JKool

PS - Gamble would probably not have been able to help us this season anyway (with a need to still grow in experience at the position), so we may as well wait until next draft to get our stud corner than take him (with our extra 2nd round pick, we may be able to finally get the corner we need). While, I don\'t like waiting, this isn\'t the worst thing that could happen - one more year?

Euphoria

Moving up would have cost us a great deal... and you can say moving up would have been the thing to do but that is a great idea in hindsight. You just have to sit and watch the draft develop sometimes and make your pick on what is best available. We got great value with the pick that can\'t be argued. What they plan to do with him or the D remains to be seen. I like moving some players around and changing our D to a 3-4... I also like having bodies to enter-change so our D won\'t tire so easily.

I don\'t think trading his rights is the thing to do either. I think he has way to much value and potential to be trade for Trotter.

[Edited on 25/4/2004 by Euphoria]

E U P H O R I A

SaintsReporter

JKool --

I really don\'t feel like we will make a trade. We\'ve had all off-season to make plenty of trades. While we did pick up a few players, we saw the marquee players go to other teams. The sad thing is that we are probably only one or two players away from being a TRUE super bowl contender. What\'s more troubling is it\'s been that way for the last 2 years.

Why is it that other teams can sign the big free agents and we can\'t? We\'ve got the cap space. We\'ve got the need. Yet, we go out and spend big money on guys like Wayne Gandy and Dale Carter.

See we can sit here and debate the finer point to ever player picked up or let go, but there\'s a pattern with this administration and it paints a lousy picture. One that I was in denial about for a while.

Let\'s look at the facts:

1. Offensive line: Haslett had a solid offensive line when he got here. But, this has been an area that has been rebulit and received way too much attention, IMO. Gone are Kyle Turley and Willie Roaf. We overpaid Wayne Gandy, who, while serviceable, is not a top left tackle. We also spent a 2nd round pick last year in the draft, when we needed and still need linebackers and cornerbacks.

2. Tight end: Signed David Sloan and Ernie Conwell. No production out of either one. Meanwhile we had Boo Williams the entire time and looks like he might be the anwser.

3. Linebacker: Signed Orlando Ruff, Darrin Smith, Derrik Rodgers, and Rodger Knight. All of those are BIG PROJECTS. We don\'t need projects at linebackers. This is a team that is probably only a linebacker and corner away from the superbowl and we need difference makers there.

Anyway, there\'s more to this patten for Haslett and co. Most of you are well aware of the facts. So, while everyone is trying to figure out why this draft went like it did and you\'re trying to make some sense of it. Just look at the past history of this organization and you\'ll see not too much makes sense.

JKool

I don\'t understand the suggestion to go to a 3-4. Such a decision would make Sully look like a bad pick - he\'s not a NT. Furthermore, LB is our weakest position; why would we put another one of these guys on the field.

If they are converting Smith to OLB, then we have Rogers (whom I don\'t think is a project - he has experience and has been successful in Miami), Smith, and Watson. IF the two new kids turn out to be good (i.e. better than Grant, Ruff, and Hodge - which shouldn\'t be too hard), then we\'re good in the 4-3 (with a pair of stud ends and two solid DTs).

Billy, I guess I was frustrated yesterday, but I\'m still not seeing this draft as that bad yet. I think we\'ve addressed the LB need (with Vilma and DJ gone, what were we going to do); we have at least one new LB, we have a bunch of 2-3 year guys, who have some potential left (Allen and Grant), and some serviceable players (D. Smith and Ruff). If W Smith turns out to be a Suggs, we\'re set. Thus, I think the only glaring problem is still at CB. I haven\'t yet been convinced that there isn\'t a trade coming - I\'m leaning toward WR as the key to the trade now.

My guess as to why we can\'t sign the big FAs is this: we are too far away from having a SB contender - thus, players who are looking to the later years of their careers won\'t be as interested if there is a similar offer elsewhere. Also, we just don\'t have a \"winning record\", and I\'m not talking about Haz - when these players were growing up, they never fantasized about playing for our boys in the black and gold; thus, there is psychological motivation to play elsewhere. Finally, I hate our FO; I believe they\'re obsessed with finding diamonds in the rough (at least over the last few years), rather than taking the obvious \"blue chip\".

The story isn\'t over yet though; just a hunch.

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