SmashMouth

With the NFL Draft approaching, we’re taking a team-by-team look at the needs of each club. Up next is the team with the No. 15 overall selection, the New Orleans Saints. They’re short a second-rounder from the bounty penalty, which takes away a chance to fix the worst defense in league history.



Outside linebacker: While he’s certainly a useful part, the fact the addition of Victor Butler was deemed so important is telling. He can help teach new coordinator Rob Ryan’s 3-4 system, and has been a good pass-rusher in spot duty behind DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer in Dallas. But the Saints had no one to speak of to fill the role previously, as everyone else would have been a square peg into a round hole after years of acquiring 4-3 players.

Adding a pass-rusher with some pop will be crucial to fixing the side which gave up more yards last year than any other team, and local product Barkevious Mingo could fit in nicely (plus, it gives me a cheap excuse to write the name Barkevious Mingo, which is wonderful).

Offensive tackle: When you’ve invested as heavily in a quarterback as the Saints have, protecting him is a must. But the Saints have a hole at left tackle after Jermon Bushrod followed his old position coach Aaron Kromer to Chicago, and the only options now are backup Charles Brown and former draft bust Jason Smith. Brown’s an acceptable fill-in, but you’d prefer to have a better plan than that.

Brees has a quick enough delivery to buy them a little time (and excuse a lower grade of offensive line), but they need to upgrade here, and have done research on tackles who will be drafted far higher than 15th.

Wide receiver: It’s still a good group, but adding someone with speed would certainly help. Though he’s been a disappointment in San Diego, Robert Meachem played a specific role for them, and backfilling with someone who can stretch the field is a need.

Safety: They brought in Jim Leonhard, who is a fine backup and spot player. But they need to find a playmaker for the middle of the field, to replace the pedestrian Roman Harper and Malcom Jenkins as soon as possible.

The Saints can’t possibly fix all their defensive issues in a single offseason, even if they had all their picks, which they don’t. They made a quick run at cornerback Keenan Lewis and signed defensive end Kenyon Coleman, but need more help there as well. They also need to find a young quarterback, as backup Chase Daniel split for Kansas City.

Having Brees reunited with back-from-Elba coach Sean Payton gives them a little flexibility there, as the expected offensive uptick will limit the need for Ryan to turn the defense into the 1985 Bears. But the Saints made history last year with their porosity, and now they’re changing the scheme to one that’s an odd fit for the existing personnel.

Maybe that’s a good thing, but to expect there won’t be a rough transition seems unrealistic.

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Seer1

JeanPierre, Hagan, you oughta sue this guy.

Rugby Saint II

I think we need an OT bgefore we address anything else. Signing a rookie tackle to a long term contract would solidify that position untilo it's time for Brees to retire. That and the rookie salaries are m much more manageable now.
I understand that we need to address defense and wish we could use every draft pick on our weakest positions.

saintsfan1976

Wrong. The players fit a 3-4 style much better than the 4-3 Spags attempted to run last year.

Add OLB, OT, S, WR, QB.

hagan714

lol i need money

see i am at the point i think with a few additions in the draft and a change in DC the defense will be better. sure we take some lumps in the switch but it can not get any worse than 2012. let the defense run its course and lets see what we got.

OL is a another issue. OC worries me a bit. with the question marks at LT i would expect payton to use grubbs to help out there like he did in the past. now can Grubbs do it? that a big question. but either way that means De La Puente will be left more on his own. last year i would say he took a step backwards a bit. that or defenses scouted him up better. the middle of the oL must hold up so Drew can step up in the pocket to avoid the outside rush.

Fingers crossed for both sides of the ball. but right now the real test is going to be our oL coach and what he can piece together. this is my area of greatest concern

Let the cards fall as they may on defense

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

Danno

Agree with 1st sentence, but don't need QB at all.

|Mitch|

Replace QB with a huge NT, Ryan's 2 gap 3-4 will put pressure on the Line to occupy double teams. I'm not sure that Bunkley has the size to handle the middle...

RaginCajun83

QB is the last thing they need

saintsfan1976

I wouldn't say last. And I'm thinking UDFA QB who may be a practice squad guy for one year.

homerj07

Wow "Elba" good reference. I hope Sean's return is longer than 100 Days.