This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

It's easy to gauge the New Orleans Saints' annual in-season performance. The win-loss column tells us all we need to know.

You are what your record says you are, as Bill Parcells once famously said.

The offseason is not quite as clear. There's no concrete way to determine a team's success rate in coaching hires and/or player procurement. The results are more nuanced and nebulous.

But the two seasons go hand in hand. Rarely does a team win on the field in the fall without winning off of it in the spring. It's when coaches are hired, free agents are signed, rookies are drafted and veterans are acquired via trade.

This offseason, which for the Saints began the Sunday after a 23-15 loss to Seattle in the NFC divisional playoffs, is critically important to their immediate future.

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Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Having Sean Payton back will keep me glued to the internet for news all offseason.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I wouldn't mind us getting another OLB in free agency. Aurthor Moats- Buffalo Bills. I think this guy at the least would provide excellent depth, possible break-out year. I wanted him here before he went to Buffalo.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

We cant re-sign all them players and get them under the cap.
The Brees replacement is in place in Griffin

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I do think we need to address the future quarterback of the Saints but would love to wait one more year to draft the new quarterback. There is a young man at Mississippi State who is a dual threat quarterback and comes from Louisana . He will be a junior this year and is going to be putting up some big numbers with his whole offensive team returning. He is a big man, reminds a lot of people of Scam but checks his ego at the door! 6'4" and about 240 and runs like a rabbit and had a very strong arm! With a year or maybe two of Drew instructing him, I have no doubt he could be a winner for us for many years to come. Put him with a more mature Robinson as a RB and we would see those scoring games in the 30's and 40's every Sunday. Let's face it, a dual threat quarterback is the next big step in football and if you do not have one then you will be sitting home during the playoffs. This is just a suggestion, Sean, but do watch for Dak Prescott in 2014!!!

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Drews replacement is in high school.

Why do people keep trying to replace Drew 5 years earlier than necessary?

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Because a lot of people are convinced he doesn't have 5 more years. I myself believe he's got 5 seasons left in him, but I understand why others might not. 40 is pretty old for a quarterback. Troy Aikman retired at 34, Marino 38, Joe Montana 38.

On the other hand Vinnie Testaverde played until he was 44.

We'll see.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I'm one that don't believe Brees has 5 more years. I think 2 possibly 3 at the most and be effective. I think Payton will go with Griffin after Brees if Payton stays after Brees goes.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Luckily we don't have a whole lot to do besides add some to our offensive line. Our D is full of young talent and was awesome in spite of the fact that our bigger named free agents didn't even see week one. I think Morgan is our deep threat and we are loaded at running back. Give Brees the protection he needs and open holes for the run game and it extends Drews career by a couple of years. We are either going to be division winners or wild cards at the very least as long as Drew and Sean are here

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

And Brady and Manning are 2 and 3 years older than him right now. Is this their last year? Both look like they can play a couple more. And now that 99.9 % of the season is touch football on QB's their NFL life spans should increase.

I have seen zero evidence that age has started catching up to Drew Brees.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Yeah, I don't think Brees' age is a big factor here. I could see him playing until 42-43 easily. He hasn't taken very many hits over his career and he doesn't throw hard so his arm/shoulder isn't just suddenly going to give out. It's going to probably come down to those everyday aches and pains you start getting when you get close to 40 (unfortunately I know that one firsthand) and how willing he is to put up with it.

As for this offseason, I am pretty sure I have said this before but we don't need massive changes. We are probably going to have to let a few guys go for cap reasons, say goodbye to players like Greer and Moore. But any notions of blowing up the offensive line and running back situation is really overreacting. We were one last-minute drive away from winning the division, 30 yards away from potentially tying the game against the Seahawks. This is a very good team, we're just a little spoiled.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Yes yes yes and yes!!!!

Had we won the division I have no doubt we'd be in the Superbowl. No doubt in my mind at all.

I can name 2 blown calls that would have given us that one win we needed to capture the division.

So I'm convinced we were one play (or bad call) away from a Superbowl appearance.

You don't blow a team like that up, you tweak it a bit and reload. Nearly every star player we have is either in his prime or on the upswing.

We only have 3 or 4 key players long in the tooth. Colston, and maybe PT, Sproles, and Harper. And really only Colston is one I'd classify as difficult to replace.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Thank you! Sheesh! I'm not even looking at QB except whether to re-sign our primary backup or let him leave and give the kid a shot at the #2 spot.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I hope he doesn't try to hang on too long like those two guys playing tomorrow
those old bas***s are embarassing themselves

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I doubt Griffin is ever a good player in the NFL. I don't know where some of this optimism comes from. Did anybody ever watch him at Tulane?

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Did you?

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

He did alright :rolleyes:

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Yeah. I like Tulane. Its a reason he went undrafted.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Couldn't even make all conference in Conference USA, yet he's the heir to Brees. Please somebody, explain the optimism.....logically.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

The most logical explanation for my optimism is the fact that Sean thought highly enough of this guy to release Tez Wilson to make room for Griffin on the roster to avoid the Rams from signing him. Apparently other teams see something in this kid also. The fact that the Saints are very successful in grooming undrafted nobodies into stars makes me optimistic when I see them go that far to keep a player...just my thoughts.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Payton will leave with Brees, just like the Dome Patrol left together, hopefully with a ring on their fingers

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

We need to make a statement this offseason. Teams need to fear us in March like they did NE.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I'm not sure of him either. I think in order for us to get a strong replacement for Brees, we may have to trade up for one in the first round the year Brees retires. By doing this we should trade Graham or any other big weapon we end up getting(which is another reason we need a big receiver) for the pick and get the next hot qb.

We need to look for incoming freshmen this year. Luck showed up in 2010, then in 2011 it was Griffin and Wilson, and 2012 it was Manziel. This year it was Bridgewater but there's another underrated qb.......Connor Shaw. Good qbs will keep popping up in college.

Then look at the QBs playing for poorly coached teams in the NFL
Manuel
Geno(on offense)
Cousins(and probably will go to another)
Stafford

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

And yet Sean thinks he may be. I'll go with the guy's opinion who has the SB ring.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

Ever look up Tom Brady's college accolades? Just as underwhelming.
Now go and look up JaMarcus Russell's... Pretty damn nice.
Tim Tebow..... Boyah! Heisman



Where are they now? :bng:

Logical?

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

We need to see more of Griffen in the pre-season this year, but I think he will do well. Unlike many of you that think Payton will go when Brees leaves I think Payton will stay for the challenge of making another successful QB, and being successful after Brees. Payton is still very young, he could be our coach for another 15 years.

On another note; what about Lelito at center? He has the size for the position and from a blocking stand-point I see him as an upgrade over DLP. Center might be a good fit for Lelito, but is that a hard transition to make?- it seems natural to me.

Re: This offseason critical for the New Orleans Saints' immediate future
 

I think the Saints should let all three of them walk, Brown who is terrible, DLP who got pushed around like a little kid, and Strief who is too slow. Brown's replacement is already playing, Saints can draft a center and another faster RT tackle may already be on the roster. Saints have Lelito, Jones, and that new guy they brought in. His name escapes me at the moment. All three can be replaced with better.