Packers prefer compensatory picks over unrestricted free agents | ProFootballTalk

So teams are rewarded by not spending money on their free agents?!?

I can see if a team lost in a bidding battle, but to arbitrarily wait for high round draft picks?!?

Update on 2014 roster, with free agency, trades and the draft upon us, this is where we are:

SAINTS PROJECTED DEPTH CHART - 2014

OFFENSE

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

RB (4) Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, Travaris Cadet

FB (1) Erik Lorig, Austin Johnson (FC)

WR (3) Marques Colston, Nick Toon, Charles Hawkins (FC)

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

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

C (2) Tim Lelito

RG (2) Jahri Evans

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

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

WR (2) Kenny Stills, Andy Tanner (FC), Joe Morgan


DEFENSE

DE (2) Akiem Hicks, Glenn Foster

NT (3) Brodrick Bunkley, John Jenkins

DE (2) Cameron Jordan, Tyrunn Walker

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

ILB (3) David Hawthorne, Kevin Reddick

ILB (2) Curtis Lofton, Ramon Humber

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

CB (3) Keenan Lewis, Rod Sweeting, Trevin Wade (ERFA), Derrius Brooks (FC)

SS (2) Kenny Vaccaro, Marcus Ball, Jordan Pugh

FS (2) Jarius Byrd, Rafael Bush (RFA)

CB (2) Patrick Robinson, Corey White, Terrence Frederick


SPECIALISTS

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

P (1) Thomas Morstead

LS (1) Justin Drescher, Jed Collins

H Thomas Morstead

PR Travaris Cadet, Lance Moore

KR 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}

Franchise Tagged/Restricted

Observations

All this draft speculation of Saints needing a cornerback in the first yet when looking at the roster - we still need hard-hitting, playmaking linebackers!!!

Contracts as they are with Running Back, we'll only have Thomas, Robinson under contract after this season...

Damn thin on that offensive line...

Roll the dice and see if Patrick Robinson can blossom under Ryan...

Sure would like to bring Meachem back in the role, contract we had this past season...

Wonder if we can snag a good role player in the latter waves of Free Agency...

Source(s):

Over the Cap - New Orleans Saints 2014 Salary Cap and Contracts

New Orleans Saints - NFL Team Contracts - Rotoworld.com

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

New Orleans Saints 2014 Free Agency Tracker | NOLA.com

I think they're still high on Robinson stepping up this year. His numbers were horrible in the Spags year but so were everyone else's.

The Saints will have to do something with the interior of the o-line. I was hoping they could do something in FA and maybe they can still sign De La Puente back. If not they'll have to get someone in the draft.

And I hope they get an inside linebacker early in the draft.

Hell, I'm still hopeful Robinson steps up this season; he's a round one pick and has rare athletic gifts; we've seen glimpses...

For whatever reasons, he hasn't been able to traslate it to the field; absolute sin to have that talent and not be able to actuate it...

Got a feeling that DLP is coming to the painful recognition that he reached his apogee by being a Center for the Saints and will have to take what the market dictates...

Then again, nobody took Coach Payton serious when he said he wasn't worried about Center and we already had the guy we needed on staff when we cut Kreutz...

I really like the way the roster is shaping up.

A little bit of concern in terms of depth along the offensive line and the glaring issue at centre. The other issue is the receivers,outside of Colston and possibly Stills its question marks on both Morgan and Toon.Hopefully at least one of them can step up and fill a void.


Leaves the front office in a good position to be aggressive to go after the best players in the draft without having to worry about many holes to fill.