New Orleans SAINTS official thread 2014-15

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Well the old season is over for us, so here it is the new season thread, at long last!!!

 

:D-13: :D-13: :D-13: :D-13: :D-13: :D-13:

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Larry Holder @LarryHolder 25m

 

#Saints sign Charles Hawkins, Austin Johnson, Marcel Jones, Senio Kelemete, Andy Tanner to futures contracts. All were on practice squad.

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The New Orleans Saints aren't in a perfect financial situation as they head into the offseason. According to NOLA.com, New Orleans is currently projected to be at least $12 million over a 2014 salary cap that's expected to be around $126 million.

 

Not only do the Saints have to figure out how to get under the cap, but they have to do it and still figure out some way to re-sign tight end Jimmy Graham.

 

One of the ways New Orleans could save some money under the cap in 2014 is if quarterback Drew Brees was willing to restructure his contract. The Saints haven't asked him to do it yet, but on Monday, Brees said he was open to the idea.

 

"Whatever I can do to help this team, if they want to come to me and extend me even further, that'd be great," Brees said. "Listen, there are so many possibilities as to what can happen here. Let's just let this offseason start. It's what, today's the second day of it unfortunately. We all wish it wasn't, but whatever helps this team win and puts the best team on the field."

 

Notice that Brees said he'd be willing to extend his contract to save the Saints some money next season, not take a pay cut. Brees is set to count $18.4 million against the Saints salary cap in 2014 and then $26.4 million and $27.4 million in the two seasons after that.

 

"As far as our team, I know that our team is going to spend whatever they... I don't think ours has, ever since I've been here been, in a situation where they're not going to do what they feel like they need in order to field the next team," Brees said. "So within cap constraints with whatever they feel like they need to do, for me, I signed a six-year ($60 million) deal when I first got here. I'm two years into a five-year deal ($100 million) and hopefully I can play that out and sign another deal and continue to play this game even longer."

 

Brees also added that he's not playing football just for the money. "Listen, I get compensated very well. I don't take that for granted for one second," Brees said. "But I play this game because I love this game, I love this locker room and I love the opportunity to win a championship."

 

Graham officially becomes a free agent on March 11, so it looks like someone in the Saints salary cap department will be pretty busy between now and then.

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Roman Harper, Zach Strief among New Orleans Saints players who might be elsewhere next season

 

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New Orleans Saints right tackle Zach Strief has never fully cleaned out his locker before.

 

Sure, he's tidied it up and took some things home with him. But emptied it? Never in his eight seasons with the Saints. It was always there waiting for him to come back to the next year.

 

That's what he faced Monday morning as he talked with reporters while putting away his things. Strief is set to become a free agent in the offseason, and his future, along with many others on the Saints' roster, is unknown.

 

Tight end Jimmy Graham, center Brian de la Puente and safety Malcolm Jenkins are just a few of the players who will become unrestricted free agents March 11.

 

Backup left tackle Charles Brown, backup quarterback Luke McCown and longtime Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma are others.

 

Safety Roman Harper and linebacker Will Smith are still under contract, but age, injuries and production could see them in a new uniform or, in Smith's case, perhaps retired next season.

 

Vilma, who has undergone multiple knee surgeries during his career, played in only one game this season vs. the New York Jets before going on injured reserve. Vilma said before the Jets game that he still wants to play, but also wants to be able to walk when he's older.

 

"It is tough to think about, but it's also reality," Vima said in October. "It's not the end of the world. You move on."

 

Now that the Saints are out of the playoffs, cold reality has started to set in. New Orleans will be at least $12 million over the projected salary cap of $126 million in 2014.

 

And the Saints face a major problem in what to do about Graham, who has played out his rookie contract and could command money similar to, or more than, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who signed a record six-year, $54 million deal in 2012.

 

"He's had a great four years as a young player in this league, added a great deal to this team," said Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

 

"Now, here he is with the opportunity to sign a nice contract and something that will hopefully carry him through the rest of his career. Those are fun exciting things, also nerve-wracking to an extent. There's a process that goes along with it, and I think he knows that. We've had conversations about that. I'm not worried about that at all."

 

With signing Graham on the forefront of the agenda, it's likely the Saints won't be able to afford to keep all of their free agents.

