What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

... and we are 0-4 ... worst yet, GULP, 0-6 to begin the year, should the Saints tank the season for the #1 pick and get a franchise QB and move on from Brees? Would that be better for the cap?

How has that worked out in Indy?

The problem I see is that we're depending on talent evaluators who haven't been very good of late. :bng:

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Here is a draft history of us and NE.

NE has a lot of misses (overall average that stretch for them), but that stretch was BRUTAL for us and why we're seeing problems now. Literally being average would give us 3-4 more contributors. That would be huge.

2012:
3rd - Akiem Hicks (Traded for Hooman)
4th - Nick Toon (cut)
5th - Corey White (cut)
6th - Andrew Tiller (cut)
7th - Marcel Jones (cut)

2013:
1st - Kenny Vaccaro (on the team)
3rd - Terron Armstead (extension on the team)
3rd - John Jenkins (cut)
5th - Kenny Stills (traded for 3rd and Ellerbe who has been cut)
6th - Rufus Johnson (cut)

2014:
1st - Brandin Cooks (traded for 1st)
2nd - SJB (cut)
4th - Khairi Fortt (cut)
5th - Vinnie Sunseri (cut)
5th - Ronald Powell (cut)
6th - Tavon Rooks (cut)
UDFA - Willie Snead

Hits:
2/2 on 1st rounders
0/1 on 2nd rounders
2/3 on 3rd rounders
0/2 on 4th rounders
1/4 on 5th rounders
0/3 on 6th rounders
0/1 on 7th rounders
1/1 on UDFA
Total: 6 players in 17 draft-eligible players
- 3 remain on the roster (Vaccaro, Armstead, Snead)

Compared to NE

2012:
1st - Chandler Jones (traded for 2nd round)
1st - Dont'a Hightower (on team)
2nd - Tavon Wilson (left in FA)
3rd - Jake Bequette (cut)
6th - Nate Ebner (on team)
7th - Alfonzo Dennard (cut)
7th - Jeremy Ebert (cut)

2013:
2nd - Jamie Collins (traded for 3rd round pick)
2nd - Aaron Dobson (cut)
3rd - Logan Ryan (left in FA)
3rd - Duron Harmon (on team)
4th - Josh Boyce (cut)
7th - Michael Buchanan (cut)
7th - Steve Beauharnais (cut)
UDFA - Ryan Allen (on team)

2014:
1st - Dominique Easley (cut)
2nd - Jimmy G (on team)
4th - Bryan Stork (cut)
4th - James White (on team)
4th - Cameron Fleming (on team)
6th - Jon Halapio (cut)
6th - Zach Moore (cut)
6th - Jemea Thomas (cut)
7th - Jeremy Gallon (cut)
UDFA - Malcolm Butler (on team)

Hits:
2/3 - 1st rounders
2/3 - 2nd rounders
2/3 - 3rd rounders
2/4 - 4th rounders
1/4 - 6th rounders
0/5 - 7th rounders
2/2 - UDFA
Total: 11 players in 24 draft-eligible
- 8 remain on the roster (hightower, ebner, harmon, allen, jimmy g, white, fleming, butler)

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

I don't think they have to "tank" the season.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Former Director of scouting and Personnel - RYAN PACE missed on a lot of draft picks.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Way to early for this

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

If we go 0-6 then I say limit the play any starters you want healthy for next season and give some noobs time to see real action. We will lose enough to get a good draft pick and also have a very good idea of who should stay and who should go and draft or trade accordingly. For instance pull Ingram and give the bulk of the carries to Edmunds. If he shows he can handle the load next season then trade Ingram while he's still got value. Draft our next QB in the first round, fire Payton, Allen, and Loomis.
Drew can figure out what he wants to do after the smoke clears.
Personally I think it's time to move on.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

There are precious few players now that want to play for the Saints even after a Super Bowl victory and if we start benching and trading players because of a bad start to a season, that pool will dry up fast.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

I am developing a man crush on Baker Mansfield.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Why would we move on from a true top 5 QB for an unproven draft pick? I would hope if we get the #1 pick we would trade out. We don't need a QB. We need everything else. When are Saints fans going to see that? What idiot thinks " My team sucks so ill trade my best player and suck more?".

