whowatches

I'm gonna hold my breath, cross my fingers and pray (Dear Lord, I'll only drink four...er five days a week) that we pick up one big name defensive free agent this off-season.

So... if we only get one, who would you pick? I think there are three big names that will be swirling around (for us): Al Wilson, Charles Woodson and Cornelius Bennett. Which one would you pursue if you could only have one?

I'm gonna go with Wilson. Assuming we resign Howard, I think the linebacker position needs to be seriously addressed. We need a leader who is not an aging veteran to control the middle of the field. With this signing, we could use our first round pick on an impact corner.

Bennett is a close second. I think our D line is one DT away from being something special. Bennett would be my pick if we just hadn't let the LB position go for so long.

Woodson is miles behind at third. I know he has talent, but something about him scares me. Maybe it was his shennanigans in the Callahan going away party in Oakland this year. Perhaps Woodson's comments were justified... but I would much rather have seem him exercise his 'leadership' in a different way. Which leads me to the question of why Haslet would even be interested in C-Wood. To me, his signing as a Saint would just be a train wreck in the making. But, I digress...

So, since it's a slow day, and all we have to look forward to are some not-so-Saintly playoff games, tell me what ya'll think.

I'll be waitng with baited breath...

[Edited on 18/1/2004 by whowatches]

JKool

I agree. Of the three listed, Wilson has to be our top choice. We need a good, tough, grizzled player in the middle of the field. This will immediately help our run defense, which, at least over the first half of the season, struggled badly. He also brings leadership and some fire to what is a totally unnotable group on our defense.

It is my belief though that once we stop the run, the short to mid-range passing game is going to become our defensive nightmare. Here, I\'ll go on the record: I do think that Tebucky helped against the deep ball and with a healthy (and as good as promised) Mel Mitchell, our safeties will help prevent big plays passing. However, despite my man-crush on Fred Thomas, he alone cannot man the corners. Once teams start passing, they will molest our sub-par outside linebackers and group of corners. Thus, my second choice is a corner. I do agree that Charles may not be the best choice. I would prefer to see our boys acquire one of the other big name corners (though I\'ve lost track of who else is actually on that list, I do remember that there are a few).

I think our D-line is quite good, even if it is not what it would be with a fourth. I see no need to spend big money there, unless we can - in which case of course, go for it!

"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

-RVD-

Is there anyway we can go all out and sign Wilson and Woodson?

lumm0x

What are you talking about.....Cornelius Bennett? Of the 80\'s and 90\'s Bills? Do you mean someone else?

WhoDat

Interesting. Woodson is the locker room cancer of the Raiders and that scares you? I can understand, but let\'s think about some of the players who were unhappy here, let go b/c they couldn\'t perform, and/or who spoke out against the organization.

Willie Roaf (Pro Bowler)
Kyle Turley (Not such a problem in St. Louis is he?)
La\'Roi Glover (Pro Bowler - couldn\'t stop the run. We replaced him with Hand).
You know what, there\'s no need to go further, we\'ve all seen this list a thousand times.


My point is, maybe the guy just needs a change of scenery. He was obviously right about something. Callahan got axed immediately. I like Wilson or Woodson. Woodson is a much better player than Wilson, but he\'s also going to be much more expensive. We can draft a DT. Lets spend money signing a CB and MLB.

\"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.\"

Danno

I wouldn\'t put Cornelius Griffin in that elite free agent class with Woodson and Wilson. While he\'ll be highly sought after I don\'t think he\'ll break the bank like W&W.

But to answer your question I\'d go after Wilson.

I think our defense\'s main weakness was linebacker play, followed by run defense, followed by aging corners.

We\'ll probably sign an A-player and 2 B-players. If thats the case I\'d sign Wilson as our A-palyer, then get a solid B-Player like a Fernando Bryant (CB Jax) and hope that the Giants melt-down would allow Griffin\'s (DT NYG) value to drop into that B-Player range.

But I think as FA period gets closer his value will go up as they look at 2001, 2002 as well as 2003 game-film.

whowatches

lol.

I\'m an idiot. My subconscious was a victim of wishful thinking, I guess. I meant Griffin of the Giants.

Danno, I agree that Griffin is not in the same class as the other two. This year\'s crop of DT is thin, right? Anyone know who\'s available (besides Sapp)?

I would love to see a couple of B players and an A as well. I guess my point was which position would you focus on first and with the most cash.