Building Blocks
 

We need to many changes to happen in one season.
So who can be the building blocks for the future of the team?

2016 is the first year that the Saints can really make a big push by dumping the big contracts of ageing and under-performing players

QB
By the time the 2016 season starts Drew Brees will be 37,38 by the time the playoffs starts. Only two men have won the Superbowl over 37 and tha'ts John Elway and Johnny Unitas. Brees could lead the Saints at this age and a similar stye but would need a strong run game to supplement him. Elway was throwing for around 3500 yards and 22-25 TDs over the teams two superbowl runs. The team was carried on the shoulders of Terrell Davis running 3750 yards in 31 regular season games.

RB
Can the team afford to keep Ingram?
Ingram will want to be paid as a first team RB and i dont see the Saints sticking with a work horse RB when Thomas and Robinson are both fit again.

Looking at it long term it may be in the best interests to let Ingram go if the bidding starts to escalate when he hits FA. Ingram has played hard this year but has yet again missed games this year. This time with a broken hand,seasons before,5 in 2013,6 in 2011 with various issues like turf toe.
While he doesn't have a lot of miles on him at the pro level his college career will have taken its toll with over 600 rushes and receptions.
Salary cuts are needed somewhere and Ingram could end up a casualty.

Khiry Robinson will need a new deal for the 2016 season.
If Ingram leaves this summer it may be wise to get that deal done sooner rather than later. He needs to keep a better hold of the ball as he has two lost fumbles in his 118 rushes.

Pierre Thomas has been ever reliable and the most verstaile of the Saints RBs and his contract runs through the 2016 season at good cap numbers(under $2.75ml both seasons).

After these three i would cut the rest.
Cadet has shown little as a rusher or receiver and is also not getting much yardage in the return game(not that anyone has since Sproles in 2011).

Long term
Robinson and Thomas

WR
I hate to say it but injuries look to be really catching up with Colston.
For the majority of his Saints career he has been reliable with good hands and was a lock for 1000 yards in a season. Over the past two years he seems to have really slowed down and worse this season he has dropped a few passes that in years gone by you would have been shocked to see.
His contract is way over his production,mostly because the front office has been back loading deals for a number of years to keep the bulk of the team together. I wouldn't be shocked to see him cut at the end of the 2014 season as it would save $4.3ml against the cap but i expect to see him in a Saints uniform until the end of the 2015 season as i do not see the Saints paying him $5ml to play elsewhere. A cut prior to the 2016 season means paying him $2.7ml in dead money but that saves nearly $8ml.

Outside of Cooks and Kenny Stills there is little else on the roster the team needs to think about keeping for the long term.

Long Term
Stills and Cooks

Offensive Line
This should be a strong point with multi time probowlers in the line up but neither Grubbs or Evans are playing at the level they are being paid. Goodwin was a necessary pick up but he is struggling to stay healthy.

Terron Armstead has the potential to hold the LT slot for years to come and Tim Lelito has showed some decent progress as a Centre more than Guard.

Jahri Evans has been a great player for the Saints but nearly $20ml of cap space on two guards is leaving the team depleted in other areas.
If the front office decided to make a change from Evans it would save $6ml in cap space next year,but the dead money would $5ml. But the same change in 2016 would save $8.7ml with only $1.5ml in dead money.
The same costing for Grubbs be a saving of $3.6ml next year but a dead money of $6ml then in 2016 $7.3ml saving for $3ml dead money.
The cost of cutting either and trying to find a replacement will likely see both stay in New Orleans next year,though if the level of performance does not improve there is a chance that either or both could be cut in 2016 to bring in younger blood on a ageing offensive line.

A change at RT could be made but Streif is not a expensive player and could esaily fill the role of back up at his cost.

Long Term
Armstead and Lelito

TE
Jimmy Graham and Josh Hill are a great one two at TE and Ben Watson has been a top pro but coming towards the end of his career.

Long Term
Graham and Hill

Will go over the defense later

Thoughts?

Long term
QB
Brees

RB
Robinson
Thomas

WR
Stills
Cooks

TE
Graham
Hill

O-Line
Armstead
Lelito

Re: Building Blocks
 

We've learned two things can take a team a long way:

A solid O line and a solid D line.

We don't seem to have either right now, that's where my attention goes.

Gotta believe the secondary will improve next year with a healthy unit.

WR 1 is becoming an issue.

1 - Brees has to restructure IMO
2 - O line is repaired, draft Reese Dismukes, C from Auburn Rd1
3 - Coaching tweaks (LB, ST, DB), Dennis Allen, anyone?
4 - Upgrade ILB, draft Denzel Perryman from Miami Rd2
5 - Decisions on the D line.....

