GumboBC

This could be a time of year where Haslett and co. only need one or two "key" free-agents that would put this team over the top.

Instead, Haslett is having to go back and address positions that should have been fixed long ago.

Instead of signing a stud linebacker or a cornerback in free-agency, Haslett and co. are having to address the offensive and defensive lines. Both of these areas have been built and rebulit several times under Haslett.

Consider these players on both the offensive and defensive lines:

Offensive line:
1. Willie Roaf
2. Kyle Turley
3. Joh Stinchcomb
4. Wayne Gandy
5. Victor Riley
6. Le' Charles Bentley
7. Montre' Holland
8. Spencer Falou

And that isn't all of the players Haslett has either drafted on signed onthe offensive line. You would think that this area would be in great shape. But, it's very weak today!

And then there's the defensive line...

Defensive tackles:
1. Grady Jackson
2. Norman Hand
3. Le' Roi Glover
4. Jonathan Sullivan
5. Brian Young

Haslett has gone through some guys at this position. Even gave up 2 first round draft picks to get Sullivan. Now, our best defensive tackle is Brian Young. Doesn't that just make you jump for joy!!

And then there's the safety position:

Tebucky Jones anyone? Jay Bellamy?

Thank god they got lucky and were able to get CB Mike McKenzie from Green Bay or we'd be in trouble there too.

So, instead of some of these stud players at "iimpact" postions, such as CB or LB, we're likely to get an offensive lineman or safety.

Euphoria

My money is on OL... there are some great huge guys available. So like Adam Terry out of SU. We have some speed but what we lack is BIG MEN up front.

baronm

there is also guys like munoz and britt who are pretty good later round options and could turn into monsters if healthy.

GoldenTomb

Haslett\'s problem is that he is contrarian. Whatever the \"experts\" or most of the other people in the know think that we should be doing, he does just the opposite. He\'ll only correct himself after he\'s goofed up enough. CB situation is a prime example. He maintained for 2 years that we were solid at CB, to spite the experts.

This mentality has the Saints constantly picking up the rear in the race to get to the Super Bowl. We don\'t have the luxury of spot checking new problems that arise because we are constantly addressing the old problems.

WhoDat

Billy - you\'ve just identified one of my biggest fears, that seems to have come to fruition.

I\'m not calling you out by any means here, but do you remember our discussions of two and three years ago when I was screaming about going after the wrong positions in FA and the draft, or addressing the right positions with inadequate players?

My question for a long time now has been, when is enough enough? The fear of which I\'m speaking, and which I associate with that question, is what happens in two years when the talent has retired, left in FA, diminished, never materialized, etc. Then, all of a sudden, we\'re back as a team of average talent (or less). If we\'re .500 with what I can\'t call anything less than above average talent, where will we be with scrubs?

I think this team had what it needed to be a serious contender in 2001, 2002, and 2003. I think \'03 and \'04 have shown a decline in production amongsr some key players since 2002. I will never forgive Jim Haslett, Mickey Loomis, or Tom Benson if this team slides back into another 7 year slump before finding the right guys again, having wasted what this team has had for the last 4 years.

I would say that the time is NOW, but then, I think the time was probably 2002. Now I just hope that there\'s enough left that they can be competitive and sneak into the playoffs somehow.

\"Excuses, excuses, excuses. That’s all anyone ever makes for the New Orleans Saints’ organization.\" - Eric Narcisse


\"Being a Saints fan is almost like being addicted to crack,\" he said.[i]\"You know you should stop, but you just can\'t.\"

baronm

i agree..the problem IMO seems to be Benson and then the front offices\'/coaching staffs/groundcrews/whoevers refusal to make the changes needed at the positions.

like you said whodi..we have/had the talent..but their is no accountability and we are wasting the talents of the players who want to play by keeping guys that have never picked their games up.

GumboBC

Feel free to call me out. For the most part, you were right and I was wrong in this area.

I just never expected some of the things that have happened to happen.

I never expected Grady Jackson would be the type of player he turned out to be.

I never expected Kyle Turley to be the basket case he has proved himself to be.

Those two guys were kinda outta Haslett\'s control. But, Haslett did pick Grandy Jackson and it didn\'t work out.

To make this short, Haslett and co. have set this team back a couple of years. And it\'s primarily Haslett\'s fault. Got to put blame where blame belongs.

I just hope he doesn\'t make anymore mistakes. I think we\'ve got a good shot of being a playoff team this year if the offensive line and the rushing defense gets fixed. But we\'re not really close to be a championship team!

baronm

i just don\'t know if it\'s haslet or the \"and company\"

I also don\'t know if we could find a better coach for the team than haslett...but we definitly need to let him coach and not make personel decisions..never a good idea.