WhoDat

OK, I know that this season isn't over and there IS still some hope for playoffs, but it was brought up in another thread and I just want to know what you guys think. What do the Saints need this off-season?

Here's my list:
1. CB
2. LB
3. WR
4. S
5. DT (depth)
6. T (depth) - or a utility player
7. RB (depth - although I like Carter a lot)
8. O-line, O-line, O-line for depth

I'm trying to be as realistic as possible here. Notice, I said it in another post and as I try to play it out here it holds true in my eyes, we are only a few players away. Our problems are not with talent. Drops, turnovers, penalties, missed tackles - those aare all mental/discipline mistakes.

Thus, maybe the most needed move in the offseason is coach and GM. Every year it's something else with Haslett - injuries, bad luck, locker room cancers, the wrong kind of players for the system, mental mistakes, not a good enough practice facility, blah blah blah. I think from a personnel standpoint this team could easily be good enough to compete for a Super Bowl after one more offseason. It's time to be accountable - let's get some coaches and front office personnel that can make us winners. Who's with me?

BrooksMustGo

My first pick would be either Teddy Lehman (MLB) or Derrick Strait (CB) out of Oklahoma. As these are perpetual needs for this club that we choose NEVER to address through the draft.

After that, I\'d hope we could get enough out of a Brooks trade to pick up Eli.

WhoDat

I\'d love to see a Manning back in Black and Gold. And say what you will, but I think it would be a good move for NO. They wouldn\'t need to rush him into service, and I\'d bet his jersey would immediately be a top seller in the NFL. Manning is already a popular name and with Archie, well, it would be a PR department\'s dream come true. Manning v. Manning would set the NFL on fire. Yeah, we have bigger needs. But if we can address them in free agency, why not take a shot?

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

tweeky

In order of needs...
CB
LB
CB
DT (nose, would give us a top 5 group)
SS
WR
FS

What we don\'t need
TE
OG
DE
QB (assuming we re-sign Bouman)

Cassady37

1. New Head Coach.
2. New O-Coordinator.
3. New D-Coordinator.
4. C.B.
5. L.B.
6. D.L.
7. T.E. Because if things keep going the way they are Boo will sign a great contract with probably one of our division rivals after this season.
8. O.L.

On another note, Atlanta could possibly get the first pick this year and we could probably make a play for Eli, but do we want to give up the picks and or players to a division rival?

BlackandBlue

Is that the LB that runs a 4.3/40? If so, yeah, that would be my first pick. You won\'t find freak speed like that at that position all of the time. If he wasn\'t available, I\'ll take Marlin Jackson (CB) out of Michigan.

lumm0x

I think if the Saints did manage to get Eli Manning it would be a big mistake in my opinion. Knowing I\'ll get blasted for this, here is why. I believe it would definitely be a PR dream come true. It would be a fantastic move from a media and recognition stand point. It would sell jersey, sell tickets and sell hope. But...it would, in my opinion, be a re-enactment of the Ricky Williams trade. Suddenly this kid coming out of college is expected to be the single difference in making us a Super Bowl contender. All of the pressure that Williams faced when he was here was too much for someone of that level of maturity. Put Manning here and he faces all of that and more. Too many comparisons to Archie and Peyton. Yes, he\'ll get that anywhere, but moreso here. The local media and fans will make him into a god before he plays a down. He won\'t get that in Arizona or wherever else he goes. Sure he\'ll get the 1st rounder hype but not to the degree he\'d get it here. For his sake, he will have a better chance at being a successful QB with outside pressures that New Orleans brings.

BillyC

From the games I have seen Eli play, he looks like the real deal. He looks better to me than what Peyton did in college. LummOx, I don\'t know that I agree with you on it being too much pressure for Eli. If he did come here I think most knowledgeable fans would know that it would take a while for him to develop. I guess you would have some idiot fans that might expect him to take us to the super bowl in his first year, but for the most part I don\'t see it being that big of a problem. That same arguement was made when Eli chose to go to Ole Miss and he\'s handled it well.

But, I don\'t see QB as anywhere close to being the biggest area of need. There is no way we are going to get ELI and to be drafting to sell tickets would be a BIG mistake.

saint5221

Its sad and amazing our needs on defense are the same as last year. Our inability to stop the rush must be addressed first and start up front. We are one of the worst rush defenses in the league. We need a run stuffing nose tackle and a middle linebacker who can come with the hammer. Add to that two corners who can cover and a free safety and we have a defense that can win.
On offense our line needs stability and reciver help. I would love a more complete and smarter option at QB but don\'t think we should rush to make a change just to make one. I would rather see the Qb position addressed in free agancy than the draft. The pick cost is to high with other more pressing needs and too unsure(way to many top pick QB busts) and even under good circumstances takes too long to pan out,

And formost it is time for a new coaching staff. Haslett has shown that his teams are consistantly slopply and error prone. All the hallmarks of a poorly prepared team are there; presnap penalities, miscommunications between players, missed assignments, missed tackles, turnovers, sloppy play everywhere. These things fall squarely on the head coach and his staff. Good coaches know how to get players to understand what they need to do and if they can\'t they get players who can.

ScottyRo

One thing I\'ve noticed this year while watching some good teams is that their LBs seem to make many more plays than ours do. I\'ve always been a believer in the madden-ism that \"it all starts up front, \" but I\'m beginning to believe that our front is fairly solid and that it is the LBs not getting off blocks in time to stop the run. The sad fact of the matter is that our D cannot stop a good offense when it counts - and even when it doesn\'t count.

I know we have a huge need at corner, but I\'m gonna have to go with LB for our 1st rd pick in 2004 (assuming there is one worth picking at our spot.) I don\'t keep up with all the college players so I don\'t know who I\'d choose, but even though speed is important, I want someone who can avoid blockers like a RB who is good at avoiding tacklers. The lineman should take up the blockers and the LBs should hit the gaps and make tackles - and that is what we\'re missing. If we could slow down the rush, I believe that\'d help the passing game.