rezburna

I always said we should've just started Wilson and Gallette. Hopefully they both start at OLB.

Hicks and Jordan at DE. Bunkley at NT. I kept telling yall we don't need to replace him.

blackangold

this...

I didn't make this post to be pessimistic. However, the truth is our D sucked last year. Our D is going to be much better with the improvements made and the switch to the 34, which many of us have wanted for years. I am actually more optimistic about our D this upcoming year then I ever have been. I just want some new ball-hawk safety.

Rob Ryan will not only bring the 34 but he will bring the attitude that GW had... just without the bounty lol

remember this attitude!


it was something we did not have with spags... RR will get that swagger back!!

homerj07

[QUOTE=TheOak;492166]The article is over two months old and thar Defense in its entirety does not exist anymore.



God I hope not!

Rugby Saint II

Harper is not restructured and there is some reason for it. I just don't know what it is.

voodooido

If they only graded 88 I would of given them 90 and 91....

nycsaintfan

I think Harper might be a June 1st cut. Just a gut feeling...

hagan714

grading is cute and well kinda stupid when you have a defense like we did last year. grading out a top 16 makes sense but after that it is totally stupid in my book. when a team get desperate they do things that are well stupid. who is to blame? DC in my book takes 75% of the blame after 8 games.

All i can say is when push came to shove on key plays in the game the entire defense got pushed and shoved all over the field.

DT all spent more time pancaked on third downs and goal lines stands than tackling

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

Supertek

I am really at a loss I cannot totally accept that Spags system was to blame for all this. Our worst players got exposed. Spags system worked well in the past. For that reason I am dumbfounded that we have not cut some of these guys outright. These are supposed to be pro football players and should perform at a certain level year in and year out so I am not buying it.

xan

I have to agree with some of the argument that scheme plays a huge role in how a player performs. I also agree with some of the questions on the rating system. One would have to know FOR EACH PLAY, what the individual player's responsibility was and compare it to the offensive call. I cannot believe that, as well as some review tapes, that they have that kind of insight into the play-by-play tactics. It takes 3 staffers breaking down the tapes 2 days to review the 80-odd snaps for each unit for each player on the field.

My bet is that there was an incredible amount of confusion and lack of off and on field communication. This was the culprit, not the athletic and recognition skills of the players.

I have to hope that the new staff's communication and organization skills will make getting on the same page more of a possibility for this same group of players. Just keep in mind that a 10% improvement will still make this unit one of history's 5 worst defenses. It's going to be a monumental effort to become simply below average.

Calvin: "I wish I was a Tiger."
Hobbes: "Common lament."

TheOak

Presently Harper is a known, ill give him a grade of 5 out of 10 for arguments sake. If he is cut now and you get into camp and what you brought in to replace him ends up being a 5 you made a move that did not make your defense any better but just cost your self 6.1M in dead money with no gain.

Its a balancing act with Harper, cutting Harper is a move the Saints will not make until they see a move worth making. Harpers Salary this year is 5.2M, ods are that someone will draft a Safety that is as good as that teams present 6 or 7 but cheaper, and cut their Safety or want to trade their Safety allowing us to pick up something better than Harper at the same price. This plays into the 49ers and Falcons being high on draft picks and low on cap, and them having to get rid of people.

Worst case scenario, we keep him and know what to expect.