Pre-Draft Q&A with Sean Payton
 

We talked to Mickey Loomis, and he spoke about an offseason plan that included free agency, the draft, and whatnot. He seemed to be very pleased with how it went. What is your take on all of that?

“It’s a process that really begins right when the season ends, and the first important part of it is evaluating and grading your own team. As soon as the season ends, we’re in meetings for pretty much at least a good part of a week, maybe a week and a half, taking our grades, looking at our players, and then categorizing them. And then moving forward with those grades,

“You begin to formulate a checklist. Some of that might be things you can take care of in free agency. Some of that might be some things that are going to be draft related. Often times some of it revolves around decisions in your own team. To be at this point and to be able to have signed some key players – when I say that, obviously the addition of a guy like Jairus Byrd and then being able to re-sign Zach Strief and Pierre Thomas. I could go on and on, but it’s a process that begins right after you grade your team, and actually will take itself all the way through this draft this upcoming weekend.

“Of course Saturday the draft ends, and Saturday night we’re signing free agents and the roster begins to take shape at it’s 80 number. Generally there’s less activity at that point. You’ll see some teams sign some veteran free agents based on how the draft goes. If they weren’t able to maybe acquire a player at a certain position, they know that they’ve got X, Y, Z as a fallback option. We’re kind of past the midway point. Obviously anytime you get to the draft is a real exciting time for every organization because it’s really the lifeblood of your team.”

How important to the draft process is it to be successful in free agency?

“I think in a perfect world – and certainly in our business we don’t live in one – you’d like to always be in a position to take who you feel the best player is. With the economics and the way the teams are broken down now, part of need fits in there. It has to. Then it’s just a matter of the gap. If there’s a clump of players in the third round that we have graded very close, a deciding factor might be, ‘Hey, this is a need position for us based on our current depth chart.’ That’s where free agency can help you. I think the mistake sometimes in free agency is the idea that, ‘Hey, we’re going to just sign a free safety,’ as opposed to targeting someone you really feel like fits, and understanding that if you’re not able to acquire the player, you’re not able to, and you move on.

“You don’t look to sign just anyone at that position. We’ve tried to do that, and we’ve been fortunate. We’ve hit on some key players in free agency, starting with Drew Brees…Keenan Lewis a year ago. Finding the fit for your club is important, and that certainly gives you a little more freedom on draft day.”

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Re: Pre-Draft Q&A with Sean Payton
 

This is a must read. You learn a little more about the draft scenario. Very very interesting stuff.