 

Strief, 30, started every game this season except one, when he had an ankle injury, and could command more money on the open market.

 

"It's not the fun part. ... It's not. It's the part you feel like you don't have any control over really," Strief said. "It's kind of like my work is done and now it's up to other people that are not me to make those decisions. ...

 

"Obviously this organization has been a big part of my life. I feel like I've been a part of the success here, and I don't want to leave that. And yet it's probably my last opportunity to sign a contract in this league. They understand that. I understand that. You hope that everybody at some point comes to an agreement to where you can stay. That's how I feel. I think that's how they feel."

 

Jenkins, the Saints' first-round draft pick in 2009, could be in a similar situation to Strief. But he said right now, he just wants to take a breather from football after a long season.

 

"I'm not really going to focus on it," he said. "I'm just going to enjoy this time with my family and get away from football a little bit."

 

He added: "I hope to be here, but it doesn't always work out like that, so we'll see."

 

Another starter, de la Puente, said he wants to remain with the Saints, noting "the future is bright for this team."

 

"I just hope we can get something done," he said. "This team, I really like this team. I like the guys, I like the locker room, I like the coaches, the front office. I think that's big in this business. You know, that'll all take care of itself.

 

"The last three years, personally, I've put together a good body of work. The rest is kind of going to take care of itself."

 

And while Harper's contract isn't expiring, he could be a casualty after the production of rookie Kenny Vaccaro.

 

Harper, one of the few remaining Saints from Payton's first season in 2006, restructured his contract last spring, taking a pay cut of $1.5 million to return for his eighth season. He started the first two games of the season, missed seven games with a knee injury and was more of a backup upon his return. However, Harper became a starter again at the end of the season after Vaccaro was placed on injured reserve with a broken ankle in Week 17. Harper, 31, said he still envisions himself as a full-time starter.

 

"I still play at a high level and and in my mind I'm always a starting safety in this league," Harper said. "Until somebody tells me I can't, then I won't. ...

 

"I left everything out there and I put some good stuff on tape. I'm proud of that. I'll continue to be proud of myself until I stop."

 

Harper didn't answer questions concerning his future in New Orleans, saying only that "he'll cross that bridge when he comes to it."

 

McCown, who won the No. 2 quarterback spot in the offseason, also could be finding a new home after rookie quarterback Ryan Griffin of Tulane was promoted to the active roster earlier this season.

 

A 10-year veteran, mostly in a backup role, McCown would be just fine with returning to New Orleans in that capacity.

 

"Sometimes you stop and take a look at reality and you understand kind of what people are looking at. You understand your role," he said. "The truth of it is, there's probably not many places out there that are going to give me the opportunity to come and compete as a starter. ...

 

"But as someone who looks at it honestly, that's the truth. So you look at places where you know the offense and love the guys, where you feel like you have made an impression with those guys in the locker room, with your work ethic and the camaraderie you have with them, and it makes the most sense to me."

 

But although many of the faces likely won't be back next season, the prevailing sentiment was that New Orleans has been good to them.

 

"This is home to me. I'll always have a place here," Harper said.

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BY SHELDON MICKLES

smickles@theadvocate.com

January 14, 2014

0 COMMENTS

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham earned All-Pro honors again Monday when he was voted to the Professional Writers of America’s first-team squad.

 

Graham, a near-unanimous first-team pick on The Associated Press’ All-Pro team announced two weeks ago, was chosen by PFWA members over the Cleveland Browns’ Jordan Cameron.

 

A four-year veteran, Graham caught 86 passes for 1,215 yards and led the NFL with a franchise-record 16 receiving touchdowns.

 

Graham, who also tied an NFL record for tight ends with six 100-yard games, was joined on the PFWA’s All-NFC team by quarterback Drew Brees.

 

Brees threw for 5,162 yards, the third straight season he’s topped the 5,000-yard mark. He had 39 touchdown passes and only 12 interceptions in posting a passer rating of 104.7.

 

Last-gasp attempt

 

Saints coach Sean Payton said Monday a pass to wide receiver Marques Colston on what was the final play of Saturday’s 23-15 playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks was a designed play.

