Always love your objective reporting Em. Your concerns are valid and logical, and pretty much what our fans talk about. Showing your deep thought and prep work.
Plus, you acknowledge the solid 4 RB's, our draft ability to pick guys like
Toon, and that the OL is still very solid. Something the Power polls always seem to miss. If Brees is back we are the same 35-40 PTs a game offense.

I think you pegged it. Their is not a defense that can stop this offense in the NFCS, if everyone remains healthy. Our OL ends are a concern, but if the defense can just improve to 15-16th and they take care of the secondary issues. I can see us being #1 in the NFCS, maybe even 2nd or 3rd seed in the playoffs.

thanks

Very nicely put, as expected from you.

The tackles on the O-line do concern me a bit as well, but the Saints do have some interesting prospects who could possibly become one of those "diamonds in the rough" they seem to find consistently. Bushrod is an OK LT, but I doubt he'll be back after this year since he'll probably want more money than the Saints are willing to pay for his services (or should for that matter) - the play of Carl Nicks made him seem better than he is. So, they do have to look to the future with their tackles since Brown has shown that he can't stay healthy long enough to actually compete for a starting job. He had his chance last season when Strief got hurt, but he only ended up getting injured once again without making an impression. Luckily Grubbs and Evans will be a solid pairing at guard, and they might possibly make up the best guard tandem in the league next year - Grubbs is supposedly better at run blocking than Nicks was, so that should bode well for the Saints' running game, which you already justly highlighted in your analysis report.

The Saints are hoping to get better production from their defensive front 4 this season and I would have to bet with Spags' track-record that their performances will improve, but the question is how much? If they are able to get more pressure with just the front 4 without having to bring up extra men to the line of scrimmage - their secondary won't have to cover receivers for those 7 second pockets we saw under William's leadership. Bunkley, as you said, was a really good signing by the Saints and should fit better in their system than either Rogers or Franklin did last season. I think Tom Johnson might be a surprise starter come opening day of regular season if he remains healthy. He had a really good shortened offseason last season by all the accounts by the staff and he looked really good in that first preseason game at SF againts the 49ers' 1st string guys, but then he injured his hamstring during the first 5 minutes of the 2nd quarter and couldn't return to the line-up until week 4. Johnson and Bunkley might make up a great pairing with the rookie Hicks learning his way and Ellis trying to finally produce like 1st rounder (if he still is with the Saints when the season begins) along with solid play for Ayodele. DEs are a question mark, but the Saints are hoping that McBride will perform much better this season and most importantly stay healthy. Jordan, Gallette and Wilson will have to carry the weight along with him for the possible duration of Smith's suspension, but I think that they can do it under Spags' guidance. Anyway, the D-linemen have been saying that Spags' front 4 schemes are much more rewarding for them to play in and allow them to concentrate on what they do best without resorting to trickery and overtly complex schemes as was the case under Williams. Now, I don't know how much of that is just supporting the new DC, but I for one wouldn't want any other DC in the league over Spags at the moment - with the limitations the Saints have in the defensive roster. Luckily the LBs will be much much better this coming season, because that corps was a mess last season like you yourself mentioned in your report.

And the offense will be top 3 in the league, so no point in worrying about that.

Anyway, just wanted to thrown in my 2 cents and thank you for a good job done!

Why cant we have the number one offense in the league?

Very nicely put, as expected from you.

The tackles on the O-line do concern me a bit as well, but the Saints do have some interesting prospects who could possibly become one of those "diamonds in the rough" they seem to find consistently. Bushrod is an OK LT, but I doubt he'll be back after this year since he'll probably want more money than the Saints are willing to pay for his services (or should for that matter) - the play of Carl Nicks made him seem better than he is. So, they do have to look to the future with their tackles since Brown has shown that he can't stay healthy long enough to actually compete for a starting job. He had his chance last season when Strief got hurt, but he only ended up getting injured once again without making an impression. Luckily Grubbs and Evans will be a solid pairing at guard, and they might possibly make up the best guard tandem in the league next year - Grubbs is supposedly better at run blocking than Nicks was, so that should bode well for the Saints' running game, which you already justly highlighted in your analysis report.

The Saints are hoping to get better production from their defensive front 4 this season and I would have to bet with Spags' track-record that their performances will improve, but the question is how much? If they are able to get more pressure with just the front 4 without having to bring up extra men to the line of scrimmage - their secondary won't have to cover receivers for those 7 second pockets we saw under William's leadership. Bunkley, as you said, was a really good signing by the Saints and should fit better in their system than either Rogers or Franklin did last season. I think Tom Johnson might be a surprise starter come opening day of regular season if he remains healthy. He had a really good shortened offseason last season by all the accounts by the staff and he looked really good in that first preseason game at SF againts the 49ers' 1st string guys, but then he injured his hamstring during the first 5 minutes of the 2nd quarter and couldn't return to the line-up until week 4. Johnson and Bunkley might make up a great pairing with the rookie Hicks learning his way and Ellis trying to finally produce like 1st rounder (if he still is with the Saints when the season begins) along with solid play for Ayodele. DEs are a question mark, but the Saints are hoping that McBride will perform much better this season and most importantly stay healthy. Jordan, Gallette and Wilson will have to carry the weight along with him for the possible duration of Smith's suspension, but I think that they can do it under Spags' guidance. Anyway, the D-linemen have been saying that Spags' front 4 schemes are much more rewarding for them to play in and allow them to concentrate on what they do best without resorting to trickery and overtly complex schemes as was the case under Williams. Now, I don't know how much of that is just supporting the new DC, but I for one wouldn't want any other DC in the league over Spags at the moment - with the limitations the Saints have in the defensive roster. Luckily the LBs will be much much better this coming season, because that corps was a mess last season like you yourself mentioned in your report.

And the offense will be top 3 in the league, so no point in worrying about that.

Anyway, just wanted to thrown in my 2 cents and thank you for a good job done!

Thanks Buddy! You're spot on! I'm really disappointed that Romeus got hurt this offseason... I was expecting big things from him this year. DL & Secondary are my biggest worries going into this season