WhoDat

If I’m the Saints, here’s what I do now. First, I grab Charles Woodson from the Raiders for a first round pick as fast as I possibly can. Then I trade Turley, even if the best you can get is an early second-rounder. Their likely to get more b/c he would be the best available left tackle in free agency, but either way it’s a good thing. Signing Woodson and trading Turley would probably have a net zero impact on their cap position which is around $8 million under right now.

Next, you cut Hand. That frees up $5.5 million more in cap room bringing the Aints almost right back to where they started ($14 mill). Go sign Takeo Spikes if you can. If not, go after an outside linebacker like Quarles or Colvin. Once you get another proven LB you go back to the 3-4. Grant and Howard are questionable in a 3-4, but you never know. If you get Spikes you go Allen, Spikes, Ruff, Hodge at LB, otherwise you go with Quarles/Colvin, Allen, Ruff, Hodge. That also means you don’t need a new DT b/c Jackson and Chase are prototypical nose guards. Finally, you make a move for a top-caliber strong safety like Tebuckey Jones. Actually, New England is looking for a new DT so we may even be able to trade Hand for Jones… I’ve even heard speculation that such a trade would warrant Jones and a third round pick, although I think that’s really doubtful.

At this point their cap position would be back around $8 mill under and their starting defense would look something like:

Howard Jackson Grant
Hodge Ruff Spikes Allen
Carter Woodson
Jones Mitchell

That’s a huge upgrade on defense. That may be one of the largest single season talent upgrades ever. Plus, they would still have a first round draft pick, the first/second for Turley, their second, and two third rounders, plus maybe even a third third-round pick for a Hand trade (even though that’s really doubtful) with $8 or so million available to sign their draftees. They could use their picks to get the best available players, instead of filling needs and find a backup for Deuce (and Aaron), a TE, maybe a possession wide out, and whatever else they want really. What do you think?