Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

I mean seriously, I feel like writing a book on this becuase I can't emphasize it enough: this is a new regime. If you look at the FACTS, every year that Payton and his guys have been in charge here in New Orleans they've looked at the weak areas and addressed them.

Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

while i do agree that we could stand to use an upgrade to the FS position.. i dont think that bullocks is terrible.. he just doesnt have any discipline when it comes to pass coverage.. he loves to bite on play action and that leaves our corners out on an island with no over-the-top help, which also makes our DBs look equally bad

Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

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.

Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

In my book that makes him useless. KK did not do that.

The question is why did Gibbs leave Bullocks out there when KK did not make the same mistakes?

That's the problem that I have with the Saints defensive coaches , schemes, and personnel choices.

That's why I believe the Saints need to target Briggs. He may not be Urlacher, but he'll be a sight better than anything we've seen in the middle in a while.

SFIAH

Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

I was strating to wonder if I was the only one who liked KK. Don't know why he wasn't started more.

I would like to have Briggs but I think the Niners will sew him up. I think Vilma is our best option right now.

Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

Oh man, I loved KK in the few games he played. He always seemed to be around the ball and didn't seem to get the stupids like David and Bullocks are so prone to do. Plus, he has the crazy-eyes.

Re: Be honest with yourself.
 

Man, in the preseason games he would ballhawk. He was always where the ball was. Just don't understand what didn't catch the coaches eye?