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Honestly I can't think of one player on the roster that I would miss or couldn't be easily replaced except maybe Cam Jorden. Excluding this years draft class.

If Armstead could play more than half a season at i time I would include him but he can't. Other than Brees, and that's becoming arguable we really don't have any other stand out players.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Who is going to tank?

Players - Hell No!
Coaches - Hell No!

Who are you gonna get to tank?

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Say what???

Players since Ireland came on board (3 drafts)
Marshon Lattimore
Ryan Ramczyk
Marcus Williams
Alvin Kamara
Alex Anzalone
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Sheldon Rankins
Michael Thomas
Vonn Bell
David Onyemata
Daniel Lasco
Andrus Peat
Stephone Anthony
Hau'oli Kikaha
P.J. Williams
Tyeler Davison

And UDFA's Crawley, Harris, Edmunds, Breaux,

We have drafted excellently over the last 3 years.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Before the season I had us being 1 - 1 right now. I wouldn't feel so bad if we didn't have a high school defense.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Meh. As always, they'll follow the money.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

IS there a sure fire franchise QB next year?

I was thinking the "unthinkable" would be a 10-4 tear through the season and win the division by a 1/2 game.

How's Dat sound?

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

That's the thing. I don't know if there is one. If there isn't then draft Oline to help Drew out another year until we can find a new QB. By the time he steps in at least he has decent protection as he develops. Kind of hard on a new QB to settle in when he's running for his life from game 1. A lot of good players don't make it in the NFL because they are thrown to the wolves without surrounding players good enough to let them learn.
Come to think about it I really think we should address the line via FA. Use the draft for defense and maybe a RT in 3-4 round.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

If nothing happens, your starting O line is
LT Armstead
LG Peat
C Unger
RG Warfford
RT Ramcheck

I don't think anyone needs to be brought in. And I'm drafting a damn WR and speed on defensive end!

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Sorry Danno, don't see the "excellently" in this group; collectively 14-20. Along w/ free agent bust last 3 off seasons. Receiving core, weakest of
Drew/Sean era.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Until Snead comes back. Until Breaux comes back. Until Armstead comes back.

Look, it's been bad. Very bad. But this team has the ability to put it all together.

All the change this offseason will take time to settle in. Our first division game is Sunday, the next not until Nov 5th.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Unlikely

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

The Saints don't even have a coherent philosophy to the defense. Constantly exposed on the back end, WR's running WIDE OPEN underneath, mental break downs in assignments etc. Inexcusable at this level. Devante' Harris should be cut. Kenny is undisciplined in his approach.

There is no way a defense should perform like this after a full pre season and training camp. If this games goes south (I hope it doesn't) in Carolina, you really have to consider promoting Nolan as our DC.

At the end of the day, all of this circles back to the front office and Sean Payton.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

I think the inexperience is really showing, and there aren't the leaders/teachers to make up for it.

A few turnovers would do wonders for the young guys' confidence, but yeah that's not going as well as I'd hoped

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Sorry..we get a top pick, we need a game changer on defense. We have not had one in FOREVER (I say forever because I can't remember if we ever actually had one) and it is clear, if we don't get a top 5 pick, we will NEVER get one.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Cam would be one if he had just a Little help from the rest of the DL.
Its quite easy for an OL to eliminate one great DL player. But a DL that has two...
I still hope Rankins will develope because that would help tremendously.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Tank the season and get the #1 pick in what is hyped as one of the best QB draft years?

I will go ballistics if that saints did not trade out of the #1 spot.

We already have a laundry list of team needs

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Trade back a few spots to get some teams entire draft and we would still get an excellent QB.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

Buffalo has 8 and 9 Cleveland has 5 and 6. We could gain another 1st rounder and 2 second rounders from both teams in a trade down from 1. Both need QB's. Rosen, Darnold and maybe even Jackson will go before pick 5.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

I'm calling it now. The Saints will not win more than 6 games. I'm personally thinking 5-11.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

I'll take that bet. Seriously.

Re: What if the unthinkable happens ...
 

....... and don't call me "Seriously"