Jack Vegas

Most glaring weak spot right now is OLB in my opinion. We have little depth here. If either Haralson or Galette gets hurt we are totally screwed. It's mitigated by the fact this isn't really a true 3-4 defense and we don't use that position all the time, but even if you consider this a 4-3 defense there is not a lot of depth there.

I am not particularly worried about #2 CB. We have three and potentially four decent players there. Somebody will step up and claim it.

The Dude

They did just fine run blocking and pass blocking without our two pro bowl linemen. They can get the job done if need be.

jeanpierre

Linebacker...

Haralson has been a great value for the trade for his first year and the subsequent re-signing as a 49er castoff (which says something about the level of our linebackers compared to the teams with elite linebackers)...

Lofton may "grade well" but he looks like he's always chasing down and not disrupting or making plays; really never see him make an impact, literally and figuratively; really didn't like this signing and it didn't help he was a Falcon...

Hawthorne has a little thump, but there still is no fear factor that is sorely needed from the second MLB; he plays with great effort, but he also lacks the quicker diagnosing talents needed and is a castoff as well, from the Seattle LB corps...

Galette is a fan favorite, but is a one-trick pony who often misses on his run defense assignments or when he's fails to sell as decoy against blocking schemes to allow others to make plays...

We really have lacked 34 linebackers which, ironically, may be why teams are struggling to figure out Ryan's defense...


Offensive Line

Strief is heart and soul, but was really exposed as a limited movement Right Tackle in those Seattle and Frisco games, limiting what the offense could do on that side...

Our best lineman, Jahri Evans, is getting old and is too expensive as a part-time guard because of injuries, because of mileage, because of age...

Tim Lelito shows great promise and I bet the real reason why we have Jon Goodwin is so Lelito can be available at Guard...

Where Ben Grubbs has failed to live up to his contract and often think we'd might have been better to have paid the extra mil to keep Carl Nicks but will give Loomis the benefit that maybe Nicks would shut it down after the big Mo...

But I see tremendous promise in Terron Armstead who could emerge as our best linemen and one of the better in the league by season's end...


Moving Forward...

Aside from Brees' contract, we're really hamstrung with the dead money to the Guards and Inside Linebackers which also negated the competition in camp at those spots...

While the positions may be considered weak, they are serviceable and we're still better than many teams in the league in these areas...

Aside from trading some rare depth (i.e. QB Luke McCown, FS Raphael Bush) for a younger offensive linemen needing opportunity (personal man crush would be former BamaBoy and now Ram Barrett Jones) we're set for the dance and tournament...

After this season, we should be freed of those contracts especially at MLB and G to pursue Younger, Faster, Stronger and Hungrier Players and allow draft picks and our favorite designation, Rookie UDFA, to come in and compete and have an impact at those positions...

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

Crusader

Injuries are the only problem here. 31 is not old for an OL and especially not for a guard. If Evans can stay healthy I can see 3-4 more years of him being an all-pro.

TheOak

Can't tell what the main course will taste like when I've only had the bread so far.

halloween 65

Last season FS and ILB was my main concern, well at least FS has been addressed. ILB is still an issue, there are basically 2 ways to adrdress it you either have big thumper type lb.'s that cause serious pain on rb.'s TE's and slot recievers that enter their hunting zones or what I call hybrids that can cover and tackle decent. In my opionion I like thumpers over hybrids, shuts down the run game and scares rb.'s, TE's and slot recievers because they know their getting some pain. With Lofton and Hawthorn, a SS will have to help out leaving the area just beyond the lb.'s exposed,our short deep middle, if they try to cover, the slant will eat those 2 up. Ryan can only cover up for the ILB position so long before they get exposed and eat up. It is a real weakness.
On the O. Depth on the O-line is a little concerning but not as bad. The back-ups played really well with the 1's when Evens and Grubbs were out.
#2 CB is starting to look like it possibly become a weak spot, but not so sure. I think with Robinson playing a mile off his man in the Ravens game was by design, now Bailey, he has me concerned, watch the waiver wire close.

hagan714

[QUOTE=jeanpierre;606536]

Haralson is our most complete LB

Lofton run only

Hawthorne still waiting on him to return to form

Galette great pass rusher that has shown signs of improvement against the run but little help in pass coverage.

Ryans Defense - tapes out and we are seeing the changes by other teams already. now lets see what he can do to change things up

Offensive Line

Strief is heart and soul..

Our best lineman, are getting old - saints have not addressed this issue

Tim Lelito - aint ready

Terron Armstead huge bright spot

Moving Forward...

we have only moved forward at the safety position this off season to the point we may have over done it at the cost of other positions. it was not a huge area of need to justify all the the moves.

all four preseason games let me wishing we were as deep and talented as the teams we faced. we are not as deep as the media states.

inside hot routes will once again be our soft spot.

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

Cruize

Payton calling 40 passes and 15 runs. No playmakers at LB. Known qualities and health outside of Colston at WR. Backup at T. Uncertainty/confidence at K.

Barry from MS

Think this sums up what caused that atomic irritation I felt last year when teams consistently seemed to always be 2nd & 5 or 2nd & 3 after a 1st down run.

If we consistently get teams to start at 2nd & 9 or 2nd & 8, the chances are much better for 3-and-out or killing the drive. Pretty sure the law of averages will bear me out with that.

If Jenkins improves at NT this year with Jordan and Hicks already good run stoppers, this should help our steady yet unspectacular ILB core.

saintsfan1976

Coverage LB
#2 CB (not sold on Robinson)


#3 WR - I'm getting more comfortable with Morgan.