Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

No it is not urgency as much a accepting facts. 3 years of draft and FA have upgraded a lot of positions but there still some areas that need to be addressed. You listed some. They will come. maybe this yrar we can see an improvement in TE production with the group we have or we may add a player before the season starts to help out. As for the TE position I would love to have draft one but the trade in the first killed that idea. I had my eyes on
Martellus Bennett , Texas A&M Decent route runner..Above average blocker..serious raw talent ...considerable upside
I was hoping the third but he never made it out of the second. besides after the trades we never had a shoot any of them. By the time the fifth round came around all the good TE were done. Oh well so be it. I like the trade and the pick and the in the second. So that position will have to wait. Same goes for RB and FS. So we took the players we could and made the most of those picks. We used the day two pick on players that could produce on the field and not go with alot of projects. Good job all in all.
So we have to wait and see what may come available from now till kick off and then we may see a new face or two. If not next year will have to be the year to make the move. So be it. Year 3 of rebuilding is off to a good start.The window will be open for a few more years yet. No reason to panic now.

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

The moves we made on defense certainly DO give us the chance to play with elite teams. Watch a replay of the Super Bowl to see what a consistent pass rush can do against an elite team. Outside of breaking the bank for Asante Samuel (who some call a Cover 2 scheme CB as well), you are not going to get an instant upgrade at the CB position. We signed a consistent player at the position (Gay), a craft veteran (Glenn), and drafted a rookie with a ton of upside (Porter). And you give David and Young another year in the system plus a better pass rush which can make mediocre corners (Giants) into quality defenders. Not to mention you draft Ellis and sign Vilma which upgrades your run stopping defense allowing your safeties to play less in the box and not as susceptible to biting on play action.

Enough said about the RBs. We are fine. Unless you took Stewart and maybe Mendenhall in the first round, there was not a surplus of bruising backs. I love Matt Forte and he will be a great player but you make a very simple mistake in equating 220 to a powerful runner. It takes a lot more than bulk to be able to run through the tackles (See TJ Duckett).

Again, what player in the draft would you have taken at TE that could come in and be a consistent blocker and receiver in the offense from day 1. NO ONE. The best TE in the draft was Keller and he has several years of development ahead of him to refine his blocking skills.

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

It really is hard to give any blame for last year on the offense. After our starting RB, then our #2 rb, then our #3 RB goes down we finish the year as the 4th best offense in the league. The reason Brees now has the record for most attempts and completions in a year is due to our defense as much as anything.

The comment about 3rd down stats caused me to check out some stats.
2006 ranked 3rd on 3rd down percentage

2007 tied with 2 others at 4th on 3rd down percentage

Well that might be a huge issue for the Saints and might cause some concern if not for the fact that we got better in 2007 compared to 2006.
2006 converted on 45% of 3rd down attempts

2007 converted on 46% of 3rd down attempts

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

I started this thread with a question about the team's lack of depth at RB, TE and DB.

Starting RB: Deuce ( 2 ACL, 1 Microfracture surgery )
Starting TE: Eric Johnson ( Knee )
Starting CB: McKenzie ( ACL )

IMO, the Saints are scary thin at these key positions and the failure to address the problem in Free Agency and the Draft, will be a major factor in 08.

The competition we will face this year is very strong.

I am a big Saints fan, believe it or not and I sincerely hope that I am wrong and that those of you who disagreed with me are right.

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

Every Saints fan knows the Saints secondary sucked big time.

Question is, how best to correct the problem?

If you do this through the Draft, you are looking at a couple of years of development.

I believe that CB should have been addressed in Free Agency, not the Draft, so as to have an immediate impact.

You are too caught up in the offensive stats, which do not equal wins.

The 07 Offense could not run the ball consistently, so they had to pass. That is why the stats were off the hook. Good offenses are not forced to go one-dimensional. The O should dictate to the D, if they are well balanced.

The O needed help too. A big bruiser RB and a bigger, blocking and catching TE, to keep opposing defenses honest.

I like PT and Stecker to come in and spell the starter, but not as every down backs.

Another TE in Free Agency and a big RB in the 2nd round of the Draft, would have been my preference. ( JMO )

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

Reggie is a perimeter runner. PT and Stecker are decent players. They are NOT starters. PT may turn into a Westbrook-type, which would help provide a change of pace.



If they are the answer at TE, then why only sign them for one year, league minimum contracts?



Hall, Trufant, Samuels, Sheppard, Asomugha. And there were many second tier corners that were available, if we had wanted to make a move.

Stop signing unwanted vets and drafting rookies. Go get some talent to start now.


Your optimism is wonderful. But we need healthy, starting-caliber players at RB / TE / DB, ready to play in game one versus Tampa.

