You cannot discount the fact that Cooks had top 10 numbers last year that we have not replaced. Thomas is an absolute star, but will he get as many open looks with Snead on the other side instead of Cooks? Of course not.

As for the RB's, in your own words there are only so many balls to go around. I can see making one of those moves, but why both when we had and still have defensive needs?

Ramczyk might be a probowler this year, but if so that means we have a very good tackle (Strief) making $5,100,000 on the bench. I'd rather have that money on the field, specifically the defensive side.

We have great potential for improvement defensively, but most of our upgrades other than Lattimore fall under the IF category: If our DB's stay healthy, If the two backups we signed to start pan out, If the new coaches get max results from the younger players.
I would just feel a hell of a lot more optimistic if we had drafted someone to start opposite Jordan and not an OT, safety, or RB

Just because we didn't draft one player you wanted doesn't mean that all of the other notable improvements are nullified. I am VERY optimistic. Do you realize that the Saints had the 4th highest number of QB hits in the NFL last season? They are not as far off from being very good as you think.

And, the Saints DID address the DE position. Just because they didn't do it when you wanted doesn't mean that it hasn't been addressed. Kikaha, Hendrickson, Okafor and Mohammad are all players that were not here last season vying for that job. And I contend that there could very well be a greater degree of improvement on our overall team strength with the addition of Ramczyk rather than any defensive end that was available at the same spot in the draft.

You are so blinded by your disappointment that a certain position wasn't addressed right when YOU wanted it addressed that you are missing the big picture.

As far as Cooks' "top 10 number" being replaced, Brees and the Payton designed offence will easily replace those numbers. Cooks leaving does not create any sort of vacuum. I doubt the offense will miss a beat moving into next season. In fact, I expect it to be improved. Cooks was a great player for us, but Brees makes top 10 players, not the other way around.

Just curious-
have you ever had a conversation, here or in real life in which you didn't attack the the other person for his/her opinions?

Absolutely. All the time. I simply look at the positives. If that rubs negative thinking people the wrong way that is their problem, not mine. I use facts, not emotion. There are probably more people on this site that see things the same way. They use logic. If you see being shown facts and logic as being attacked then, once again, that is your problem.

So, in other words, No.

as for your "facts", why pull an arbitrary stat like QB hits out of nowhere? Did the QB hits lead to interceptions? a lower passer rating? fewer points scored? qb starters getting knocked out? That would be "No's" across the board. The fact is we were 27th in ints and sacks, 31st in points, and last in passing yards.