 

Colston had a chance to step out of bounds with 6 seconds left near the Seahawks’ 35 and give the Saints a shot at a “Hail Mary” pass to the end zone, but stopped after catching Brees’ pass and tried to throw a lateral across the field to running back Travaris Cadet.

 

“It was a play we put in a week and a half ago, which is a deep throw to Marques and then across the field to Cadet,” Payton said while admitting it was sent in one play too early. “Yeah, (Colston) wasn’t free-lancing.”

 

“Obviously, it’s not an ideal situation (being behind),” Colston, who declined to talk about the play Saturday, said Monday. “But the ball came out … obviously the throw didn’t go the way I would have planned. But, it happens.”

 

Saints have No. 27

 

Now that the divisional playoff round is over and the Saints’ season has been completed, the club knows where it will be picking in the first round of the draft in May.

 

The four teams eliminated over the weekend received the 25th though 28th spots in the draft — based on their 2013 record.

 

The San Diego Chargers (9-7) get the 25th pick, while the Saints (11-5) will select 27th and the Carolina Panthers (12-4) will go 28th.

 

The Indianapolis Colts (11-5) earned the 26th pick over the Saints based on strength of schedule, but dealt the pick to the Cleveland Browns in the Trent Richardson trade earlier this season.

 

Another 300

 

Not that it was any consolation, but Brees posted his sixth 300-yard passing game in the postseason when he had 309 yards against the Seahawks.

 

That ties him for second place all-time with Tom Brady, Kurt Warner and Joe Montana. Peyton Manning is the record-holder with eight 300-yard games in the playoffs.

 

Brees recorded his sixth 300-yard passing game in just 11 outings, besting Warner (13 games), Montana (23) and Brady (24).

 

Galette wins ‘Good Guy’

 

Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette has been chosen to receive the 2013 Jim Finks Good Guy Award in a vote of media who cover the team on a regular basis.

 

Named in honor of the team’s late general manager, the local chapter of the Professional Football Writers of America recognizes a player for his professionalism and cooperation in helping the media throughout the season.

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BY SHELDON MICKLES

smickles@theadvocate.com

January 14, 2014

0 COMMENTS

For the New Orleans Saints, Monday was the day coaches and players from 31 of 32 NFL teams never want to report to work for, and, almost to a man, dread.

 

If the finality of Saturday’s 23-15 divisional playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks didn’t hit them Sunday after a late-night plane ride home, it certainly did Monday morning.

 

With a day to reflect on their season-ending loss behind them, players had meetings and cleared out their lockers before heading to the door — some knowing they’ll be back, others left wondering.

 

As some were doing that, coach Sean Payton started his final news conference by lamenting the fact that there is no game this week to get ready for, no game plan to prepare and no practice Wednesday.

 

“It is always challenging when the postseason is continuing and you are not involved in it,” he said. “As far as we’re concerned, the offseason (workouts) cannot start quick enough. … It’s difficult to finish with a loss like that.”

 

Before the offseason workouts commence in mid-April, there is a lot of work to do.

 

Saints coaches will first go over the season and evaluate it from top to bottom. Then, it’ll be on to free agency — where All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham will be their top priority to re-sign — as well as the procurement of veteran free agents and the draft.

 

As usual, Payton wouldn’t talk about free agency or speculate on possible changes or decisions concerning his coaching staff.

 

Payton did talk about his message to the team and said he was motivated and excited about what they were able to accomplish since he returned last January from a bounty suspension.

 

One year removed from a miserable 7-9 season, the Saints went 11-5 and won a road playoff game for the first time in franchise history before falling to the Seahawks — one win away from playing for the NFC championship.

 

“The disappointment comes from our expectation level of (not) getting to that championship game and then getting to the Super Bowl,” he said. “Those are goals that are a part of the pyramid, if you will. It’s obviously more difficult the closer you get when you aren’t able to accomplish those.

 

“I thought there were a handful of things that we touched on that are going to be important moving forward.”

 

One of the things Payton and his coaching staff are going to be working on is making a deeper postseason run.

 

While they returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence, they were one win shy of securing the No. 2 NFC seed and earning the right to host at least one playoff game.

 

Quarterback Drew Brees was one of the players who talked after Saturday’s loss about the “window” of opportunity for some of the team’s veterans.