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

We are nowhere near fine. The 07 running game sucked and we have done nothing to improve it.

I liked Stewart, Forte, Felix Jones and Kevin Smith, and there were others available about Deuce's size, who run with power.

I would have preferred taking one of these runners in round 2, in place of yet another rookie corner.

You commented that our secondary problems were more of a D-Line problem, and I agree with that. Since we upgraded the D-Line, why not give the current secondary another shot at stepping up their game?

Don't waste a precious Draft Pick on another rookie corner!!



I don't agree with you on Keller. He was not much more than a bulked-up wide-out. I would have picked a really big, strong TE, with a history of being able to stay on the field, whether blocking or catching. Primarily blocking then go from there.
This is so important in short yardage and goal line situations.

Heath Miller, Jason Witten, and so on. That type of TE.

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

I thought football was a team game. I could be wrong. One reason both Bullocks and Harper weren't effective last year, not to mention David, is we had an average pass rush, lousy run D and average LBs. This clearly will change this year: McCray as a 3rd pass rusher on 3rd downs, Ellis to help Thomas clog the middle and pressure the passer and if only one of the two free agent LBs - Vilma or Morgan - plug an LB position, you will see less pressure on the DB's. McKenzie, by the way, is according to all reports, doing great and is expected to be back by Game 1.
Last year's drops by Eric Johnson, IMHO, were because he couldn't hold onto the ball as he was being hit. Call it gun shy, but it's what we pay huge TEs for. If he can either shake free or concentrate and if he juggles passes, at least juggle them into the ground instead of into INTs, we'll be o.k. with him and Miller.
The real worry I have is whether or not Deuce can be effective. It's a lot to ask of PT to be a reliable RB every game, instead of the fresh legs he had in the meaningless(to both teams) Bears game. Don't get me wrong; I've been a PT supporter as far back as early in '07, but Stecker has been more reliable in the long run.
We will all be surprised at what Porter will do for this team. He can cover, he can leap, he can and will tackle(despite the reports you read ad nauseum that he shies away from tackling. I followed his Indiana career stats: 2004-22,2005-48,2006-59,2007-83
And these don't include assisted tackles!
And he is a terrific punt returner, as well. Remember, if we don't have a bonafide game-breaking PR, Reggie has to fill in as well as his RB role and over a season, without a first-class RB like Deuce playing regularly, it will take its toll.

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

REALLY?.......where did u hear that....all ive heard from several sources is he'll be back mid-season....if that is true then that makes our defense even better....mike is a great DB in our system....he helps out our safeties a lot with his man coverage ability

Re: TE RB and DB Still an issue for Saints
 

stecker has always been a great backup...never a quality starter but arguable the best backup in the league...PT is just a younger version of the best backup in the league lol...thats a good tandum there in itself

he needs a spy on him every single play....by spy i mean man coverage from a LB, S, CB etc.....he needs someone covering him specifically every play or he will single handidly beat u....yes he is that much of a threat


while i think upgrading the TE spot with a shockey talent....not necessarily him but a receiving TE would greatly help our team....its not really necessary as Pak has pointed out....we dont need a better TE because even back with Ernie Conwell we didnt have a great TE but he was good enough to play and catch when we needed him to

agreed....i think jason david had a lot of balls over his head because he had played in cover 2 for so long.....in cover 2 u have help from safeties and can cheat up on passes....he was used to having safety help which isnt always the case in our defense....now that he is more used to our defense and our requirements at the position i am sure he will step his game up....we didnt bring him in cuz he was bad....he just didnt understand what he needed to do


not necessarily in that order but yes...exactly

by bringing in who? lol...one of the only disagreements i have with this....we lost faine who was a good center and a good enough blocker in the middle to anchor the line....i liked faine but who did we bring in to replace him?..nobody lol...maybe lehr but it looks like hes goin to compete at LG....i dont think goodwin is a sizeable replacement and i hope alex mack stays healthy and falls to us in the draft next year....ne way...i think C is the only line position we need right now cuz of all the depth and youth at G and T

our D is much improved...no arguing with that...all the defensive positions minus the S has been upgraded...and Payton likes our safeties as i've stated before..our D will be head above last years D

i think brunell is a sizeable backup...not too many teams have the depth at QB that we do....they dont have 2 starting caliber QBs.....brunell is no doubt past his prime but he isnt completely lost either....i think he has enough in his tank for a good backup season this year and next....as far as receivers go....meachem will play this year and show y we drafted him in the first round last year....im impressed when i watch his college games on film unlike arrington....i like meachem at WR this year opposite colston and patten in the slot....he played great at wideout last year and moving him to the slot will only make him that much better