2012 New Orleans Saints Depth Chart
 

What might the depth chart look like for 2012?

Let's play General Manager ->

Note: Key Signing or Resign

WR Marques Colston, Adrian Arrington, Joe Morgan
TE Jimmy Graham, David Thomas
LT Jermon Bushrod
LG Carl Nicks
C Brian De La Puente, Matt Tennant
RG Jahri Evans
RT Zach Strief, Charles Brown
FR Lance Moore, Devery Henderson
QB Drew Brees
FB Jed Collins, Korey Hall
RB Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Chris Ivory

LDE Callais Campbell or Cliff Avril, Jeff Charleston
NT Aubrayo Franklin (UFA), Swanson Miller
DT Cam Jordan, Tom Johnson
RDE Junior Galette, Greg Romeus
SLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Martez Wilson, Will Herring
MLB Dan Connor, Ramon Humber, Ezra Butler
WLB Wesley Woodyard, Jonathan Casillas, Nate Bussey
LCB Jabari Greer; Rod Hood
SS Roman Harper; Jonathon Amaya
FS Malcolm Jenkins; Isa Abdul-Quddus
RCB Patrick Robinson, Johnny Patrick

P Thomas Morstead
K Garrett Hartley
LS Justin Drescher

First we MUST keep Colston and Nicks (Brees contract delay may be angling same) - and it won't happen if we don't let geaux of some high salaries elsewhere...

We will regret not resigning Colston and Nicks; factoring in also that we've got to start to get Jimmy Graham done...

AND since we've not drafted/signed clear impact players on the defensive side of the ball; that will have to be addressed as well...

Where to make the cuts, gotta be on defense where the production isn't justified by the numbers in contracts; Will Smith, Sedrick Ellis, Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper are candidates for cap casualties...

Cam Jordan is moved inside to increase the upfront speed rush...

We can sign a high quallity DE with the money freed with the release of Smith; but a commitment to Mario Williams may negate the cap room sought to be created to resign both Colston and Nicks...

Linebackers get a major overhaul with both upgrade and cap relief...

Now Spagnuolo may come in and expose the infallible "GW" as a fraud; regardless of your opinion - I'd argue the Saints had a HUGE hole at FS since Darren Sharper was lost to age/injury...

Dashon Goldson and Michael Griffin are the only FA FS of note and Goldson is likely to be tagged and neither are that much an upgrade to warrant the increased financial commitment; Jenkins looks more like a SS and since Harper is there, Spagnuolo will likely have to get Jenkins up to the task as a FS or get ready to move one or both next season...

I 100% agree with the "GW as a fraud" statement. I know we would never really know but I wonder how much the "exotics" started to wear on the players. I think we are going to see a defense that is going to impress us like we were in 2009.

Not bad!! I don't think they slide Jordon to DT, I like the Avril signing, the lb.s look good too.

dont think vilma is going anywhere

While he may have been overrated, "Fraud" played a big part in the Saints winning their one and only Superbowl. It's amazing how quick fans can turn their back on one of their own.

Papz......he is not "one of our own". He is no longer a Saints coach.....and I for one am happy about that. If we wouldn't have led the league in turnovers in 2009 (thank you Darren Sharper), we wouldn't be talking about that defense either.

Shanle is one of our own, yet he's thrown under the bus?!?

Scott Fujita wasn't worth being one of our own, but I bet many here wishes we would have overpaid for his services...

Reggie Bush was one of our own, and what's left of his effigy is along I-10 between the Read Blvd exit headed east to the Mississippi state line...

GW, Gregg Williams, aka Turd provided some snappy quotes for the media, and some false hope that the defense would be a top unit and it never came to fruition...

It's apparent that Darren Sharper's play was a key part of what offset the shortcomings of the 2009 defense and allowed for a Championship...

To discuss GW, start a new group "We Heart GW" and see how many friends join in and sing Kumbaya in that private chat room...

Be sure to include the playoff losses to Seattle and San Francisco on the tombstone of GW's body of work in New Orleans...

Back to the subject of this this thread though, which would be what the roster might look like or what we would hope it could like...

(Princess Leia Hologram) 'Help us Hagan, you're our only hope...'

You forget that GW being thrown under the bus happened well before he left us... it's easily happened since last year. The Darren Sharper defense was lead with Williams at the helm and a following that year, a highly ranked defense also. I'm find with moving on... I'm absolutely ecstatic that we now have Spags. I just find it somewhat tacky and disgusting people constantly throw GW under the bus at every chance they can get... especially since he's played a big part in helping our franchise turn things around.

Same here.

I like Vilma; but when you factor his age, health, and salary, he's a vulnerable salary cap casualty...

Recommended a younger solution in Dan Conner who could come in with a friendlier salary number that would allow the Saints some wiggle room when doing the contracts of Colston and Nicks.