David Hawthorne
 

Can someone tell me, Why the HELL we kept Hawthorne? I know he took a pay cut and all but he is seriously the worst ILB. I don't say that as a casual fan, I say that as someone who actually goes back and re-watches games to catch every players moves. I was taking a look at the Saints Baltimore game, and he was consistently out of position or blown out of the play. He had a ball thrown right to him, can't even decide if he was suppose to be there or if it was another case of being out of position, and he drops a sure INT. Every single long run by Forsett and Bernard he is out of position and that gives the HB a hole to work through. Play after play I watch, rewind, watch again and am baffled as to how was still in that game.

The most surprising move this offseason? Not Jimmy Graham being traded, or Stills being traded or Ingram getting a contract.....no, no, no. The most surprising move was that David Hawthorne was allowed back into the state of Louisiana. And he is still getting paid.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Sounds personal. Date your sister or something?

Solid LB and a good presence in the locker room. That said, I think that the front office may have a tad bit more experience at player evaluation than all of us.

Have a cocktail and relax and watch the only front office that has brought any success of any kind to our beloved Saints.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Yep, that must be it. I have a vendetta against him because he wronged me. I guess watching him get shoved back 10 yards by a fullback had nothing to do with it, or maybe that is where he wronged me. Who knows. MAYBE I have had TOO many cocktails and now I can't and won't stop making threads calling out every remaining player on this team. The world may never know.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Hawthorne is a decent player just like Lofton was; Hawthorne took a pay-cut, Lofton didn't...

And he seriously isn't the worst ILB... We could be doing a lot worse

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Yeah I'm with you on this one. It seemed like a no-brainer that he'd be gone. Unfortunately I don't have any insight... I've seen the same consistent mediocrity.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

You based your whole diatribe on one game. Football is a team game. If others do not do their job adequately it reflects upon you.

Once again, how does your evaluation of the player from your easy chair trump that of those that see him and study him daily?

Re: David Hawthorne
 

By definition "mediocrity" means average. If we feel that our LB corps is below average as a whole then it means that Hawthorne, based upon your expert evaluation, is better than the Saints average. Seems to be a good keep even based upon that.

;)

Just messin' with you, but mean the point I was trying to get across.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Hey man, there is nothing easy about this chair. I put in my work. I did my time. Paid my dues, and I say he should go.

Sorry maybe you didn't get the sarcasm in my response the first time, so I tried to make it a little clearer. Honestly, I only brought up one game because I just finished taking a look at it again, but I could bring up the Tampa game or the Panthers game or the '9ers game and go on and on. I do understand it's a team sport, but when you are suppose to fill the gap as an ILB and you can't, it starts to become your fault. This is just my two cents, that is why I come here, to put it out there and experience the feedback.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

You stated he was "the worst ILB". The guy has always been as solid as those around him. He's not a stud. I see him much like I see Scott Shanle. Neither stood/stand out, but both have the complete trust of their coaches and teammates. And even more importantly, he provides exactly the kind of veteran presence that Payton is clearly attempting reintroduce into the locker room.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

After watching him play the last couple of seasons, I stand by the statement he is the WORST ILB. If he is such a good veteran leader and motivator, make him a coach.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Just glad you aren't our GM. Good luck with your career.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Yeah l don't understand how he could have any supporters at all. He hasn't done anything for us and has been apart of the 2 worst defenses in Saints history. I was excited when we signed him but he has been a pretty big disappointment for us. I hope we draft some ILBs to replace him or keep him strictly for depth.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

You can't please all the people all the time, but you can please some people some of the time. Maybe that is the curious case of the Hawthorne love.

I was in the same boat, I thought he was going to be a good fit, but he has regressed each year. I am very interested to see if we use that 2nd round pick on the best remaining ILB. I hope that would make him expendable.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Stephone Anthony, Perryman seem like good players to take.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

I would not mind Perryman.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Hawthorne solid bang for the buck. in other words cheapest option that can be productive

Perryman? i like the kids game but size wise i have real troubles seeing him in a 34. i think he needs 4 DL to get the most out of the guy

Anthony? Built for a 34 not as flashy as Perryman in college probably due to playing on a much better defense. how good can he get is the question.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Why keep our best LB? Just don't make no sense!

