Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

You know, a lot is being made of the Saints not drafting an OLB to replace Fujita. Sure he was a good leader in the locker room and a class guy, but this is what he gave us last year.

58 tackles 1 sack 2 FF
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3671
For crying out loud, we won the Superbowl with that. The strength of our offense carried us last season and we continued to build on that with the draft. Sure I'd like a top 10 defense, but as history will show you, we don't need one to win it all. While I'll miss Fujita and though we didn't draft anyone to replace him, I'm positive whomever that's going to take that starting OLB spot, will be more than capable of duplicating those numbers.

We'll be just fine.:bng:

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

+1

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Dt was really our biggest need...not LB...although i think Scott will be missed against the run..

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Scott will be missed only if none of our other LB's step up to become NFL average.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

The organization knows what it's doing and I trust what they did in the draft and UDFA is exactly what they wanted with the exception of Hughes. I'm thinking they will trade Jamal Brown for a piece and a pick

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Good post papz

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Thanks for talking us down from the ledge

Fujita is this year's Karney. Everybody loved him, but the numbers don't lie. Let's move on and win another championship

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

True. When I think about it, my reasons for liking Fujita were more sentimental than based on factual evidence. He was the first guy to sign with us post-Katrina and he really seemed like a good ambassador for the franchise.

That being said, he was a very average linebacker last year. If I remember correctly, he was really good a couple of years ago, then in 2008 his numbers dipped a little, and then last year a little more.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

When did we sign Schmoe? I couldn't find anything on it.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

We didn't draft a OLB, and even if we did, we very likely wouldn't start a rookie anyway. Remember in year #1 with Payton, we completely overhauled our LB corps - got Fujita and Shanle from Dallas and Simoneau from Philly. If in any year it would've made sense to start a rookie, that would have been the year. Linebacker is a spot where we really value experience.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

LBs production is greatly reliant on the defensive tackles playing in front of him

without a tackle to eat blockers we dont have production that we'd like from the LBs

fujita is a leader and no matter who we get to replace him, the leadership will be missed

oh and the old cliche, defense wins championships....still holds true

we won because we had a good pass defense......the colts didnt run the ball so our run defense didnt matter even tho it stunk throughout the year

defense still wins championships and our defense stepped up when we needed it the most

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Do you keep forgetting that we drafted two LBs last year that were injured and that we picked up two undrafted free agents that made the team?

Rookies don't stay rookies. They practice. They learn. They play. They actually get better. They become veterans.

Are you absolutely positive that out of Arnoux, Casillas, Dunbar, and Vaughn that there isn't one starting caliber outside LB? The FO must think one of them is starting quality, since they pointedly did not draft a player for the position nor sign a free agent.

SFIAH

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

remember that vaughn is a safety ;)

arnoux and cassillas are little for LBs and really dont fit the mold of a SLB

dunbar and evans might be the favorites to win the position

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Look all im sayin is i would have liked Hughes and Cody....and NOBODY on here can tell me our D would have been vastly improved...lol

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

If Evans is the answer, we are in trouble. Yes, he is good on ST, but I was at the ATL game, and guys were running by him like he was an orange cone

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

not saying hes the greatest.....but who else do we have?

he filled in for fujita last year when he went down......its likely that he will fill in again this year

i kinda wish we would've kept mark simoneau

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Yep

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Did I miss something? Did training camp start yet? The staff may have something in the works. How would it be to trade J Brown for a starting LB? If we were working on that and it were close, why would you want to draft someone?

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

id be disappointed if we traded brown at all

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Not to change the subject, but you're so right. An All Pro LT for a OLB? He better be a game changer.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

How do you know,,,lol:doh:

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

MARK SIMONEAU?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! OMG!!!!!!!!!! :crazy: Please don't tell me that you want Simoneau playing for this team.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

he's a beast

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

That's so SR. Please never do that again. Anybody with me on that? :???:

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Whiner...they stole it from us ..fool i will say it in words you can understand ..studmuffin...lol

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

I think they know more then we do. They must really like who we have at LB.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

What about that dude from Dan Diego ... "Merriedman"?

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Simoneau was no worse than Scott Fujita. I'd take a 28 year old Simoneau over a 28 year old Fujita.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

... but isn't that an argument for upgrading the position? Seems all the more reason we should have gone for an outside linebacker somewhere along the way.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

I'd probably agree with that, except one problem. We don't have a hot tub time machine, so Simoneau is stuck as a too slow, old linebacker.

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

hes a guy that could've filled in at SLB until we got someone who we really wanted

i liked simoneau for his versatility......could've played any LB spot

even tho he wasnt the best LB ever, he was still a solid contributor despite the injuries

remember that he was our starter until vilma came along

Re: Fujita vs. Joe Schmoe at OLB
 

Indeed.