 

Payton said as far as he’s concerned, the window is wide open and not closing because of some young players that were added to the roster this season.

 

Many of them, he noted, were forced to play key roles during the season — partly because of a series of injuries that depleted the Saints’ fourth-ranked defense.

 

“That window is still all the way open, and I mean that,” Payton said. “We’re always in a constant change, if you will, of taking in new players, evaluating this team and then going through the process of beginning to assembling the 2014 team.

 

“As long as I’m the head coach here, we are trying to slam it open … always.”

 

After putting the 2013 season to bed, the next order of business will be in identifying which of their free agents they wish to try and retain even though they’ll be well over next year’s cap.

 

The Saints could have 15 unrestricted free agents.

 

The list is topped by Graham, who could command a contract in the neighborhood of $10 million per season.

 

Two starters on the offensive line — tackle Zach Strief and center Brian de la Puente — are potential free agents along with starting free safety Malcolm Jenkins and wide receiver Robert Meachem.

 

Graham will be one of the league’s most-sought free agents although he likely won’t hit the open market and will be franchised if he and the team don’t agree on a new deal.

 

While he wouldn’t talk specifics about free agency, Payton said he understands the concern of fans about re-signing Graham.

 

“We have smart fans. … They’re smart enough to understand that, just like we have in years past, we’re going to make decisions as best we can for our club moving forward,” he said with a smile.

 

“They’re going to be able to read closely between the lines and understand we’re going to be in good shape. They’re not going to be in a panic. They’re going to be confident just the same way we are.”

[Ancient Ways]

Too soon

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Too soon

Oh it's never too soon mate!

 

I wanted to start this back in November!! :yay:

 

:hi: :hi: :hi:

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New Orleans Saints S Kenny Vaccaro was named to the 2013 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team, PWFA announced Tuesday.

 

QB Drew Brees and TE Jimmy Graham were honored by the PFWA on Monday.

 

Vaccaro, the team’s 2013 first-round draft choice from Texas, appeared in 14 games during the 2013 season and totaled 92 tackles (60 solo), one sack, one interception and six pass defenses before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the club’s 17-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Dec. 8.

 

2013 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Offense

QB – Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB – Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

WR – Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

TE – Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys

G – Kyle Long, Chicago Bears; Larry Warford, Detroit Lions

T – D.J. Fluker, San Diego Chargers; Justin Pugh, New York Giants

 

Defense

DL – Ziggy Ansah, Detroit Lions; Star Lotulelei, Carolina Panthers; Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets; Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers

LB – Kiko Alonso, Buffalo Bills; Sio Moore, Oakland Raiders; Alec Ogletree, St. Louis Rams

CB – Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals; Desmond Trufant, Atlanta Falcons

S – Eric Reid, San Francisco 49ers; Kenny Vaccaro, New Orleans Saints

 

Special Teams

PK – Caleb Sturgis, Miami Dolphins

P – Sam Martin, Detroit Lions

KR – Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings

PR – Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams

ST – Don Jones, Miami Dolphins

[laughedatbytime]

New Orleans Saints S Kenny Vaccaro was named to the 2013 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team, PWFA announced Tuesday.

 

QB Drew Brees and TE Jimmy Graham were honored by the PFWA on Monday.

 

Vaccaro, the team’s 2013 first-round draft choice from Texas, appeared in 14 games during the 2013 season and totaled 92 tackles (60 solo), one sack, one interception and six pass defenses before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the club’s 17-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Dec. 8.

 

2013 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Offense

QB – Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB – Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

WR – Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

TE – Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys

G – Kyle Long, Chicago Bears; Larry Warford, Detroit Lions

T – D.J. Fluker, San Diego Chargers; Justin Pugh, New York Giants

 

Defense

DL – Ziggy Ansah, Detroit Lions; Star Lotulelei, Carolina Panthers; Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets; Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers

LB – Kiko Alonso, Buffalo Bills; Sio Moore, Oakland Raiders; Alec Ogletree, St. Louis Rams

CB – Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals; Desmond Trufant, Atlanta Falcons

S – Eric Reid, San Francisco 49ers; Kenny Vaccaro, New Orleans Saints

 

Special Teams

PK – Caleb Sturgis, Miami Dolphins

P – Sam Martin, Detroit Lions

KR – Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings

PR – Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams

ST – Don Jones, Miami Dolphins

Has there ever been a draft where the top three picks didn't make the All-Rookie team?

