WhoDat!656

The players aren’t the only ones being impacted by the New Orleans Saints’ switch to a 3-4 defense. General manager Mickey Loomis said the personnel department also is adjusting.

“It’s changed, there is no question, because we are looking for different things and we are still trying to understand completely what [new defensive coordinator] Rob [Ryan] is looking for in a defensive player,’’ Loomis said. “It’s really the front seven that we are talking about here, but I think we have a really good handle on the type of player that he is looking for. We brought in a couple of guys from his team in Dallas in free agency and we have spent a lot of time talking to him about each of these college players that are draft eligible and how they would fit into our system.”

Loomis and coach Sean Payton have a history of drafting the best available player and that doesn’t always coincide with needs. But I think this draft could be different.

Even with their free-agent signings the Saints still need more players to fit Ryan’s scheme as he tries to overhaul a defense that ranked last in the NFL last season.

“We could line up and play today if we had to play, with a few practices,’’ Loomis said. “We’re just trying to add to that and improve. This draft is part of that process and, obviously, free agency was part of that process too, bringing in Victor Butler, Kenyon Coleman and Keenan Lewis. We’ve got some elements. We have some expectations of some guys that we drafted last year, Akiem Hicks in particular, and then we are looking for good seasons from some of our veteran guys.”

There’s no question the Saints already have put some parts in place. But this defense is far from a finished product and this draft will be crucial. Even if there’s an offensive player the Saints really like at No. 15, I think they need to pass and get a defensive player who has a chance to be a difference maker.

New Orleans Saints need to keep focus on defense - ESPN

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

Danno

I disagree.

If there's an elite offensive prospect there when we pick I hope we pick him. We don't know what we have in Galette, Hicks, Lofton, Vilma, Hawthorne, Johnson, and Wilson making the switch to this 1-gap 3-4.

We do however know what we need on offense. We could easily make due with what we have on defense and re-evaluate next season and address the holes with free agents and draft picks.

I think we need to focus on selecting the best stud left on our boards early, and then maybe focus on holes/depth later in the draft.

Obviously BPA should probably exclude QB, RB and OG, but everything else is a serious option IMO.

RockyMountainSaint

I would add TE to your list.

I believe Ben Watson will be the FA with the biggest impact for us this year.

Watson TE, Lance or Morgan slot and Jimmy wide?

DROOL

Danno

True, but I think the athletic TE is a mismatch to be exploited for quite a while. We have 2, and one is aging. If we trade down and Elfert is there. I'd pull the trigger. It would be the equivalent of having two Jimmy Grahams. WOW!

RockyMountainSaint

Everything that I have read or watched about Eifert says he excels in run blocking.

He is a step ahead of Jimmy there. Only because The Rev is new to the position, relatively speaking.

brian504

If Patrick Robinson could learn to look back when the ball is up we'll b ok...

RockyMountainSaint

So asking him to tackle would just be a bonus?

homerj07

A HUGE bonus!!

Rugby Saint II

A big bonus.

Leighton B

Which TE is aging it's not Jimmy or Ben they're both in their mid 20s!