For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

IMHO those saying the Saints are a long way off contending for titles are wrong.
Look at the core of the team and add some savy FA additions and good rookie scouting

Offensive Line
Armstead,Unger and Peat is a good basis of a line. Kelemete,Lelito and Evans all great level for back ups (if Evans good stay fit he's still a high quality starter. Strief offers good cover at Tackle. So a couple of guards short

Backfield
Ingram,Robinson,Hightower,Cadet
Its a nice RB core,id like to see some more speed back there but i can see Cadet staying with money being short this summer. While he isnt the second coming of Sproles he has good qualities to offer. Only concern back there is health.

QB
Brees,notjing else needs asdded. We live or die by his health

WR
A really nice toung pairing off Cooks and Snead. Coleman needs to show he can take over from Colston. Colston best days are gone sadly,too many big hits have left him struggling health wise. I love everything the man has given but its s massive paycuy or gone imo. Add a good size/speed guy in the mid rounds of the draft/FA to help stretch the field snd allow Cooks to be a moveable piece and its good. Not sure what anyone else thinks of them but if Marvin Jones or Mohamed Sanu hit FA they could be a good salary to performance pick up. They are not going to take big money but will be getting the sort of money the Saints could offer.

Defense
Defensive Line
This is the biggest drawback to the team.
Jordan is good but outside of that nearly everyone is rotation level at best. So your looking at soending snd drafting hesvy here

Linebackers
Kikaha and Anthony is a really nice start but again another starter and depth are needed here. Ellerbe is good but a massive health concern

Secondary
Breaux-Lewis is a gsntastic 1-2 at CB
If fit it allows Browner to be cut or moved inside. Byrd needs to step up and Vaccaro needs to be more consistent. But Bush and Sunseri offer good depth.

I really dont see us far away. A great offseason and possible run in the playoffs is easily achievable,just a good offseason makes us candidates for scrapping back in. Its all about securing both offensive and defensive lines and a upgrade at linebacker.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

I really don't understand how any Saints Fan could think that. The team we are looking at are proof you can go from "worst" to "first" in a year. Remember 2006? 3-13 to 10-6 and the NFL Championship game.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

I disagree with this; Lewis is too much of an unknown to rely on him as a starter. He's battled injuries the past couple of seasons and who knows if he'll ever be 100% again...

I think we should spend a mid to high on a cornerback, or pick one up in free agency if they are starter worthy... PJ Williams may be the answer, but still an unknown.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

They aren't miles away! 4,236'!

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

The real question is do you remember 2009?

07 and 08 were both awful seasons. No one thought 2009 would be any different.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

Um Strief is not reliable at all anymore, or at least not this season, if Peat doesn't take over we are doomed...

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

I still think we should go OT/OG/DT/OLB/WR in that order.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

It isnt all that bad. A WR, a pass rusher next to Jordan, and some protection puts us back in the hunt. A TE wouldnt hurt either. People forget that we did a MAJOR defensive overhaul this offseason and are starting more rookies than any other team in the NFL. The good news is that these rookies look like they will all be very legitimate starters for years to come.
Anthony, Breaux, Kihaha, and Swann if he can get his head fixed will all be very good. We also have a couple of more than capable guys on IR who never even played this year.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

I agree, but we need to keep Sean Payton.

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Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

We're about eight coaches away from contending...

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

a piece here and piece there and the saints can be in the mix. still 2017 is the key year to add playoff FA. So draft and cheap FA that can contribute is key in the 2016 off season

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

Get rid of #39, and it is a completely different picture on defense. That guy was ROUTINELY giving up chunks of yards and first downs and extending opponents' drives, and giving up plays that resulted in the other team getting points. When people say "the Saints defense couldn't get off the field on third downs" I'd say probably 60-70% of that was Browner doing it all by himself. The Saints are still bad, and will continue to be "miles away" from contending until his locker is cleaned out and they get somebody else in there in his place. That is the start right there. But if it happens, when it finally happens, I think people will be pleasantly surprised by what a difference it makes in how the team performs.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

Confused. Did we not draft an OT as our top pick last year? Why spend another pick when the defensive front 7 really needs help?

SFIAH

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

It isn't so much the distance between us and this place they call 'contending', because we can see it from where we're standing. It is the map to the place that's the mystery.

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

Exactly my thoughts. 2017 draft a QB. I see Brees going 2 more years MAYBE 3. Draft a highly rated QB in 2017 and let him sit for a year. By then we will know what we have with Grayson

Re: For those saying the Saints are miles away from contending
 

We have Peat and Unger who will only get better. Armstead is going to be fine where he is. I agree about the OT point you have. I do think we try and find someone in the later rounds to add depth. For all of the offenses faults they have protected Brees better than they have the past few years for the most part. They def need help in run support though.