Re: Building Blocks
 

Not sure if Perryman will be there round 2,having said that the way things are going we may have a high pick.

Benardrick McKinney, ILB/OLB, Mississippi State 6-5.
Might be good
Some real height to affect passing lanes too

Re: Building Blocks
 

Teddy I know what you want - TEN RUNNING BAKCS!!!!!

Re: Building Blocks
 

let see at this rate we are in area top ten in the draft.

trade down! way to many spots need to be addressed, will that happen? lmao we all know the saints. aint a chance.

My picks would be
Trae Waynes CB Michigan State
or
Brandon Scherff OT Iowa

But SP must have his toys so
Amari Cooper WR Alabama
or
Melvin Gordon RB Wisconsin

My gut says if this was the board

Amari Cooper WR Alabama

would be the saints pick,

Re: Building Blocks
 

10 RB? 10 DBs is more in order

Re: Building Blocks
 

This guy is special. I know we have other glaring needs (O line/secondary/LB etc), however Cooper is a player. Soft hands, runs great routes and big play ability.

Re: Building Blocks
 

We seriously need to avoid the "sexy" picks and build the lines in the early rounds...

Re: Building Blocks
 

We need offensive line anywhere really except LT, maybe a DL or two, Cb, Lb, and a wide receiver if we have the luxury at that point. This team has gone downhill really fast. I rather see them try to rebuild asap than just be one and done or lose embarrassingly on the road if by some miracle we win that first playoff game...

Re: Building Blocks
 

PLAYOFFS??

Re: Building Blocks
 

For as much stick Jerry Jones gets, with three out of there last threefirst rounders being offensive linemen he has built one hell of a line in Dallas.
Martinm,Fredricks and Smith all drafted dominated not to mention young and cheap

Re: Building Blocks
 

Didn't say we should draft Cooper, just eye candy for us.

We all know where our focus should be this off season. LB, CB's and O line... repeat.

Re: Building Blocks
 

It was mentioned here already the fact that there was no sense of urgency
in the game yesterday. We are down late in the third quarter and the Saints played liked they were ahead in the game. There are countless holes to fill LB's DB's O line but the aggressive attitude of the team is not there.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Which all starts with Payton, he's not aggressive anymore, he's predictable, I'm sure we all called the play action pass to the FB that got stopped on 4th down before we ran it, because we'd already run it 3 times in the game and do it on every 3rd or 4th and short.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Just done a piece for the website i blog on based on my opening post
If anyone is interested

Saints: A glimpse of the future - Uncle Sam Sports | Uncle Sam Sports

Just added it as a blog on here too

Re: Building Blocks
 

I can't see how we can invest into Ingram what he will be asking. The game has changed where RB's simply aren't the bell cows they used to be and that is evident in the draft and when RB's hit the FA market. They never get the value they once did. I think investing too much into one player at that position is crazy. And while Ingram has improved a ton, he is still showing a proneness for injury and/or bad luck in that regard. We seem very capable of finding diamonds in the rough at this position when you see that Thomas, Robinson, Cadet and even guys we found like Joique Bell and Chris Ivory are still making waves in the league all as undrafted guys.

I hope we target the trenches as previously mentioned. We need to get younger and cheaper at OG and build depth over the whole o-line. Despite really good names on paper our d-line has been ineffective. But I can live with the cast we have and hope guys like Hicks and Jenkins grow into their roles.

Where I feel we need upgrading on the defense is at ILB and OLB. As much heart as Curtis Lofton has he is always in make up mode. He doesn't make a lot of splash plays anymore. Hawthrone is underwhelming and Humber is a depth guy. Haralson filled in nicely as depth when Butler went down but he is just that. Depth. We need a special player in the middle of that defense. Our secondary has been decimated with injuries and suspect play on the part of a few people but I think we can hope it is healthier next year and depth can be found in some mid-late round picks, a prospect FA or just the development of some guys we have already in the system.

I pretty much agree with your initial list of building blocks for the offense and the guys who need to move on. Some of our older key guys are declining.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Exactly, unless a true difference maker is sitting there at a position we don't really need.

If Cooper is there (he won't be), you pick him.

But as usual we'll address needs in free-agency to set up BPA in the draft.

Imagine if we land another Keenan Lewis in free-agency, and then another Vilma type at LB, then draft some interior linemen in the early/middle rounds.

Problem solved... Yes, we can afford it.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Some rumours that the cap could hit $150/160ml next year.
One one hand that would be a massive bonus with our backs to the wall but on the other it will push the prices of FA through the roof and into orbit.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Read another thread elsewhere discussing the 2015 cap. We can clear up 20-25 million in the blink of an eye.

