Don’t you just love the off-season. All the theory screwing as I call it… I absolutely love it! All the potential is there, try and understand the team, build the team, make your next SB contender… then SP and Loomis fill in the blanks with other guys and you are like: WHY!! or WOW!! And then that WOW turns into Ugh.. WHY! (Byrd). That is the season for ya. So off-season is just great because we all know the team is gonna be great.
This said, we all have a list of positions to improve. And that list is long this year. So here is a look at the positions (in standard order, skipping the positions we are “good” at) the Saints need improving on. This post only cover offense. The defense will follow. If there are, and there will be, pure gems out there that I do not know, I would like you to enlighten me and enter your thoughts in the comments below. A complete list of FA’s leaving teams can be found here.
RB: The Saints will need some fresh blood most likely. They will do this in FA, late draft round (or early if a godlike player falls to them) but most likely they will sign undrafted free agents. The Saints have had success with that in the past. No real hunt for a FA will happen here.
WR: I believe Colston will be back. Cooks will be #1 WR and Stills is #3. There are the guys like of Tanner, Meachem, Jones and Toon. Toon showed some ability and he will most likely be back. The rest I rather see cut/practice squad, though I feel for Tanner. What I would like here is a small time guy with potential to join. That would fit because there is no way the Saints would spend a lot of money on an other star player while also having Graham on roster. That said there are a LOT of big name guys out there. There is a small chance a washed up WR will get a one year deal.
My guy here: Dane Sanzenbacher. He has never done much but always hung in there making the roster as #6 WR often and always playing behind great WRs. He has special teams ability, is fast, short and might be the ideal guy to replace the vacuum left by Sproles that prompted the misuse of Cooks. Also I do like how he left 3 Falcons in the dust in the featured picture. Let Cooks be Cooks and sign Sanzenbacher to a vet minimum contract for 2 years.
TE: With Hill being improving there is no need for Watson and cutting him saves some cap-room. Saints will not target anyone specific to replace him. One of 3 undrafted Rookies are more likely to become #3 TE.
T: There is very much need for depth. Any FA could be signed here though not in the early sages of FA. They have their starters under contract.
G/C: I think one of the Guards will be gone and Goodwin will also be gone. There is Lelito to take 1 spot so one rosterspot goes to some backup to fill the depth Lelito provided. There is no question in my mind the Saints will draft a G/C, but they have not locked their eyes on a 1st round guy to start game 1, they rather not depend on that. What if #5 on Saints board is there at pick 13 and you have to go with guy #8 left on your list because you NEED a starter at guard. Saints strategy is to avoid that. So they will offer money to a replacement. Luckily cheaper then a Tackle I do not really have a guy here though I could see Brian De La Puente return possibly with the promise of drafting a good Rookie in the first 3 rounds.
Leave your suggestions for offensive FA’s and be on the lookout for part 2 of this post.
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