The Big 2014 Changes thread (Non Draft)

[TheOak]

Changes need to come to how we presently look and function. I will start with a few of mine. They are hard and ugly but as mentioned by exile great teams know when to trim the fat and let go of the declining players.

There was a youth movement on Defense and you see how that panned out.

Play Book
Our offensive playbook need to be burnt, ashes folded into a nice custard, consumed, and then burn the waste. It is no longer needed, our entire team knows it by heart because it is what we have used for years, defenses know it by heart also. It doesn't work any more and everyone from the newest fan, to expert talking heads, to Sean Payton him self said we need to be less predictable... If you want to be less predictable, do something different.


Special teams
Greg McMahon - Needs to go.. He is not covering the fundamentals.
- Unprepared for at least 1 onsides kick (unacceptable)
- Laces in for a playoff FG kick (unacceptable)
- 2nd last in KO return yards and 4th last in PR yards, this directly translated to starting field position for our offense.
2013 NFL Team Returning Stats - National Football League - ESPN

Running Backs
Sproles - Time to Find or allow a replacement. Championship teams know when to hold-em and when to fold-em. I love Sproles but he is no longer as elusive, he allowed two punts to roll back to within the 5 yard line that I saw, and he gets tripped by index fingers and tall grass.

PT - I am on the fence about PT. Another that I love but love doesn't bring Championships. 2013 saw him tied for the most rushing attempts in his career (he had 147 in 2009 also), but his YPC has dropped nearly a yard and until this year has never been less than 4 YPC. His receptions were at an all time high but his YPC was at an all time low and he is not a receiver.

Jed Collins - We need more of a hybrid or more of a bruiser.

Travaris Cadet - Does nothing. Wasted spot and we do not need a 5th RB.


Dead Weight
Will Smith - Eat the dead money.
Victor Butler - No idea about him, keep and hope or find someone we know?

Free Agents we let walk
Jenkins - Bye
Vilma - So long
Strief - Bye
DLP - Bye
Charles Brown - Bye
Meachem - Slow
Jed Collins - Sort of borderline on him
Haralson - Second season ending injury in 3 years


Unlike others I have looked at the financials also, dead money figured into savings.

Smith - saves us 11M

I am sure we can find 1 RB to replace these two for less than 6.4M.
Sproles - Saves us 3.5M
P Thomas - 2.9M

Lance Moore - 2.8m (I love Lance as well but for that we can find younger = talent)
Nick Toon 400k


All I can think of right now. I focused mainly on offense because it seems that is where we find our selves wearing our favorite shoes and not getting into the dance.

Overall we have netted 21M to replace these players with.

[blackangold]

Remember we are about 12 mil over the cap so the Smith cut gets us to even. Then we need to resign JG Bush and a few others. I agree with the RB cuts but more cuts are needed and Brees needs to restructure.

We have more cap issues this year than ever before... some tough cuts will be made.

[fvncsaints]

Good post. I wouldn't have too much of a problem with this if all of it was done. I will say I think Charles brown would be good to retain as a backup if possible. Victor butler is going to get his shot this year. He better hope he stays healthy. Also, I thought Haralson was a good addition considering the late pick we gave up for him. I truly feel bad for the guys when an injury threatens their career, but I understand it's a business. Geauxsaints!

[TheOak]

Originally Posted by blackangold

Remember we are about 12 mil over the cap so the Smith cut gets us to even. Then we need to resign JG Bush and a few others. I agree with the RB cuts but more cuts are needed and Brees needs to restructure.

We have more cap issues this year than ever before... some tough cuts will be made.

I did not mention any restructure on Drew Brees because that is not something that can be done with out his consent. Contrary to popular belief, one side can not just walk in and restructure a contract. Yes, I hope there is some relief in regards to his cap figure but I wouldn't call it a "change" for the team.

That 22M I mentioned includes Smith going, and as far as the 2014 Cap, the figures are not out yet and we will have 1.6M carry over from 2013.

Keep in mind you do not want to start the 2014 season with than less than 3.5-4m in Cap Space. You have injuries to deal with and a practice squad to sign as well.

