Saints Eyeing TE?
 

I've seen quite a few mocks that have us taking a TE in round two and I've heard that the Saints are high on Dustin Keller from Purdue. As I've said many times, if we could get an impact TE our offense would be even more dynamic. Keller is considered by some to be the best pass catching TE in this class and his measurables are very impressive. He's 6-2 242 lbs and runs a 4.55. Keller is a converted WR so he knows how to run routes and catch balls. He's a great athlete and has the deep speed we need to open up the middle of the field. The knock on him is that he's not a great blocker but not many of the new breed of TE are. Most teams like to have a fast pass catching TE and then a big run blocking TE because it's rare these days to find one guy that can do both.

Initially I wanted us to wait until the third before thinking about a TE but if the best TE is still there when we pick at #40 we would be getting a great value. If we got Rivers in the first and Keller in the second then after two rounds we would have the #1 OLB and #1 TE. I would be happy with that.

The one thing our offense is missing is an impact TE. We've never really had a TE that defenses had to worry about. And for the love God don't bring up Boo Williams! Eric Johnson had one great year with San Fran but now he is a broken player. Billy Miller has made some big catches for us but he isn't the answer. And Mark Campbell is a good blocker and that's about it. Our offense would have it all if we had a TE.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

i think the Saints will try and swing a draft day trade with the giants for shockey..

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

I would have to agree with pakowitz............

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

I'd love to see that happen pak. There aren't alot of people who agree with me about bringing Shockey in but you and I have been on the same page on the issue. I wish more people could understand how fierce our offense would be if we had a big time TE to go along with our other playmakers. I found this article that backs up what you've been saying about J Shock. Check out #7 under Schein's 9 Nuggets of Wisdom.

FOX Sports on MSN - Adam Schein - Brohm poised to become solid pro QB

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Schein's league sources said that there's a 50/50 chance we trade for Shockey so maybe that means we're still talking with the G Men and trying to hammer out a deal. I think the Giants are asking for an arm and a leg and right now we're just willing to give up an arm. What did we offer them, Harper and a two? If they didn't take that then I don't know what else we would be willing to offer. I think our second round pick (#40 overall) alone would be a fair offer. I've always said that I want Shockey but only if we could get him for a fair price. What I don't want to see us do is give up any picks in next year's draft because like hagan pointed out, next year's draft will be loaded. That might be the hang up. The Giants might be asking for a 2 or a 3 this year and a 2 next year. If that's the case I say let's just get Keller because he would be cheaper and we keep our picks.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Making the Shockey trade happen is the best answer for TE IMO. I think that this draft is solid on defense in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and would not want to get a 1 dimensional TE there. I think the combination of Johnson, Miller, and Campbell is servicable at best, but I do not see the need for a pure receiving TE until the later rounds of the draft. I think a prospect like Kellen Davis of MSU or Jacob Tamme of Kentucky could be decent role players as a TE that could be found later in the draft. Even a larger wideout like Mario Urrutia could add some bulk and serve the same role and could be had in the later rounds and even as a UDFA.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

yea i posted the same thing in the other shockey thread

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

As far as keller, I read in one of my drafts books where he said, he needs to improve his blocking....that's awesome for a draft hopeful to admit where he needs to improve. if he can improve his blocking....wow!!! pro-bowl potential.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

My bad pak. I looked for it to see if it was already out there but I didn't see it. Oh well.

BRSaintsFan what round do you think we should take a TE? You said that you would like to see us take Kellen Davis in the later rounds but I don't see him falling to the second day. From what I've heard he's climbimg up the charts and might go mid second. I saw him at his workouts and he passes the eyeball test with flying colors! What an animal!

Just about all of this year's TEs are one dimensional because there aren't very many players who are big and strong enough to block and fast enough to be a factor in the passing game. I think we can afford to get a pure pass catching TE because we have Campbell and Miller who can be used as blockers. If you look around the league you'll see that the teams with big time pass catching tight ends also have a blocking specialist. The Ravens have Heap and Quinn Sypniewski, the Browns have Winslow Jr and Steve Heiden, the Chiefs had Gonzalez and Jason Dunn, and the Chargers have Gates and Brandon Manumaleuna.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Excellent pOints!!!!!!!!

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

actually we made the giants n offer n the countered back with the 2nd and harper.. they would jump all over that deal b/c they have a serious need at safety even though they signed sammy knight...


man.. if we offered them our 2nd and bullocks, i would be happy cuz i dont want bullocks seeing the field for us ever again... i cant take seeing him bite on playaction anymore....

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Yeah I know what you mean. I thought Bullocks showed some promise early in his career but he's pretty much hit the wall and I don't see him getting much better. He's a classic example of a fine athlete who doesn't have football instincts. Harper on the other hand has instincts but he's a limited athlete. Go figure. One safety can run fast but doesn't have a clue where to go and the other one knows where to go but isn't fast enough to get there in time to make a play. Only the Saints could put together such a hapless duo.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Yeah...I think it's a great idea to give up a 2nd round pick and a proven player to pick up a player who became expendable due to the arrival of a 5th round pick out of W. Oregon. That would show that our FO had some real brains.

No sense in our scouts going out and beating the bushes for a young, stud TE to draft when we can get a guy who has a rep. for being a me-first, oft-injured, hot-head with poop for brains.

Shockey will be OK in N.O. until the wheels on the cart start wobbling a bit, and then we will find out just how good of a coach that Payton is. How, you say? Mr. Shockey will let us know.

