Originally Posted by stockman311 (Post 221220)

Fujita will be replaced by Dunbar or Arnoux. One will back up the other. The fact is teams pass to play catch up on us so much that LB is not as important as DB's for us. You can't have a star at every position. I wouldn't mind seeing another DT on the roster. We have Hargrove, Big Sed, Clancy, and Ayodele. Maybe we draft Al Woods/Cam Thomas type to compete for spot.

Originally Posted by papz (Post 221219)

I definitely don't think we were drafting cocky. From the way I see it, they went BPA with the top players on their board. It's not like we over drafted any of these guys where we picked. It was clear last year when either Greer or Porter went down, our secondary struggled to replace their production. Robinson who is considered a shutdown type corner, is insurance. The snaps Jenkins got a corner last year did not look good... maybe as many have said throughout the season, he is a better fit at safety. Should Sharper not return, we kill two birds with one stone.

As for Brown, he was projected to go as early as late first and we were able to land him at the end of the second round. That's tremendous value. Remember Jammal Brown has yet to sign his 1 year tender so we have no idea what's going to happen with him. Others have pointed out that there are also a couple guys that are on 1 year deals. Drew Brees is the most important piece to this team... you could never blame the Saints for drafting lineman to make sure Brees stays on his feet.

As far as Graham is concerned, well... sure we all think there were better picks out there but at the end of the day, we don't know jack squat. We have an outstanding job the past couple of years of getting very good production out of our mid round picks. I'm sure Payton incompany did a lot of homework on this guy and felt he was the best player for us at the pick. A key to maintaining our offensive production is to not let the league catch up with us. Adding Graham gives opposing defenses even more to think about... as if they didn't have enough to worry about already.

Now moving along to not improving our pass rush and not addressing our LB situation, we have. Alex Brown, who still has gas left in the tank, will be here for the next two years. The draft isn't over yet and like I said before, we do a great job of evaluating talent... we should be able to find some more help tomorrow at end. Also remember we have two guys that were out last year coming back... one who is a LB. Our staff are also high on what Casillas and Dunbar can do.

Originally Posted by poydras (Post 221221)

Both Dunbar and Arnoux are middle linebackers. Neither have the tools to play outside.

Originally Posted by stockman311 (Post 221222)

How about Troy Evans or Marvin Mitchell? My point is we don't need a superstar at every position to have a solid d.

Originally Posted by D_it_up (Post 221225)

Wrong about Arnoux:

COLLEGE CAREER – A three-year starter at Wake Forest, Arnoux opened 42 of 51 games for the Demon Deacons at middle linebacker and is considered by scouts versatile enough to also play on the outside in the NFL. He was extremely productive throughout his college career, annually ranking among the team leaders in tackles. He posted 245 stops, five sacks, three interceptions, four fumble recoveries and six deflected passes while at Wake Forest. Arnoux started 39 of his final 40 collegiate contests and averaged seven tackles a game as a senior.

Wrong about Dunbar:

NFL CAREER – The lone undrafted rookie free agent to start the season on the club’s active roster in 2008, Dunbar has proven his worth with his inspired play on special teams, where he has recorded 28 special teams tackles in two seasons. He has also started five games at strongside linebacker during his tenure with the Saints, recording 23 tackles and three passes defensed

Originally Posted by poydras (Post 221227)

oh yeah?
Arnoux: "Shorter than scouts would like and a bit round in the middle. … Lacks the instincts and quick first step preferred at the "Mike" 'backer position. … Takes a moment to recognize the action and is slow to flow toward the ball. … Lacks the straight-line speed to beat backs to the flanks and is a liability in coverage. … Lacks the lateral agility to consistently get around blockers in tight quarters, thus relying on his pop to disengage. … Needs an open lane to close when rushing the quarterback."

and Dunbar: "Has good closing speed, but lacks the lateral range or blazing speed to play on the outside "