[Danno]

Excellent post, and I'm so glad you didn't make it into some ghey poll.

We have a FB on the practice squad (Austin Johnson) that looks like a viable replacemnt for Collins. He looked great running last preseason and now with a year under his belt he could be our FB/RB hybrid we need.

I'd prefer to keep Butler. He wasn't that expensive and at the very worst would be fantastic depth. I'd guess he's like a younger faster version of Haralson.

I think Strief returns at a reasonable price. He's one of the better starting RT's in the league. It'll depend on what he's asking.

If we do let Sproles go I'd like to keep Cadet another year. He has Sproles-like skillset and given some more playing time he might prove worthy, and he's dirt cheap. Traing camp and pre-season will decide his fate.

The bottom line is we're going to release some very popular players. Its not gonna be fun.

[papz]

Originally Posted by TheOak

Greg McMahon - Needs to go..

Times infinity and beyond.

[KevSears]

Gotta let Smith and Harper walk, maybe even Sproles too. I don't think he provides the mismatch we hope for on offense anymore. Its time Ingram and Robinson get in the passing game, so that we could release PT as well (hate to say it, but these are all high calibre guys).

Gotte keep Brown (O-Line players are injured a lot) and Butler...we gotta see what he's capable of. If nothin else is available, we keep Strief. Our O-Line needs to get nasty for running game to work. And we need to get more skill players...younger skill players.

Playbook indeed needs to be obliterated!!!

[lee909]

Having a look at this bwhile pretending to work.


Keep

QB
Brees 18.4
Griffin 0.495

RB
Ingram 2.4
Robinson 0.495

WR
Colston 8.3 (cut in 2015/16 for savings off 4.3/7.8 after dead money)
Stills 0.540
Toon 0.671

TE
Hill 0.495
Watson 1.7

O-Line
Evans 11 (cuts restructure next year saving 6ml after dead money in 2015)

Grubbs 9.1 (cuts restructure next year saving 3.6/7.3ml after dead money in 2015/16)

Armstead 0.68
Lelito 0.495
Drescher 0.875

P
Moorstead 3.3

Dead Money
Moore 2.5
Sproles 0.75
Thomas 0

Breakdown per position

QB 18.895ml
RB 2.895
WR 9.511
TE 2.195
OL 22.151
P 3.3
Dead 3.3ml

Total $62ml

Would be in need of a starting RT, C and WR/TE as well as depth.


Defense

DB
K Lewis 4.5
Vaccaro 2.1
C White 0.614
Peterson 2.39

DL
Bunkley 6.1
Jordan 2.4
Hicks 0.718
J Jenkins 0.656
Foster 0.497
Walker 0.571

LB
Lofton 5.2
Hawthorne 3.5
Galette 2.9
Butler 1.8
Reddick 0.496
R Johnson 0.420

Cuts Dead money

W Smith DM 2.35
J Greer DM 2.65 (save 3.175ml)
R Harper DM 3.69 (save 2.1)


Totals
DB $9.604
LB $ 14.316
DL $10.942
Dead 8.69

Defense $43.552
Offense $63ml

Total 106.5ml
Leaves around $20ml to resign players on tenders/contracts etc and FA/draft.

Id take Greer, Moore one of Harper/Jenkins for the right money. Not as bad as the media have made it out to be.



A fee figures could be off as m working and Moore, Sproles could even be traded.

[lee909]

Originally Posted by Danno

The bottom line is we're going to release some very popular players. Its not gonna be fun.

Its always sad to see certain playets go but plenty of optimism about the roster and a great chance you sime ypungsters to make a impression and make the offense faster and more unpredictable

[exile]

This will happen.

1. We release Jimmy "Field Goal Bender" Graham and sign Aaron "I'll be out soon" Hernandez to a future contract.
2. Release Sproles, PT, Robinson and Ingram. Rely on pass only offense. Out of the box thinking.
3. Trade Brees to Houston and draft Johnny Football to run the offense.
4. Move Rob Ryan to O-Line coach to teach them some toughness.
5. Quit trying FGs so no need to sign Shayne.

Hey, you did say BIG changes...