Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

It would be nice to have a veteran presence at guard, but I doubt Dallas would want to see him go to New Orleans...

...then there's the other part, what would we have to give?

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Kind of ironic hometown stud La'el Collins made Leary (also from Baton Rouge) expendable ... quickly.

He struggled a bit in pass protection though.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

The Vincent Brown signing is a pretty impressive talent, but despite his age of 27 years, he has less game experience than Brandin Cooks, our former "elder" statesman of the WR corps...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=...ansparent=trueNew Orleans Saints

Grade: C

Extended: LT Terron Armstead, TE Michael Hoomanawanui, CB Kyle Wilson

Re-signed: FB Austin Johnson, OL Senio Kelemete, K Kai Forbath, RB Travaris Cadet, QB Luke McCown, S Jamarca Sanford, TE Josh Hill, RB Tim Hightower, G Tim Lelito

Notable veteran additions: TE Coby Fleener, WR Vincent Brown, K Connor Barth, LB Nathan Stupar, LB James Laurinaitis, LB Craig Robertson, DT Nick Fairley

Notable veteran subtractions: RG Jahri Evans, LB David Hawthorne, LB Ramon Humber, WR Seantavius Jones, WR Marques Colston, CB Brandon Browner, S Vinnie Sunseri, TE Benjamin Watson, S Rafael Bush, RB Khiry Robinson

Draft picks: 1-Sheldon Rankins (DT), 2-Michael Thomas (WR), 2-Vonn Bell (S), 4-David Onyemata (DT), 7-Daniel Lasco (RB)

Analysis: Over the past two seasons, the Saints have ranked eighth in points scored and 32nd in points allowed, which is why it was a little confounding to see them use a big chunk of their free-agent resources for receiving tight end Coby Fleener.

"They are still not fast enough or talented enough at corner, and there are still question marks concerning the depth of their defensive line and the overall speed of the defense," Dominik said.

Riddick said he could not endorse adding a declining James Laurinaitis and an underachieving Nick Fairley to the Saints defense, although it's interesting that both played under coordinator Gregg Williams in St. Louis. The Saints' current defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, was the secondary coach in New Orleans under Williams when the team won a championship. Can the 2016 Saints get back to playing defense as effectively as they did when Williams was the coordinator?

"The problem has been the efficiency of the defense and mistakes and mental errors and players not knowing what to do and who to cover and things of that nature," Polian said. "If they can get that cleaned up, then they have a chance to be pretty good. I see enough talent defensively. I like Vonn Bell in the second round. He will step in and play pretty well. Sheldon Rankins was a really good draft choice. Talent is not the big issue. The issue is scheme, structure and mental errors."

Riddick called Rankins the best defensive tackle in the draft, but he did not think the Saints emerged from this offseason with enough playmakers on the defensive side.

"Other than Cameron Jordan, who do they have?" Riddick asked. "You hope Sheldon Rankins will be productive and Stephone Anthony can be a stud, but I don't see where the defense has gotten markedly better."

Source: ESPN: 2016 offseason grades for all 32 NFL teams

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

I'm all for not looking at our team through rose colored glasses but that article completely overlooks getting Keenan Lewis, PJ Williams and Davis Tull back from injury. I will never take Mark Dominik seriously because he was an absolutely abysmal GM in Tampa.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

If Saints look for veteran free agents this summer, who might be on wish list? | NOLA.com

Pretty thin...may not have liked our draft, but I think the 90 with our UDRFA class gives us a great mould to start from and build a quality, deep team...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Top 15 NFL free agents still available - Greg Hardy, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Donte Whitner

No. 8 would interest me...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Leon Hall would be a good pickup for the Slot/Safety if the other pieces bomb. I'd pass on the rest.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

I'd like a proven veteran wide receiver like Hartline who could counsel, advise the younger wide receivers, especially in games where it gets chippy with the d-backs and a wiser player can be the difference in success and collapse...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Former Philadelphia Eagles DB Walter Thurmond retiring at 28

Would like to have brought him in for a peek...provided we didn't have to hear another rendition of Sleepless for Seattle...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Well isn't Vonn Bell supposed to better in coverage than Jenkins & Byrd?

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

They didn't re-sign Josh Norman either.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Before you go considering him on the inside, you need to consider if you want the down-low...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Dominique Easley hopes Rams will see him a “just a great person” | ProFootballTalk

...sure glad we didn't sign Easley...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Hard to believe CB/S Walter Thurmond hasn't been "lured out of retirement."

Anquan Boldin is still lying around; but he'd be a fourth or fifth on this team and he wouldn't be happy with that situation...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

It's not like there're alot of options at Guard anyways...

WalterFootball.com: 2016 NFL Free Agents - Guards

Clint Boling was the guy to sign, but we took Brandon Browner instead...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

While it'll be a season, or two, before we know what we got with Fleener...

I really like what we did in Free Agency this season, even if it was what little fanfare...

Only thing I could see that we could afford was instead of Fleener, I'd rather have had us sign either LB NT Damon Harrison...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

While it'll be a season, or two, before we know what we got with Fleener...

Overall, I like what we did in Free Agency this season, even if it was what little fanfare...

We restocked at linebacker with some steals and we picked up some quality depth on the defensive line...

One thing I would have done different was was instead of Fleener, I'd rather have had us sign either LB Danny Trevathan or NT Damon Harrison...

