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Sometimes improvements are made in ways that aren't immediately obvious and require time to appear.

Each time a microphone was placed in front of a member of the New Orleans Saints front office this offseason, the interview almost always included an answer about how it was imperative to improve a pass rush that recorded 30 sacks last season.



Full story by Nick: Underhill: If you're miffed Saints didn't draft big-name pass rusher, consider this ... | Saints | theadvocate.com

AsylumGuido

Take the time to read this article. It addresses EXACTLY what I have been saying about the DE position and how it was addressed this off-season.

AsylumGuido

ScottF, please read this article. It mirrors exactly what I was trying to point out to you in that other thread. You are "miffed" we didn't take a big-name pass rusher just like this writer's work addresses.

Barry from MS

Watched East-West Shrine game with just the plays he was in...Hendrickson certainly gives 100% on every play & is quick, but added strength plus a different move or two would make him a pretty danged good pass rusher...we got the coaches now to make that happen. It does look like he'll be a pretty decent special teamer right away. It'll be fun watching him in the camp battle for that open DE spot.

Beastmode

I read the article. I also listened to Loomis and Payton before the draft. It seemed they wanted a DE early. Instead we got a Maserati CB that odds are will be in the shop more than on the track. A moderate risk pick with a high reward. Higher reward than a DE if it works out. I understand it but I'm not a risk taker. I would have went with the DE but I have no access to what they know. Maybe it's much less of a risk than I assume.

AsylumGuido

Why do you assume he would be "in the shop more than on the track"? Is it the hamstring issues he faced when he was 17-18 years old? It has been explained that he went through a major growth spurt during that period. That plays havoc with any young man, but especially with an explosive athlete. He has outgrown those issues and played at a very high level all this past season. Those were age related issues, not chronic issues. Very much different.

And, yes, Payton and Loomis wanted a DE early, but they also said that all the ones they wanted were gone when it reached their valued spot. Bad teams draft for need only and pass on value.

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

Papa Voodoo

Running can help the defense. Couldn't do it every play, but imagine a 4th and 1 or gaolline....our O line with Hoomanawanui and Phillips at TE with Ramczyk as a 3rd TE and Kuhn at FB and AP at RB. We used to bring in Strief when he was young for plays like this and run smash mouth style.

Beastmode

I was unaware of the growth issue. All I know is we use to have a decent WR with a hamstring issue his whole career. Up and down.

Euphoria

If you been following the saints draft for the past few years there is a trend.

BPA no matter the position. If we get BPA that fills a need great! The trend is drafting a player on each level of O and D. 3 levels of D (DB, LB and DL), O (OL, WR, Backfield).

I don't know why people get so caught up on filling needs... those are addressed during FA. Drafting is just trying to get someone that turns out to be a home run and keep our cap down.

If you look at it from this perspective... I am not surprised one bit of what, who and when.

E U P H O R I A

Rugby Saint II

I had hamstring issues when I was younger. One time a player across the field yelled at me when I went down that he heard it pop. I got over it though and it hasn't been an issue in decades.