We're actually in better shape next year than we were this year, assuming some realistic restructures and cuts.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Brees is the big one,his contract can be redone to free up money.
The big year is 2016 though,Bunkley,Colston,Grubbs,Evans,Hawthorne,Lofton can all be dropped at little loss. Not bad timing when you look at the players that contracts are ending around that year. I know most players end up redoing deals but if they end up hitting FA we could be good. Luck is due in 2016, i know he renews with the Colts but do not trample my dreams of him replacing Drew yet

Re: Building Blocks
 

Armstead and Lelito on the o-line are good building blocks. Both will also be cheap for another year. Evans will be back and he should be. RT and LG need to be upgraded. Ingram is gone. Thomas should be. Bring in some competition for Robinson, but it's his job to lose unless a really good RB falls to rd 3 or below. Cadet is a keeper for next year as a role player. Colston is done. Cooks and Stills are keepers. I would like for Coleman to get some snaps. The Saints need a big guy to go with Cooks and Stills. A true TE that can block and catch is needed as well. Graham takes alot of hits and will never be a blocker.

The defense is a salary cap mess. Byrd and JR are not worth their salaries but too expensive to move next year. Bunkley, PH and Robinson being gone will help. Jordan deserves to get paid but he's not an elite player in the NFL. Tough position for the Saints. The Saints must find an impact OLB and CB in the draft or free agency. Two upgrades at both are truly needed.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Cadet is a RFA next year and would cost over 500k and considering it would cost us 830k to cut Thomas id rather let Cadet walk and pay Thomas $2.5ml against the cap.

Better player all round,not like Cadet is returning kicks well enough to make him worth keeping

Re: Building Blocks
 

I've been so mad I restarted my Madden franchise.

I traded Brees, Grubbs, Colston, and Lofton for picks.

I cut Cadet, Pierre Thomas, Meachem, Strief, Goodwin, Haralson, Hawthorne, and Shayne Graham.

Terrell Pryor is my quarterback. Full rebuild mode with Humber and Knox my starting MLB's. Lewis, Baptists, and Dixon my corners.

The whole team has me heated.

Re: Building Blocks
 

I've never been able to play as the Saints in a Madden franchise, just for that reason...

Real life dictates how I should run things... I always rebuild the Raiders for some reason...

Switching to a Tampa 2 defense and west coast offense...

Re: Building Blocks
 

Haha

Thomas is low though,he was playing ok before his injury,

Anyone know when he is back?

Is the new Madden any good, i have the one with AP on the fron for the xbox one

Re: Building Blocks
 

I like the building blocks we got with a bunch of talented young'uns in areas like WR (Stills & Cooks), TE (Graham & Hill), D-Line (Hicks, Jenkins, Jordan).

More blocks need to be shipped in via free agency, trade, or draft for an ILB worth a dang next to Lofton (thank you, Captain Obvious).

And our O-Line. Since Grubbs & Evans are 30 & 31, respectively, we got about 2-4 more years left for both. But Strief has given it all he can give, I feel, and we gotta get more talented depth at both Tackle and Guard/Center. Once Grubbs/Evans gets too old or ineffective, plug-and-play without missing a beat.

Lastly...another 3-technique NT. Bunkley is not and never was meant to be a NT. Gotta have someone to split time with Jenkins with some size to eat up blocks. Bunkley is about the smallest (if not the smallest) starting NT in the NFL for a 3-4 defense. He just gets mauled by 2 blockers and can get blocked effectively with just one O-lineman...both are really bad for gap discipline, which is already a recurring complaint from folks on the defense.

Re: Building Blocks
 

Grahams been a top ten run blocker this year. As a matter of fact, PFF has given him a positive score 3 of his 4 years in the league.

Parys Haralson has been our best OLB this season and last.

Patrick Robinson played like crap the first two games of the season but he's played much better since.

Re: Building Blocks
 

The first thing we need are better talent scouts. The last two drafts have been terrible.

Re: Building Blocks
 

We dont need to be flashy and take the most coveted fa on defense
I'd rather have three good players in key spots

Re: Building Blocks
 

Yea cause we shove got kirksey for the browns former Iowa product

Re: Building Blocks
 

Just talking to a Cowboys fan about there offensive line

Remember having a line that did this

https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Duh...6/oline2.0.gif


https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0-k...4/oline1.0.gif



Some really impressive stuff from the Cowboys line this year in both pass protection and run blocking. Murray has 10 games over 100 yards now this year. The line has given up 21 sacks,its not like they are throwing quick short routes either.