 

Though if there was a place for inside punt rusher, Dion Jordan would have been right there...nice #3 pick, Ireland.

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New Orleans Saints S Kenny Vaccaro was named to the 2013 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team, PWFA announced Tuesday.

 

QB Drew Brees and TE Jimmy Graham were honored by the PFWA on Monday.

 

Vaccaro, the team’s 2013 first-round draft choice from Texas, appeared in 14 games during the 2013 season and totaled 92 tackles (60 solo), one sack, one interception and six pass defenses before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the club’s 17-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Dec. 8.

 

2013 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Offense

QB – Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB – Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals; Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers

WR – Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

TE – Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys

G – Kyle Long, Chicago Bears; Larry Warford, Detroit Lions

T – D.J. Fluker, San Diego Chargers; Justin Pugh, New York Giants

 

Defense

DL – Ziggy Ansah, Detroit Lions; Star Lotulelei, Carolina Panthers; Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets; Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers

LB – Kiko Alonso, Buffalo Bills; Sio Moore, Oakland Raiders; Alec Ogletree, St. Louis Rams

CB – Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals; Desmond Trufant, Atlanta Falcons

S – Eric Reid, San Francisco 49ers; Kenny Vaccaro, New Orleans Saints

 

Special Teams

PK – Caleb Sturgis, Miami Dolphins

P – Sam Martin, Detroit Lions

KR – Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings

PR – Tavon Austin, St. Louis Rams

ST – Don Jones, Miami Dolphins

Has there ever been a draft where the top three picks didn't make the All-Rookie team?

 

Though if there was a place for inside punt rusher, Dion Jordan would have been right there...nice #3 pick, Ireland.

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Drew Brees named Pro Bowl captain

January, 16, 2014

By Mike Triplett | ESPN.com

 

 

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was one of four active players named as a captain for this year's new Pro Bowl format. He and St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn will work together to select one of the teams in a schoolyard-style draft. Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt are the other captains.

 

 

Brees

The captains are the two leading vote getters on offense and defense -- not counting players involved in this weekend's conference championship games.

 

Former players Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders and two NFL.com fantasy football champions will also be involved in the draft process -- with Rice and Sanders having final say over their respective rosters. The pairing of captains will be determined by a coin toss next Tuesday morning. The draft will then be televised next Tuesday and Wednesday nights on the NFL Network, followed by the game on NBC on Sunday, January 26.

 

The new format was designed this year to add some spice to the annual all-star game. The best part of Thursday's news for Brees is that he won't be playing against Quinn, who sacked him twice in the Rams' 27-16 upset over New Orleans last month. But in a quirky new twist this year, Brees could wind up playing against Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan if he gets selected by the opposing team.

 

Saints coach Sean Payton was asked earlier this week -- only half-jokingly -- if he'd instruct Jordan to take it easy if that happens.

 

“These conflicts of interest,” Payton said with a laugh. “We had a chance to coach in that game (after the 2006 season), and I think shortly there into it our quarterback got hurt (a dislocated elbow). Look, it's a great honor for us to send players to that game. Obviously the format is changing, which creates some interesting scenarios. I think it's a great time for them but just as important -- and I think they'd tell you this -- they have a chance to bring their coaches from high school, their family, and really celebrate the type of season they had. I think it's one of the great things about that game that this league does. There are a lot of people behind the scenes: aunts, uncles, moms, dads that have a huge interest in a player's success. Often times, having been there once, you get to see those other people really enjoy it with them.

 

“All of them staying healthy would be your first goal, but you're excited for them.”

 

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and guards Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs will also play in this year's Pro Bowl.

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Players the SAINTS met with at the East West Shrine Game:

 

New Orleans Saints:

Ricardo Allen, CB, Purdue (EW)

Carrington Byndom, CB, Texas (EW)

Alden Darby, S, Arizona State (EW)

Dakota Dozier, G, Furman (EW)

Dillon Farrell, C, New Mexico (EW)

Anthony Fera, K , Texas (EW)

Bennett Jackson, CB, Notre Dame (EW)

Devon Kennard, LB, USC (EW)

James Stone, C, Tennessee (EW) (EW) (EW)

John Urschel, G, Penn State (EW) (EW)

Brock Vereen, S, Minnesota (EW)

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Saints tight end Jimmy Graham earned the No. 1 spot on Around The League's top 25 free agents for 2014, but New Orleans isn't planning to let him test the market.

