thebdj

So as I was running today and letting my mind wander around all sorts of trivia, I started thinking who in my opinion is a lock for a #1 position on our depth chart. It seems logical that this is the next line of conversation post-draft and pre-season as well! Here's my thoughts:

Offence

QB - Brees (Lock)
RB - The Committee (Lock) - Basically whoever hits the Depth Chart out of Ingram, Thomas and Sproles (probably PT) is irrelevant as they will all see their share of snaps, thus they go in as 'The Committee'
FB - Collins (Lock)
WR1 - Colston (Lock)
WR2 - Moore (Lock)
TE - Graham (Lock)
LT - ???
LG - Grubbs (Lock)
C - De La Puente (Lock)
RG - Evans - (Lock)
RT - ???

Defence

LDE - Jordan (Lock)
NT - ???
RDE - ???
OLB1 - ???
OLB2 - ???
ILB1 - Lofton (Lock)
ILB2 - ???
CB1 - Lewis (Lock)
CB2 - ???
FS - Vaccaro (Lock)
SS - ???

Now when I say someone is a 'Lock', I am not saying they just turn up and get the position. They still have to play hard and train well but I am thinking they will have to do something really stupid not to wind up in that starting position. A '???' is a position that is well up for grabs based on performance in the off-season and fitting the scheme.

Notable absentees include Greer, Harper, Vilma, Jenkins and Smith who I think are all going to have to battle real hard to win their spots. The only exception there might be Greer who is as close to a lock as I would give for the CB2 role.

The only other big role that is very much up for grabs is the Kicker. Hartley will not keep walking into this job.

I appreciate there is a long way to go with personnel changes, injuries, doing 'something stupid' in the media etc etc but I just wondered if anyone saw this wildly different to me.

Cruize

Brees, 4 RB's, Colston, Moore, Morgan, Stills, Collins, Graham, Watson, Strief, Armstead, Grubbs, de la Puente, Evans, Hicks, Jordan, Jenkins, Bunkley, Smith, Butler, Lofton, Vilma, Wilson, Lewis, Robinson, Jenkins, Harper, Vaccaro, Hartley, Morstead, Drescher. 19 spots open for competition. Some more than others.

alleycat_126

I agree with every other position that you have on here as except this one. Everything I been reading about Vaccaro says he is versatile, I don't think he will be pigeon - holed into the FS position just because that is where he was drafted. It seems like they plan on making him a rover of sorts, starting at FS on base downs when it is more likely teams will be running.... and then taking over the SS position when teams try to spread us out.....

TheOak

There are not as many locks as we would like to think...

50% of our positions are not locks. They are defiantly someone's to lose but I wouldn't say they are locks. Especially on defense.

Boutte

Vaccaro isn't a lock to be a starter. He has a lot to prove. (Just like any other rookie.)

saintsfan1976

Offense - Brees
Defense - ???

Punter/kicker/bodyguard - Morestead

thebdj

Interestingly I purposely put Vaccaro in as a Lock because I had seen a lot on this board about him not starting etc etc. I totally appreciate where everyone is coming from on this but for me I can't help but look at these facts:

1) Jenkins/Harper - 2 of the worst Safeties in the league last season
2) Saints Defence a RECORD SETTING worst of all time
3) Rarely do you see a 1st round pick NOT starting for his new team especially if he is drafted in the top half of the first round

For me he is 100% a locked starter although I do concede that locking him in at Free Safety may not be correct come season opener.

ClintSaints

Vaccaro is not a lock on FS. He may take the SS position.

FinSaint

Anyway, Vaccaro is definitely not a "lock" for me in either of the safety positions, whether we are talking about a strong/free or left/right division of labor. But that doesn't mean that he can't earn that spot during off-/preseason.

Also, I'm a little bit on the fence with Lofton. Clearly the odds are in favor of him being the other starting ILB, but who knows how well he'll fit into that role having only been the MLB in a 4-3 previously?

hagan714

1) Jenkins/Harper - 2 of the worst Safeties in the league last season

Harper is an old SS which is a no longer needed in todays nfl.
Jenkins i think will have a good year.

2) Saints Defence a RECORD SETTING worst of all time

it was the DC not the players.

3) Rarely do you see a 1st round pick NOT starting for his new team especially if he is drafted in the top half of the first round

he is Harpers replacement in my book and will be groomed for that.

Also, I'm a little bit on the fence with Lofton. Clearly the odds are in favor of him being the other starting ILB, but who knows how well he'll fit into that role having only been the MLB in a 4-3 previously?

i agree and would not be surprised if we have major turnover in the next three years at LB. now i really like our DC for picking LB. I may knock him on a lot of things but he has a proven track record building a LB corp

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