I really think that they should fill the DT slots with rookies if at all possible, because next off-season Ellis will be off the books, and if he doesn't have a career year - well, he won't be back for the 2013 season.

Then the Saints would have the cap to sign a dominant FA DT if that is what they need, and the rookie DTs would have a year under their belt - and Spags would have a better understanding of what the front 4 needs in order to become better.

I'd rather see this happening than them spending unnecessary money on a FA DT who ends up producing like f.e. Rogers did this past season.

Franklin with a 1-year contract for $2.5-3M would be nice, but I doubt he'd be willing to sign for that little (and another 1-year deal) at this juncture of his career - I guess it depends on how the FA DT market develops.

I wouldn't mind a 2-3 year deal with Franklin at all. I was more impressed with him than Rogers. He's beef in the middle. We can't run nascar all game long, especially with Deangelo Williams, Michael Turner and Lagerrett Blount twice a year, not to mention we play Matt Forte, and Frank Gore as well.

I'm not disagreeing, and I've been in favor of bringing Franklin back the whole time, but in general I think the "draft & groom" approach sounds so much more attracting - especially when looking at it from the future continuity perspective.

That depends on Goodell and if he lets us keep any decent draft picks this year...

Sorry, I meant to preface it with "I agree".

But I do not want to pin our DT hopes on the draft.

Its a difficult position to master and we'd be foolish to depend on it. We need at least one stopgap vet.

That is true, but I'm relying on my Magic 8-Ball which answered to my question of: "Will the Saints have draft picks in 2012" with: "You may rely on it."


http://a2.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/095/...320x480-75.jpg

Yeah, I've met that 8-ball in real life, he's an *******. He probably meant "You may rely on it...It wouldn't be smart, but you are technically allowed to"

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jMd2xEBgjv...20/8ball12.jpg

Cut Ellis sign Franklin back get King in the rotation as a 3rd down pass rusher then draft an early round DT (if we still have the 2nd round pick) and another small school DT in the late rounds.

Use Free Agency (Franklin) to shore up your roster; then let the surprises and youth in the draft come...

Now, will we even have draft picks? Friday came and, well, still quiet...