 

General manager Mickey Loomis told reporters Tuesday at the Senior Bowl that the team will use their franchise tag on Graham if a long-term pact can't be struck, according to Sean Fazende of WVUE-TV.

 

Loomis confirmed that his front-office squad views Graham as a tight end, not a wide receiver, despite the pass-catcher playing just one-third of this season's snaps at the position he was drafted at in 2010. Graham is used all over the field in Sean Payton's offense, with most of his damage coming on the outside against smaller cornerbacks who don't have a prayer against the 6-foot-7, 265-pound gem.

 

Why the positional debate? Last year's tag for wideouts was set at a hefty $4.5 million higher than what designated tight ends had coming their way.

 

It's still early in this process. We expect New Orleans to push hard to sign Graham to a long-term pact, but his camp isn't about to settle for tight end-level greenbacks when his production -- no player at his position was targeted more last season -- suggests so much more.

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The Lions hope that the grandson of a legend can make the most of Detroit's offense next season.

 

Tim Twentyman of the team's official site confirmed Tuesday that new coach Jim Caldwell plans to hire Joe Lombardi as his offensive coordinator. Two generations removed from legendary Vince Lombardi, Joe has worked with the New Orleans Saints since 2007, spending the past five seasons as their quarterbacks coach.

 

What Lombardi offers Detroit is a teacher who spent the past half decade in the same building with workaholic signal-caller Drew Brees under the direction of a premier play-caller in Sean Payton.

 

Caldwell understands that he'll be judged immediately by how this talent-laden offense performs out of the gate come September. Fixing Stafford's mysterious mechanical issues ranks as the first order of business, but Caldwell told NFL Media's Lindsay Rhodes last week: "He does want to do the little things right."

 

Three consecutive seasons with 4,500-plus passing yards speaks to Stafford's innate talent, but he barely completed more than 50 percent of his throws over his final eight starts in 2013. Asked last month if he'd be willing to work with a passing coach, Stafford told reporters: "Probably not."

 

Then, of course, there's Vince Lombardi, who once told a room, "Unless a man believes in himself and makes a total commitment to his career and puts everything he has into it -- his mind, his body, his heart -- what's life worth to him?"

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Rejoice, rejoice! We have no choice… (Part 1)

 

GRANDMASTER WANG,NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

 

Welp. Welcome to another offseason, bitches. Might wanna grab yourself a drink and settle in for a while, because we're about to go all TL;DR on your asses. Even moreso than usual, that is.

 

WARNING: There will be math. Lots and lots of math. Lies, damn lies, advanced lies and statistics (both advanced and remedial.) We will also be pulling some things straight out of our asses and asking you to accept it as credible analysis. So while we eagerly await what are sure to be incredibly entertaining 2013 post-mortem pieces from our friends over at SaintsWin, AngryWhoDat and the Yellow Blog, let's try to get our money's worth out of that PFF subscription and see if we can't figure out just what the hell happened in 2013 and the manner in which we should carry on from here. Hope you brought your commemorative plain white towels, because we're also gonna go for a new record for longest moosedenied post ever. We're about to go Full Grantland up in this bitch! High five?

 

 

 

 

Looking back at 2013: The Big Awesome Picture

Now that the season is over, it's finally time to gaze off into the distance with a big stupid grin on our faces and properly appreciate all the kickass things about the 2013 Saints, like Real Fans™ are supposed to. And despite the way the season ended, make no mistake, there are an awful lot of kickass things to properly appreciate.

 

We'll try to keep this part relatively short, if only because you already know all this stuff. It's important stuff though. Going forward, it's important to keep in mind that the 2013 season was in fact an unqualified success.

 

It wasn't perfect, obviously, and in the end they fell short of the Ultimate Goal™. Still, it was unquestionably a Top 5™ season in franchise history.

 

It shouldn't have been. But it was.