Missed opportunities and miscalculations in previous seasons are still handicapping this team...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Bring in a little more competition?

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

12 LBs on the roster.

Where we really need bodies is at DE.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

The Saints agree - Ask, and ye shall receive...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Our Veteran Free Agent Additions To Date...

Player Name	POS	AGE	FROM	TO	YRS	TOTAL AMOUNT	AVG PER YR	GUARANTEED
Coby Fleener	TE	27	IND	NO	5	$36,000,000	$7,200,000	$18,000,000
James Laurinaitis	ILB	29	LA	NO	3	$8,250,000	$2,750,000	$1,800,000
Craig Robertson	ILB	28	CLE	NO	3	$5,000,000	$1,666,667	$1,965,000
Nathan Stupar	OLB	28	ATL	NO	3	$5,000,000	$1,666,667	$1,200,000
Nick Fairley	DT	28	LA	NO	1	$3,000,000	$3,000,000	$2,235,000
Luke McCown	QB	34	NO	NO	2	$3,000,000	$1,500,000	$500,000
Eirk Harris	SS	26	CFL	NO	2	$1,620,000	$540,000	-
Roman Harper	SS	33	CAR	NO	1	$1,065,000	$1,065,000	$230,000
Jamarca Sanford	SS	30	NO	NO	1	$965,000	$965,000	$210,000
Connor Barth	K	30	TB	NO	1	$885,000	$885,000	-
Kyle Wilson	CB	29	NO	NO	1	$840,000	$840,000	$80,000
Tim Hightower	RB	30	NO	NO	1	$840,000	$840,000	$80,000
Travaris Cadet	RB	27	NO	NO	1	$840,000	$840,000	$80,000
Kai Forbath	K	28	NO	NO	1	$840,000	$840,000	$80,000
Darryl Tapp	DE	31	DET	NO	1	-	$0	-
C.J. Wilson	DE	29	DET	NO	N/A	-	-	-

Source: 2016 NFL Free Agents Tracker | Spotrac

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Free Agency Report | Ranked Remaining Free Agents

Curiously DE Greg Hardy is just sitting there...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

I think that's because he does stupid s***

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Forget it. I think the Saints would have to be completely desperate to bring Mr. Hardy in.

Let's develop the young guys & continue to build through the draft.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

PFF: 5 WORST NFL SAFETY CONTRACTS

JOHN BREITENBACH

We continue our series on the best and worst contracts at each position, this time with the most overpaid veteran safeties. For each player named, we give the years remaining on his contract, the average cap hit he has against the team for the remaining years of his deal, and the season in which the team can cut him and have more cap savings than dead money.

[Editor’s note: All cap numbers are from Over the Cap.]

1. Jairus Byrd, New Orleans Saints
Years remaining: Four

Average remaining cap hit (per year): $11.25 million

Years he can realistically be cut: 2018

Byrd is a great example of the pitfalls of free agency. While he appeared to be the best available player on the 2014 free-agent market, he’s struggle mightily with the Saints. His contract shattered the market for the position; New Orleans paid him $54 million over six years, with $26.3 million guaranteed. The bad news is that the Saints cannot realistically cut Byrd until at least 2018, and even then they’ll be on the hook for $4.6 million in dead money.

Injuries have played a major part in Byrd’s disappointing stint in New Orleans—he has managed to appear in only 17 of 32 games. Even when he has been on the field, he has not performed well; Byrd ranked 42nd overall last year amongst safeties with a 74.0 grade. While he made a handful of plays in the passing game, tackling remained an issue. In fact, the former Bills safety missed one in every seven attempted tackles in 2015. Simply put, Byrd faces an uphill battle to resurrect his career in New Orleans.


Source: https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro...m_campaign=nfl

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Hmmm...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

The Jets are a mess.

Boy would I love to have Mo Wilkerson on my team.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Imagine - Jordan, Rankins, Fairley, Wilkerson; now, that would be some defensive front, especially captained by Laurinaitis...

Assuming Rankins' game translates to the pro arena, I know three NFC South quarterbacks who's lives would become real complicated...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Mo for drew baby lmao

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Wow...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

The Chiefs are trying to spread the love around as it relates to their cap.

Not enough pesos to go around.

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Guess Free Agency for the Saints is year round...

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Saints make an offer to veteran receiver Anquan Boldin

Posted by Michael David Smith on July 14, 2016, 2:31 PM EDT

https://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wor...3128.jpg?w=234
Getty Images

It’s been a fairly quiet offseason for free agent wide receiver Anquan Boldin, but with training camps two weeks away, Boldin may be getting close to finding a team.

Of the teams that have reached out to Boldin, the Saints are making the strongest push to sign him, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. If Boldin goes to New Orleans, he’ll reunite with Saints receivers coach John Morton, who was previously Boldin’s position coach in San Francisco in 2013 and 2014.

The 35-year-old Boldin is coming off a down year in which he managed just 789 receiving yards, the second-lowest total of his 13-year NFL career. But a few teams have shown interest in Boldin on the theory that he at least has a little bit left in the tank.

The Saints have one of the youngest and least experienced receiving groups in the NFL. Signing Boldin would change that.

Source: Saints make an offer to veteran receiver Anquan Boldin | ProFootballTalk

Re: 2016 Saints Free Agency
 

Opportunity???