GumboBC

Okay, look ... there's no way to sugar-coat what the Saints have done, or haven't done, in free-agency so far. So far the Saints haven't inked one free-agent and when you compare that to some of the more agressive teams like the Panthers and Cowboys, it appears that Tom Benson, Mickey Loomis, and Jim Haslett don't appear to be major players in the free-agent market. And that's very puzzling when you consider how much help this team needs!

But what's even more puzzling - to me - is the comment made by Mickey Loomis when he said the team only needs to fill a few key areas in free-agency. While I do believe that's true for the most part, I do not agree with their stratagy.

Mickey Loomis has stated they want to come out of free-agency with an offensive taclke to replace Victor Riley and they also want to sign a free-saftey which apparantly will leave Tebucky Jones as the odd man out.

Both of those moves will be considerd major upgrades if they find the right players. And both of those are the correct moves, IMO.

But for a franshise that as been so inept on defense, it seems to be they should be more aggressive in free-agency. And it appears that taking care of the secondary before addressing the linebacker position is the wrong stratagy!

When you look at the linebacking corp of Courtney Watson, James Allen, and Colby Bockwoldt, not even one of them have proven themselves in the NFL. IMO, of all the areas of need on this team, linebacker has to be considered a "key" area of need. How could it not?

Recently Jack Del Rio stated he builds a defense from the front to the back. In other words, you build a defense to stop the run first and rush the quarterback. Once you can do that, getting a safety is a fine idea!!

Yet, Haslett seems to have other ideas on how to build a strong defense in New Orleans. While he might sign a linebacker in free-agency, it is not high on his list of needs. Instead he wants to strengthen the saftey position.

Let's presume he takes care of the seconday for a second. Is Haslett comfortable we can stop the run? I know I'm not. But I am sure there are some linebackers in free-agency that could definitely help this defense. And I believe that a linebacker would have much more of an impact rather than a safety.

Free-agency isn't over yet and there's a chance Haslett could sign a quality linebacker. If he fails to address this area once again and our young linebacking corp doesn't get the job done and we have to watch our defense get run though like a hot knife through butter ... Haslett and Mickey Lommis should be fired in mid-season!!







[Edited on 5/3/2005 by GumboBC]