Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

I'm keeping Payton. He built this franchise. He did it on Drew's shoulders but he is a QB's coach. Hell, McCown even looked good.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

That's the one

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

I would not have a problem with both back. The defense is the problem. But, Payton has pretty much mailed it in the last couple of years. I don't see how that changes. As for Brees, he's still a very good player. But, his salary hurts the team in trying to put talent around him. And he's proven he can't do it all by himself. With an improved defense, the team can be competitive. If you made me choose, I would see Payton being gone first. Look around the league. The QB play is horrible. Having Brees is better than 90 percent of the league. The Saints have enough in place with another good draft, that Brees can give them a shot next year.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

I would keep Payton also, he;s one of the greatest O minds in the game til' today.He want be without a "good enough "qb. for long.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

I'd say Payton his play calling ability has took a huge decline his coaching staff is terrible.... It's time for a change ...

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

Neither one are going anywhere until 2019. Play calling isn't bad, not having an OL that can get a consistent push is bad. Defense is confused. If Allen dumbs it down, they will look much better the final 6 weeks.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

Definitely Brees. Payton was a great play caller, been lacking since last year, but Payton isn't the one going through multiple reads to find different WRs.

I know Brees is costing us a tremendous amount of money, but it's not like we haven't been able to sign big free agents. Even though they didn't work out, we still signed them. Also, in a few years, when our good rookies (Anthony, Kikaha, maybe others) need to resign for more money, Brees will most likely be done.

Also, if Brees leaves, I think we lose both. If Brees stays, a lot more likely that Payton stays.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

I'd have to pick Brees, mainly because I like the guy a lot more than Payton. But Drew doesn't have many years left, and with Payton I don't know what he will do with another QB. I haven't seen it yet, at least not for an extended period of time. So I couldn't pick on merit, right now. Just likability.

Now if you had asked this question a couple years ago, I would say Brees all the way. When we knew at that time that we still had several years left with him, you gotta take the hall of fame QB. Those guys don't come around real often.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

Normally you would go with the coach as the age window has less meaning. But I have to agree with the assessment that Payton doesn't seem to have it anymore. A year off changes a guy. I don't think he's hungry anymore and doesn't enjoy living football since coming back. Brees will give 100% til you pull his corpse off the field. If we could only have one I want Brees to retire here.

I believe both will be back next year though.

I think if we can get compensation for Payton moving on we take it but I can see some dark days in our future if we don't guess right on the next regime.

Re: If you had to pick one or the other
 

I think our D will be very good next year. Our young LBers are fitting in nicely and continue to improve. With another offseason behind them they will play lights out next year. We need a pass rusher period. Biggest need IMO behind a WR with the talent to keep our O going full steam as Brees declines. That guy could be Snead. We start generating a pass rush and our defensive backfield will be scary good. The talent is there, they are just having to do too much. Our offense is good enough even this year for us to compete if we had even an average defense. I dont expect much of a decline on that side of the ball either. Like I said get a legit receiver and some help at run blocking and our offense will be scary good again.