem I'm seeing is that we need 3 brand new starters at a minimum (DT, ILB, CB) and could need more if McKenzie isn't ready by opening day or other players don't make any progress (WR, S, OL, RB).

Of the available DTs on the market, Randy Starks from the Titans has the most appeal to me, but I'm not overwhelmed.

Samuel and Hall are the best of the CB crop. Florence should be more affordable and could probably start for us. I would rather not have Hall under any circumstances, he's the Aaron Brooks of CBs. I'd be in favor of getting Samuel or Florence.

Briggs is by far the best available LB in free agency. He would be playing inside if he weren't playing with Urlacher.

Several WRs are on the market that might be able to play opposite Colston. I'd be in favor of signing any one of Bernard Berrian, DJ Hackett, Bryant Johnson or Earnest Wilford. I'm assuming here that Meacham won't lock down a starting position, but I would love to be wrong.

It is wildly unrealistic to believe that we can draft 4 new starters at these positions. We could realistically sign Starks and one of the WRs without a major liability. That leaves us with making a run at Briggs or Samuel. Of the two, I'd rather have Briggs. Partly because Briggs is proven and partly because I'd be happy with either Jenkins or McKelvin on draft day.

It just seems that we'll paint ourselves into a corner if we need starters from day one at DT, ILB and CB through the draft. As we have seen, our defense has so many needs that we need to spend some in free agency to be competative next season. I'm optimistic that we'll get 2 immediate starters throught the draft. But the draft won't be enough. We would need a whole new thread to discuss the merits of drafting by team need, team system or best player available. I'd rather not have to be in the situation where I have to hope that Jenkins falls to 10, Lofton is capable of starting and falls to round 2 and Okam is capable of starting and falls to round 3.

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FireVenturi

i didnt watch many Jets games, but wasn't he the DROY? I dont know his stats that year, but I imagine to win that award he had to make a few tackles.

TheDeuce

We won't sign Briggs, because we don't make those kinds of offseason acquisitions. Like somebody said, Brees was a huge risk, which is why we were willing to go after him. That's why I think we would have a better shot at Vilma. This is not the type of player that the Saints go after in FA. I would be very surprised if we were even involved with him.

Cancer Beater

I really wish that I could talk off the record with Loomis.
I need to understand his philosophy on NEVER signing playmakers.

rjakapeanut

at the time? yeah, we thought he was an impact player.

the point is that we needed a cornerback and we went out and got one. this year, we need defensive players, and guess what, we're shopping. I have 100% trust in this front office and sean payton.

Bobaganoosh

Lets not forget that Jason David was not the first choice for the Saints. They didnt start the offseason targeting Jason David. They offered 3 differenct CB's fair deals and all 3 chose to sign elsewhere. Jason David was option number 4 and it didnt work out. The Saints arent going ignore any problems and they arent going to try to skim by, but they are going to do what they think is in the best interest for the team long term.

If the Saints really believe that Samuel is a 100% shut down corner, they will offer him a dumptruck full of money...but if they think he is more of a product of their system, then they wont.

I am pretty sure that the saints feel like Briggs is going to take a step back in production with whatever team he plays with next.

It's all in the reflexes.