WhoDat

Whoa, 08 I think you\'re a bit over the top here. First, with free agency like it is today, seeing 5 or more new starters on a team shouldn\'t come as a surprise. Second, most of the positions you\'re talking about are backups. Be realistic here. Go through each position:

QB - starter will be Brooks, backup may change... hope not.
RB - starter will be Deuce, backup may be added.
FB - likey to change if the reports about the Saints feelings on Smith are true.
WR - starters Horn and Stallworth, Pathon will probably still be around. May bring in one new guy to compete ar a number 3 receiver.
TE - Sloan will continue to start, they will probably draft someone to play in two TE sets.
OL - There will probably be a new left Tackle. Fontenot may retire which would reshuffle the line, but that would probably be done with existing players.

So, we\'re talking about one or two new starters on D with as many as five or so new faces making an impact... what team isn\'t in the situtation?

DT - There\'s no way that the Saints will get rid of both Grady and Norman, so probably count Jackson in. Add a new DT in free agency and/or the draft.
DE - Howard and Grant... anchors of the defense.
LB - they\'re talking about playing Hodge and Clemons outside, they\'ll probably sign a MLB in free agency. Maybe they sign an OLB too, so we\'ll say 2 LBs.
CB - Dale Carter is starting on one side. They\'re likely to draft another. Maybe they sign a FA, but I don\'t see them spending the money to get a prime timer. So it will be a competition for the number 2 spot between whoever they bring in, Thomas, and Craver.
S - Let\'s pray they pick someone up if Knight goes. Then you\'re likely to see Mel Mitchell, they love this kid, who at least was on the team last year. Bellamy may stay may go, who knows.

So you\'re talking about at most, a new starting DT, 2 LBs, a CB, and a safety. 5 new starters is a lot for one side of the ball, but it is very possible that a couple of those new starters could be existing Saints.

I just don\'t see it as building from the ground up. I think you\'ll see five or six guys who weren\'t Saints last year starting in spots this year... didn\'t we have about that many this past year? 3 new OL, 1 new WR, 1 new DT, 1 new DE, 1 new CB = 7 new starters.

\"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.\"