WillSaints81

This is from ElliasJWilliams again on SR and this one really kind of has me going(and not in a good way)

Morning Folks,

We've talked about the defense and formations we'll use. We've beat the need for Guards on the oline to death. We've even had the typical "we need to draft a WR" conversations this year. Yet, there has been little discussion on the logic behind resigning Josh Hill. I've seen people question it and say why it didn't make sense but haven't seen anyone point to why it made all the sense in the world.

It started with the arrival of Hooman last year with SP wanting to run more multiple TE sets because of the advantage is provided to the offense. That and it was about time to add in some new wrinkles to an offense that had become stale.

Quote:
He had a vision for how his playbook would change if the Saints were able to acquire Michael Hoomanawanui from the New England Patriots. But the trade had to happen before it could come to fruition.

That vision included using more three-tight end sets, which would pair Hoomanwanui with Josh Hill and Ben Watson, and using Hoomanawanui as something of a fullback or blocking back at times in other personnel groupings. That, in turn, would create more flexibility and help make the Saints more unpredictable, while also helping to dictate some of the action within opposing defenses.
How one player

The good thing is it worked. We got production from that and it opened up big plays for Brandin Cooks and others. So if something works why not build on it?

First thing we did was sign Hooman to a 3year contract.

Quote:
Hoomanawanui had 11 receptions for 76 yards and three touchdowns this season in 12 games. He was also used as an in-line tight end and a fullback.
Saints agree to terms with Michael Hoomanawanui, source says | NOLA.com

Not off the wall production for a 3rd TE but the flexibility he afforded was/is priceless.

The very next thing that happened was we brought in Dan Campbell to assist with the offense. One of Campbell's wrinkles he wanted to use when he became HC for Miami was more multiple TE sets because of the options it gives the offense. His philosophy aligns exactly with what SP was attempting to do last year.

Quote:
“I’m trying to get four tight ends in the game,” Campbell said, mostly in jest. (The Dolphins technically could after adding a fourth to their active roster in Brandon Williams this week.)

Cameron and Sims are both athletic and versatile, which creates a conundrum for opposing teams: Do they stay in their base defense and risk getting beat through the air, or go to nickel and possibly get run over?

“For us, that’s something we’d like to live a lot more in, two-tights,” Campbell said.
For me the bolded part speaks directly to dictating the action to opposing defenses which is used in an earlier quote from the Underhill article. Starting to see where it all fits in yet? Don't worry I'll keep writing anyway.

You've got your 3rd(flex) TE, and you've brought in a coach that can help install more wrinkes/give more insight but your #1 TE is a FA and he's 35 years of age. There is an opportunity there for an upgrade but mainly at the right price. Suddenly Fleener becomes available and you just lost out on Watson to the Ravens. You ask yourself can he do what we need him to do in this offense? Yes. Is he an upgrade to Ben Watson? Yes. Can we afford him? Yes. Mickey I have a crystal clear vision for this guy and how we want to use him.......lets get him.

Quote:
"He's got outstanding speed, so the one thing that jumps off the film is his ability to really run," Payton told WWL in his first public comments about Fleener since the team signed him to a five-year deal worth up to $36 million. "He's a guy that's smart. He's someone who played in a system very similar to ours in college."

Payton said he spent a lot of time on the phone with Stanford coach David Shaw, for whom Fleener played while at the school. Payton said the Saints and Stanford run similar enough offenses for him to form a solid opinion.

Payton said the Saints signed Fleener more for what he can do in the passing game than in the run game.

"He's not going to be the first guy you put in at the point of attack on a power play, but that's OK," Payton said. "Let's make sure we understand the things that he does real well, and I think we can do that offensively."
New Saints TE Coby Fleener has 'outstanding speed,' Sean Payton tells WWL | NOLA.com

So you've upgraded your #1 TE position with a guy that can stretch the field from the inside (change offense around so #2 WR isn't the field stretcher) and you've got your Blocking TE that you can put at the POA in Hooman, as well as your coach to help with the installs/wrinkles but your 3rd TE just signed an offer sheet.

Could you get another TE in the draft? Yes....but there is a familiarity with the player and the player with the system that makes bringing him back more logical than attempting to draft an "unknown" TE to fill that void.

So you go out and match the offer to Hill and bring him back.

Quote:
The New Orleans Saints on Friday announced that they have matched the three-year offer sheet that restricted free agent tight end Josh Hill signed with the Bears on Tuesday.
Saints match Bears offer sheet to Hill


Suddenly the offense seems legit. Especially from a standpoint of having 3TE's and 3WR's that are options in the passing game to go along with the RB's as options in the passing game. What this tells me is that the need to draft a WR isn't a high as i thought it could be a few days ago. Could we choose one..yes. However, the likely hood of him making a dent in the rotation seems minor as does the need to have a 7th option as a 1st round pick. Later in the draft? Sure...super early however seems unecessary however the lack of depth and attention payed to the position last year all but ensures we'll pick one....just not early.

So now i must ask. Does the decision to match Hills offer make more sense now? Hopefully it should and you can feel a little more confident moving to the draft in the next 2 weeks. An upgrade on the Oline and some more pieces on defense should see us set to compete yet again in 2016. The moves up to this point should be worth 3 more wins but we aren't finished yet and thats the best part.


RIP Will Smith
WHO DAT!!!