Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

What defense should the saints use in 2003?If they stick with the 4-3,They've got to upgrade at cornerback and safety.
They need to have better conditioned tackles.They also need a better pass rush out of the linebackers.If they overhaul and
go with the 3-4,I think it better suits them.With Hodge and Allen on the outside,and Smith and whoever they sign on the
inside,you've got a combination of speed and the ability to cover.If they can get Grady Jackson in condition,he is a proven force in the middle of the line.Howard and Grant will
be a great tandem on the outside.One more good cover corner to go with Fred Thomas and an upgrade at free safety,
and you've got sacks and turnovers galore.Speed kills,and that's what this defense is all about.Let's not forget the great defenses of the late 80's and early 90's.They were 3-4.

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

Doesn\'t really matter to me 4-3...3-4. The truth is that whatever D you run it ALL starts up front. You either get a push or you get pushed. Whatever we do the play of the D line needs to be addressed big time or it makes no difference who/what we have behind them.

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

The problem with us running a 3-4 defense is that Grant and Howard are undersized ends for this style of defense. When you look back at the 80\'s and 90\'s 3-4 we ran, the ends were bigger in general league comparison and we had some textbook tacklers in Mills and Johnson. Charlie Clemons in my opinion is a Boulware type OLB in a 3-4. He is perfect as could be Sedrick Hodge. They would resemble a Swilling and Jackson outside package. Allen and Darren Smith are not a decent ILB pairing. Claibourne and Spikes would be.
Don\'t get me wrong, I love the 3-4 and Haslett has alot of experience with it, but we are not currently equipped to run that. I\'d rather see us pick up a strong set of LBers and a top notch cover safety and then run a 46 style defense.

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

Which ever defense they decide to use this year, the \"lunch bunch\" need to either drop 100 lbs or so. Every game this year I saw the same thing. Late in the game Hand, Chase and Jackson running out of gas and barely able to make the trip from the huddle to the line of scrimmage. Sure they\'re great against the run early in the game but, late in the game when we need that crucial 3rd down stop,an undersized runingback like Warrick Dunn blasts up the middle with little or no resistance. Likt the special K comercial says \"lose the fat,keep the muscle\".

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

BigBull, everything you say a 3-4 needs also applies to the 4-3. This team could need a good cover corner, an upgrade at free safety and a fit Grady Jackson. But I still think the first need is a very good MLB. There are some opportunities in free agency and the draft, but somehow I have a gut feeling Loomis won\'t get it done and this defense is gonna stink next year almost as bad as it did 2002.

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

Hey guys,I agree with what your saying.Either way this defense needs major upgrading.I\'m just saying I would rather see them use the 3-4 than the 4-3,because of the speed factor.When I said whoever they sign at MLB,I meant claiborne or spikes.I believe Allen and Hodge will make a great outside tandem because of their speed.Smith did a good job filling in for Clemons the year we won the wildcard game.No doubt he is getting old and has lost a step or two,but he still has one year left in him.I don\'t believe that size will hurt Howard and Grant,they will get a great push to the quarterback.Whitehead,when healthy isn\'t a bad backup either.As far as the secondary goes,they need a free safety with better instincts,and a shut down corner.I\'d like to see what Mel Mitchell can do if given the oppurtunity.Hasslett has said he\'s gonna be good because of his ball smarts.I also wish we would draft a cornerback in the first round.That would take the outside away and allow Sammy Knight to go back to doing what he does best,ball hawking!Like I said before, speed outdoes size,and the team keeps saying they\'re drafting and signing for speed.This defense allows them to better utilize it.It also frees up the safeties,because you have an extra linebacker to cover.I promise you will see more pressure on the quarterback,and more turnovers,thus giving our offense more oppurtunities to score.

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

Speaking of free agency , this new administration sure has been quite! Remember the first year under Haslett and Meuller? They signed like 50 new players. Are Loomis and Haslett vacationing in Afghanistan? Wake up and smell the talent pool !

Saints Defense 4-3 or 3-4
 

The free agency period begins after Feb. 28th. It would be unwise to mouth off about the players you want. All they can do right now is try to sign their own free agents and study film of players they might want to sign from other teams (and maybe talk to their agents already, but I\'m not positive they are allowed to do that yet). Theoretically all can still end well.