jeanpierre

Going through an overview of the roster, with free agency and the draft coming up, the following are worth note:

- Can expect to begin turnover of some running backs due to age, costs.

- The already thin offensive line is now without starting center, right tackle...

- Big Decisions on Lance Moore's costs/benefit, re-signing of Robert Meachem, move on from Nick Toon...

- Jimmy Graham has played this team into a predicament; should've spread the ball around more...

- Must maintain effective depth on the defensive line; will we be up against the cap with a Cam Jordan decision next year...

- Very thin again at Linebacker with little cap room

- Thin at Safety, but why re-sign two safeties (Harper, Jenkins) to starter salaries when the two best safeties are Vaccaro and Bush?!?

- Struck Gold at Cornerback; does Patrick Robinson have it in him with his last season under contract to supplant Greer?

- Is Shayne Graham the solution, for now?!?

SAINTS PROJECTED DEPTH CHART - 2014

OFFENSE

QB (2) Drew Brees, Luke McCown, Ryan Griffin

RB (5) Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, Travaris Cadet

FB (1) Jed Collins (RFA), Austin Johnson (FC)

WR (3) Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Nick Toon

LT (2) Terron Armstead, Charles Brown, Marcel Jones (FC)

LG (2) Ben Grubbs, Senio Kelemete (FC)

C (1) Brian De La Puente

RG (2) Jahri Evans, Tim Lelito

RT (2) Zach Strief, Bryce Harris (ERFA), Ty Nsekhe (FC)

TE (3) Jimmy Graham, Benjamin Watson, Josh Hill

WR (2) Kenny Stills, Lance Moore, Andy Tanner (FC), Joseph Morgan (RFA), Charles Hawkins (FC)


DEFENSE

DE (2) Akiem Hicks, Glenn Foster, Kenyon Coleman

NT (3) Brodrick Bunkley, John Jenkins

DE (2) Cameron Jordan, Tyrunn Walker, Tom Johnson

OLB (2) Junior Galette, Will Smith, Keyunta Dawson, Rufus Johnson

ILB (3) David Hawthorne, Jon Vilma, Will Herring

ILB (2) Curtis Lofton, Ramon Humber, Kevin Reddick

OLB (2) Parys Haralson, Victor Butler, Kyle Knox

CB (3) Jabari Greer, Patrick Robinson, Rod Sweeting, Terrence Frederick

SS (3) Kenny Vaccaro, Roman Harper, Jordan Pugh

FS (2) Malcolm Jenkins, Rafael Bush

CB (2) Keenan Lewis, Corey White, Trevin Wade (ERFA), Derrius Brooks (FC)


SPECIALISTS

K (1) Shayne Graham, Derek Dimke (FC)

P (1) Thomas Morstead

LS (1) Justin Drescher, Jed Collins

H Thomas Morstead

PR Darren Sproles, Travaris Cadet, Lance Moore

KR Darren Sproles, Travaris Cadet, Pierre Thomas

KO Thomas Morstead, Shayne Graham




KEY:

POS (#Likely Slots)

Projected Starter

Free Agent

Free Agent (RFA) {Restricted Free Agent}

Free Agent (ERFA) {Exclusive Rights Free Agent}

Free Agent (FC) {Futures Contract}

Vulnerable/Salary Cap Casualty

Source(s):

New Orleans Saints - NFL Team Contracts - Rotoworld.com

A look at the New Orleans Saints' 2014 roster decisions - ESPN

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

hagan714

Robert Ayers, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker Denver maybe. he might be had at decent price.

bleacher report may have actually stepped into some thing this time

2014 NFL Free Agents: Whom Should Your Team Be Calling? | Bleacher Report

Husain Abdullah, Safety

Captain Munnerlyn, Cornerback

Corey Graham, Cornerback

James Ihedigbo, Safety
few other players mentioned that caught my eye

jeanpierre

There's not really a FA CB I like other than the kid from Tennessee; I like our guys better - Saints did an awesome sell on Keenan Lewis, already a Saints Favorite...

He might ask too much, but OLB Jason Worilds could flourish in our system - but, we've yet to see Victor Butler, already under contract...

Alex Mack (Truck) is the guy that could re-establish this offensive line...

Would love to also add DE Tyson Jackson, Free Agent KC...

Then Hicks could rotate there and with John Jenkins, getting cap relief from possible Bunkley trade...

jeanpierre

Franchise tag window, Combine next up on NFL calendar | ProFootballTalk

...Monday, February 17, when teams can begin to apply the franchise tag...ending Monday, March 3 in which teams can use the designation...

After the Combine ends, free agency takes center stage. The three-day negotiating period between teams and representatives of free agents commences on Saturday, March 8. Free agency officially begins at 4 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, March 11.

jeanpierre

Top Five (5) Free Agency Targets for Saints:

I'd be ecstatic if we could sign two of the free agents from this list...

1). Alex Mack, Center, Cleveland Browns

2). Jason Worilds, Outside Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers

3). Rodger Saffold, Offensive Tackle, St. Louis Rams

4). Tyson Jackson, Defensive End, Kansas City Chiefs

5). Alterraun Verner, Cornerback, Tennessee Titans

Jankman8

I agree with all of your decisions, but it will be hard to get either of those guys. Alterraun Verner will ask for a huge contract way out of our league.

hagan714

I love the list but money is the issue so i am trying to look deep into FA and see what maybe there.

jeanpierre

Considering what DLP and Strief may get in the market - I'd swing for the fences and upgrade...

Jack Vegas

We need to get some of our own guys re-signed and make a couple of small moves.

A lot of people seem to want Strief gone, but look at the available free agents and tell me he's not better than almost all of them. He's worth the $3-3.5 million/year he'll get and will probably give us a bit of a hometown discount. I'm not as big on keeping DLP but if you let him go you'd better damn sure know your replacement is going to work out. Unless you can get Mack (unlikely) there's no point in looking for outside FA help at center.

I could see us bringing in a WR, if Moore is cut and Meachem not re-signed there is a gaping hole there. Really like Emmanuel Sanders. Maybe a big 3-4 OLB although Haralson would probably be the best value. Doubt they look for corner/safety help but there are some good depth guys available (I really love Cassius Vaughn as a nickel/dime guy).


I think my ideal (but realistic) offseason would look something l like this:

QB - Brees, Griffin
RB - Ingram, Robinson, Sproles, rookie (Hill? Seastrunk?)
FB - Collins
WR - Colston, Stills, Toon, Emmanuel Sanders
TE - Graham, Watson, Hill
OL - Armstead, Grubbs, Lelito, Evans, Strief (Harris, Jones, rookie)
DL - Jordan, Hicks, Bunkley, Jenkins, Foster, Walker, rookie
OLB - Galette, Butler, Haralson, Rufus
ILB - Lofton, Hawthorne, Humber, Reddick
CB - Lewis, Robinson, White, Sweeting, Cassius Vaughn
S - Vaccaro, Bush, Jenkins, rookie

amazin15

i like that list.. wouldn't mind seeing some weapons on there. Perhaps Danario Alexander or Andre Roberts