It's just a good thing that things hardly ever go wrong in N.O.......

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

All good points everyone.

Remember how well Drew did with Antonio Gates at TE??? Payton has been looking for that type of guy to compliment Drew since he took over. That obviously hasn't happened yet, but at least none of the fill in TE's have gotten long term deals.

And as far as Shockey goes...unless any of you have spent time in the Giants' locker room for the past four years I don't think your able to dismiss him as a "cancer". The guy is a stud player and needs a new team. Hey, if T.O. and Moss can do it (both with pro bowl QB's) then Shockey can man up to play for Drew Brees.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

A lot of arguments made here that assert that TE is the "missing piece" of our offense. I have to assume you all really believe that, but for the life of me I cannot remember any team ever that had a TE added to the roster and suddenly everything came together. I've seen that scenario with an RB, with a QB, with an LB, even with a DT.... but never with a TE.

I wouldn't pay anything higher than a 3rd rnd pick for Shockey and nothing from next years draft. I think we need a better TE, but I simply cannot wrap my head around the idea that "if we just had a TE, we'd be deadly"

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Round three should do just fine.
Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M is my guy this year but he may not make it of the second.
or
Brad Cottam, Tennessee in the third

I want hands and blocking skills please

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Im not that high on Davis as a first day pick. He certainly looks the part but the production isn't there and I think he is more of a developmental prospect at the position. I think we have that receiving/blocking combination albeit not the same caliber as the names you have mentioned above. I just think that there is too much qulaity at other key positions that can be found in those middle rounds. I would advocate not selecting a TE until the 5th round or so. Alot of people point to the production and connection between Brees and Gates. However, I think that our wideouts are a step above what the Chargers had when Brees was there. Certainly, a shorter QB who likes to get rid of the ball quick and spreads it around would benefit from having a TE that could open up the seams in the defense, but at the expense of losing out on another player at a position of need isnt worth it for me.

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Our offense is fine. Damn. Our TE's are more than servicable.

We need Defense! No drafting offense. We need CB, DT, LB in any order. I really can't fathom any other opinions at this point. Time has not made me forget just how God Awful our D played last year.

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Not sure if this has been brought up, but if you look at our 2 starting TE's right now, they were both WR's in college. That says to me that they are not good blockers, and are 1 dimensional, and honestly, Johnson doesn't really have great hands for a receiving TE. I don't think it's a stretch to say we need a TE.

I think it would be a steal to get Bennett, Cottam, or Davis in the 3rd, although it's not definite that they will be good pros.
Getting Shockey would be a DEFINITE upgrade, however, the asking price is steep.
I can't wait till the 26th.

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Not turning around but I think Tony G. in KC is the only reason why they have been decent these past years. He has been a good blocker for the run game and gets 90ish catches while being double covered. Now that he has Bowe who is looking good add a WR to the other side and see how it works. But Tony has always been a team first guy so I can't really argue it right? I say go for Shockey but don't make it look desperate just to get him.

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I'd say stick with Billy Miller. Does anyone remember him not being open or not catching the ball? Me either.

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Played 16 gms, start 6, caught 27 balls for 328 yds/2 TDs/NO FUMBLES.

Just under 2 catches a game. Probably lost behind E Johnson (who I don't like)

Looks like a great #2. But Shockey is a whole different ballgame...

Re: Saints Eyeing TE?
 

Miller is a solid number two or three TE but he has never been able to change the game the way a big time TE does. What I'm saying is that a big time TE could bring a whole new dynamic to our offense and really open things up.

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A great TE does make an offense better. Look at the Chargers and Chiefs. The Ravens have no passing game when Heap is hurt. Winslow Jr. is the key to the Browns air attack. If it wasn't for him defenses would double B. Edwards and take him out of the game. In today's NFL TEs can change the game.

Don't get me wrong, our offense is already lethal so it's not like we need a TE to come in and be the focal point of our offense. What I'm saying is that a top notch TE could put us over the top by creating more space for our playmakers to create. That's not my opinion, that's just simple xs and os. Maybe you could wrap your head around the idea if we had a chalk board on this site. I'll say it right now, if we get a good TE we will have one of the best and most versatile offenses of all time, period.

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Theres no debating that a good TE will certainly open the offense even more and indeed make us possibly the most lethal offense in the league. But are we willing to sacrifice a solid defensive prospect that could contribute immediately to take a Keller or Davis? I think that our offense is still capable of putting up plenty of points with the TEs that we currently have although they are by no means top notch players at the position. Now if the front office and coaches truly feel that adding that extra dimension to the offense inherently helps the defense by allowing the offense to gain leads quickly and force opposing offenses to abandon their run game or by allowing us to move the chains more efficiently and keep opposing defenses off of th field, then grabbing Keller in the second is a solid pick. I personally just think that there are defensive players that will be available there that would bring greater impact to the weak spots on the team. But granted, it would be mighty enjoyable to see how defensives would attempt to match up with Colston, Bush, and a receiving threat like Keller on the field. That would force defensive to commit more DBs instead of LBs....

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FINALLY someone I can agree with I've been screaming this for weeks I dont understand why everyone feels the need to address the offense and ignore the defense draft Mendenhall in the first and trade our second for shockey thats not what we need. We need to draft defense defense defense with our first three picks I'm tired of watching offenses go through our defense like if we are not even on the field.