Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

The previous most important draft in New Orleans Saints history looks easy now.

After it became known that the Houston Texans would select Mario Williams with the first pick in 2006, all first-year Saints coach Sean Payton had to do was convince Reggie Bush that New Orleans was the right place for him.

The city took care of that for Payton by lavishing Bush with adoration and applause at a local restaurant when he came to town for a visit.

A few years later, Bush was riding through town on a float as a Super Bowl champion. The applause was much louder then.

It’s not as simple this time. It would be a stretch to say the franchise is at a crossroads. As things stand, if the product comes together on the field, this roster has enough talent to sneak out of the weak NFC South. The Saints always have a chance to win as long as Drew Brees is under center.

But if the goal is to add to the nucleus of the roster and enjoy sustained success — and the moves of this offseason suggest that is the goal — then April 30 will mark the beginning of one of the most critical three-day stretches of the Payton era.

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Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

“And I think if you’re looking closely to when we’ve been real good, there’s been that element defensively (and) there’s been that element in the running game.”

I am not buying

Still, with the running game likely set, the Saints can turn their attention to improving the defense in the draft.

I sure hope this is not the saints mind set going into the draft.

defense is still a mess.
Run game is one injury from a flat tire.
Drew safety blanket in the passing game is Colston?
Do you really think the saints can survive on quick screens and hitches to Cook?
We are banking of some one from out of no where to be the impact reciever for Drew?

sorry koolaid is being served again awful early

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

So by day Captain Obvious writes for the Advocate?!?

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

With nine picks two 1st rd,two 3rd rd,two fifth rd,6th rd,Two 7th rd We should be able to find some talent. I hope that we stick @#13 and trade back @ #31

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

It would appear so... Whodathunkit?

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Seems like I see this same article every year...

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Who knows how it works out but I like the additions to our roster though.

Browner
a healthy Byrd
Ellerbe
Maybe Kyle Wilson bring something
Delvin Breaux.
If we get a healthy Spencer thats a upgrade.

On offense we aren't done. But you gotta love adding Spiller, & Unger

Still have a long way before opening of the season.

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

"Free agency will be critical in which veterans are on the team"... Top notch stuff.

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

And we are one sack away from a 2 - 14 too! Better draft a bunch of "Franchise QB'S"

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

I understand filling holes in FA and then going BPA in the draft. However, we spend a ton of money of border line quality players......often over paying. We have never been better than adequate at drafting. We've had a few hits but the majority of our signings are meh. Payton has an eye for offensive talent I believe but he can't evaluate defense worth a damn. :roll:

I am hoping that the new scouts will deliver better than average talent this time around. Although, it's almost foolish to think that this is the year WE NAIL IT when we've never done it before. I have some hope that we won't take as many projects in the draft and that the FO will evaluate talent with better results. I can hope can't I? Where's that Kool-Aid.......I like grape! :razz:

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

good grief its the offseason

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Im sorry
"The Saints have enough talent to sneak out the weak NFC South"

We nearly won it last year with a team falling apart. If things come together and the defense is half as good as two years. back the players are good enough to get the later stages of the playoffs

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

We need more "team first" guys. Role players. Guys who WANT to tackle, who WANT to work hard.

That seemed to be missing last year.

Don't expect the NFC South to be a cake walk though. First year coaches tend to inject life into an organization right away so don't be surprised if Atlanta rips off 10 wins next season. Carolina is always just dangerous enough and Lovie's defense is starting to take shape.

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

The Bucs have won the offseasin and been the talking heads pick to win the division for the past 3/4 years and by and large been terrible.

They have had Verner/Revis/David/McCoy and Takib at various times in the past 3 years and generally stunk. Lovie Smith is vastly overrated

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

this is what went into 2009's team: Ayldele, Hargrove, Bell, Will Smith, even da Rapist ..... all played with a chip on their shoulder and with passion. Something that has been missing since

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

You almost have to look at Byrd as a new acquisition also, since he missed all of camp last year and most of the year. Pumped to see how we put together the roster and how we come out the gate defensively. I hope we can get a good DLman and a couple killer ILBs in the draft. Some combo of Anthony, Kendricks, Perryman, or McKinney would be nice...Maybe Shelton or Brown early also...

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

If they land Perryman, they will have to peel me off the roof of my living room with a rake

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

The defense isn't filled with spring chickens............I believe that we are one of the oldest NFL teams. We will get younger this draft and have the youth to inject into the team chemistry. We have brought in several veterans with leadership skills and the locker room problems should be a thing of the past. We should have a good mix of young and old to keep things properly balanced on and off the field. I'm excited(cautiously optimistic) about the possibilities on both sides of the ball and that is before the draft starts.

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Maybe Vaccaro shows up this year?

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Tick, tick, tick, tick.....

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

And your point is?

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

Fix the O-Line.

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

The point or purpose of posting a picture of a hammer striking a nail on its head is to reaffirm support for the user's post; the hammer striking a nail image alludes to the common known allegory, idiom for which a hammer hitting a nail on its head represents making a point with exactness...

User saintsfan1976 made an excellent point of observation (see quotation) , and I agreed wholeheartedly...

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

This draft is no more critical than any other draft.

Re: Draft will be critical for the future of the Saints
 

And water is wet