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Hawthorn is better suited to play inside in a 3-4 D. I totally agree he stinks playing a 4-3. As far as Perryman, I'm all in on him, he reminds me of Sam Mills to a tee ,in a 3-4 set he will be a stud,not having to cover as much ground as in a 4-3 he gets off blocks well and puts people in the ground and able to blitz at any time on the inside is a plus.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

wasn't impressed by Hawthorne last year. Thought for sure he'd be gone, but I guess with the pay cut it makes sense to them.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Ellerbe will be the starting ILB, and I strongly believe we are going to draft a ILB in the 1st or 2nd round. It is very possible Hawthorne will be nothing more than a backup. If that is true having a backup like Hawthorne would be a good thing. Hawthorne actually played far better than Lofton and Humber, not saying much but it's true.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Humber probably, but that's a gross inaccuracy about Lofton. Lofton had nearly twice as many tackles. Lofton is bad in pass coverage and Hawthorne is a little better there. I am hoping you are right about Ellerbe and us drafting a starter because I can't see Hawthorne starting again.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Im glad you brought up the size issue...i realized that him and the now retired Borland are the same height and weight roughly. If Borland can hang in a 34, I think Perryman can too.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

It's coming. The more actual game tape I've seen of Anthony, the more impressed I am. For some reason I think he is gone by the end of the first round.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

We draft Stephone Anthony with our 31st pick and the Ellerbe/Anthony duo becomes one of the best in the league! Fingers crossed at least.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

"Saints DC Rob Ryan, LBs coach Joe Vitt and scout Jeff Ireland met with and put Clemson LB Stephone Anthony through a workout"

with the 31st...

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Hawethorne came on in the end of the season. In the last couple games he actually looked great.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Yeah same here

He's a physical guy, fast to the ball and wraps up well.

Also noticed him making a one handed interception as well, would not be disappointed with that pick.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

They can't let all the ILB's go. That's why they kept Hawthorne a good backup a below average starter.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Don't fall in love yet.

Draft is still over a month away

Re: David Hawthorne
 

I didn't think he would be back either but we don't have the money. Haralson isn't awe inspiring either. Hopefully Ellerbe makes them better and we draft a Vilma type player. I'm sure we would all prefer having Rickey and Vaughn Johnson instead of Haralson and Hawthorne but it's not going to happen.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Draft well and he automatically becomes the backup. It seems simple to me. But, hey what do I know?

Re: David Hawthorne
 

We play a lot of 4-3 for being a "3-4" team.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

We have been just about all of a 4-3 set for many years. I would like to see( drafting, FA brought in) to run a true 3-4 D. We have no identity on the D. To many sqare pegs trying to fit in round holes. This has caused pi$$ poor play out of our D. Some players just don't fit certain sets.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Lofton was the worst ILB in the NFL last year; not my assumption, that's according to PFF.

Hawthorne was the best ILB we had.

Humber only rated slightly better than Lofton, but not by much.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

Do you have a link that shows PFF rated Lofton 60 out of 60 in the ILB?

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...curtis-lofton/

Because the way I read this, he was 56 out of 60, which I admit isn't that great and probably stems from his liability in the passing game and 22 missed tackles, but he did have 145 tackles so he was in on a lot of plays.

Now I am not defending Lofton. I am glad he is moving on, because he didn't seem smart enough to play the position the way RR was trying to run things. What I am saying is Hawthorne is just as bad as Lofton and both should be out. Also, strangely enough since you brought up PFF, they rate Hawthorne as an OLB so my statement that Hawthorne is the worst ILB may hold true since he doesn't even rate at the position.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

In a 4-3 set Lofton was MLB and Hawthorn OLB, JR was was a DE. Hawthorn has been cast wrong since he has been on this D.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

I would agree. First half of the season I was ready to cut him but he played well
the last 4 games.

Re: David Hawthorne
 

So what you're saying to me is he pulled the mother Frigan Haslett, good at either the first four games of the season or last four, but never both :)