Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

You don't draft potential at pick 11. You draft production and hope for the best.

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

I'd take that a step further, you draft an impact, immediate starter at No. 11 and a ProBowler within two seasons...

And if you're just hoping for the best with the pick and not being confident and right with the pick, you need another vocation...

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

Oh goodness. Now you are channeling my brother, who consistently makes these same arguments. I'll give the same response here that I give to him: Running the football isn't in the Payton/Carmichael/Brees offensive DNA. As much as the three give lip service to wanting to run the ball, their actions belie that lip service.

You can see that in Ingram's running efficiency. 1043 yards in a little over 200 carries for a 5.1 YPC. That's why are 16th in yd/gm while 19th in attempts.

All true. Except Payton, Brees and company are simply not going to do it. We have 10 seasons of evidence. In that span there were 2 1000+ yard rushers, and 2 with more than 200 attempts in a season.

So while logically it makes sense to run the ball, it's not going to happen.
Exactly. Ingram has become a productive, efficient, all around back. The team has already invested the draft picks and the extension dollars to get him to this point. So to me, throwing him aside and trying to slot someone new is nonsensical.
FIFY. But note that even if the Saints took McCaffery, it would not improve the running game. Payton would take his new toy and shuffle him in the backfield, the slot, and out wide. He would swing passes to him in the flat, and throw PT type screens to him. He would be as much a running back in this offense as Reggie Bush was. And absolutely none of those rushing numbers you quoted at the top would change, because as I stated it's not in the Saints offensive DNA to do so. But at what cost? Spend a #32 or #42 on a guy that won't likely start on an offense that may need the depth, but really isn't a position of need?
Of course with the Saints draft DNA, they will exercise those options. In each of the last three years the Saints have taken an offensive player in one of the first 2 rounds. So I know my hope that they will stock up on defensive talent that can be brought in and coached up so that the defense can function as and effective standalone unit in the seasons to come is completely unrealistic.

I would flip out if players like Barnett or Foster were on the board at 11.

SFIAH

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

True, but there would be multiple ways to deliver the ball to the RB McCaffrey and the end result still would be longer, sustained drives, greater time of possession, minimizing the time the defense has to be on the field...

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

Didn't say we necessarily need to draft a guard at those two spots, just that we need a young guard or offensive tackle to start developing when/if Peat has to kick out to one of the OTs...

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

My brother, you need to take a breath and slide over to Seer's Coaching Replacements thread...

We do have defensive talent on this team; we had an unusually high percentage of starters lost during a transition to new scheme season...

Plus, as I said on the new coaches thread, the new hires are getting overlooked by everyone except the competition; this may be the most talented, well, the best coaching staff of the Payton era...

Stephone Anthony came in as a rookie and nearly took defensive rookie of the year honors - look for him and other players' game to elevate under Mike Nolan, Ryan Nielsen guidance...

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

There's truth in what you say in Payton's nature as has been on display for 10+ seasons...

And that's why a back like McCaffrey would be more successful than a back like Fournette...

And suppose we do go RB at No. 11 and McCaffrey and Fournette are on the board, can you imagine picking up the top 3rd pick because Cleveland would be worried about not getting Fournette if we traded out?

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

And if they're both gone, here's your sleeper pick: Samuel out of tOSU. He's a little smaller, but I think faster and would be better at that really short pass stuff we used to do with Bush and Sproles. He was usually a bright spot even when the Buckeye offense was moving at the speed of smell. Watch some of his highlights and see what you think.

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

I hear you. I just don't believe that's the proper path to being a consistently winning organization. The reason being that if the defense cannot hold its own, then the opposition will do exactly the same thing to our defense.

Defensively the Saint need to be able to get offenses off the field on 3rd down, play tough in the red zone, and gather up a few turnovers. None of those can be helped by the offense. That can be helped by disruptive defensive linemen, LBs that can stop the run and cover TEs and backs, and DBs that can cover, break up passes, and catch the ball when it hits them in the hands.

The Saints offense playing complementary football is wishful thinking. The solution isn't to improve the offense to cover a inadequate defense. The solution is to field an adequate defense that complements the productive and explosive offense we already have.

SFIAH

Re: Saints Possible Options At Pick No. 11
 

Since he's not going at 11, no worries then. The only player at 11 that is a solid sure thing is OJ, players like Foster, Barnett and I'll even throw Peppers in there, you hoping for the best but each of those have potential. So do we draft a sure thing or a player with potential at 11?