 

It's still frustrating in a way, because the Saints truly were soooooo very close. A play here and a play there. But that in itself was one hell of an accomplishment, because they were never supposed to be as close as they ended up being in the first place. Not by a long shot.

 

Not coming off a 7-9 season in which they fielded "the worst defense in NFL history." Not with a new defensive coordinator, a new defensive backs coach, a new offensive line coach, a new running backs coach, and a head coach coming back from a season in which the extent of his insight into the current state of his own team was whatever he could glean from watching them on tee vee. Not with half the roster having turned over since 2011. Not with ten rookies on the roster, including six of the undrafted variety. Not with ten (potential) "starters" ending up on injured reserve by the end of the season. Not given the toughest strength of schedule (according to Pro Football Reference) the Saints have faced in 15 years.

 

11-5 wasn't supposed to happen. Not in 2013. A top 5 offense and a top 5 defense wasn't supposed to happen. The first road playoff win in franchise history damn sure wasn't supposed to happen. Not this year. A big fat goofball transforming "the worst defense in NFL history" into #4 in total defense and #4 in scoring defense in less than a calendar year wasn't supposed to happen. And on and on like that.

 

It happened anyway. All of it.

 

A year ago today, the whole damn franchise was still in utter turmoil. It was getting better, at least theoretically, but it was still pretty f*cked up. An unnamed player was trashing the defensive coordinator in the media, for crying out loud. And for all the talk of an impending "return to normalcy" at the time, the truth is that the 2013 Saints were still navigating uncharted waters, because no other team had ever had to attempt to come back from the kind of unprecedented situation the Saints faced in 2012. Forget re-establishing themselves as legitimate contenders, the first order of business was stepping back from the brink of what might have been a full-blown death spiral.

 

And for the second time in eight* years, Sean Payton and crew did just that. They not only pulled themselves out from neck-deep in quicksand, they went far beyond that. Far beyond what could reasonably have been expected. Against all odds. They once again accomplished the unprecedented, and in a number of ways. You know, just for lagniappe.

 

All indications back in August were that 2013 was shaping up to be a transition/reloading year. (At best.) The start of a whole new project, laying the foundation for the Sean Payton/Drew Brees Era Mark 2. And in retrospect, that's precisely what it ended up being. But it was a hell of a lot less painful, and a hell of a lot more fun, than it really had any right to be. In that context, it was nothing less than wildly successful. By any measure. Transition/reloading years simply don't get any better than that. Not in this league, anyway.

 

Uptown Ladies and perpetually-miserable assholes will try to tell you that this season was "a waste" because the Saints first pissed away the opportunity to get home field advantage, and then pissed away a winnable game in the Divisional Round at Seattle, and thus (at least) twice pissed away yet another opportunity to collect another (high five!) Lombardi. And they're not entirely wrong, because that's kinda what happened. But, this just in: It's pretty f*ckin' hard to win the Super Bowl. Just ask San Francisco and New England.

 

So rejoice, bitches! Consider the fact that in eight years, the Payton/Brees Saints have not only made the playoffs five times, but they have at least one playoff win in four of those five years. Overall, they've won six playoff games in the last eight years. Just pause for a second and let that really sink in. Not only is getting to the playoffs pretty much a matter of course at this point, but getting there and winning has also gotten to be routine. How far we've come.

 

This is our New Normal. And it's nothing short of f***ing glorious.

 

 

 

Still looking back at 2013: 1000 words or so on what went so horribly wrong

Not really a whole lot, if we're being honest. Unless you consider just not quite being the best team in the NFL this season some kind of disaster. Because I think that's pretty much what it ultimately came down to. And hey, no shame in that. Again, just ask San Francisco and New England.

 

Here's the part where we act all classy and shit, and tip our cap to the opponents. (It might also be a good time to note that our friends at Black & Gold Review already covered this — twice — back in December, lest they take to Twitter and accuse us of plagiarism or something. Heh.)

 

Anyway, we've already mentioned that the 2013 Saints faced the toughest strength of schedule (according to Pro Football Reference) in the Payton/Brees Era, by a lot. It was in fact the toughest strength of schedule the Saints have faced since 1998, for crying out loud. It was the toughest strength of schedule of any playoff team this year.

 

The 2013 Saints lost six games — all on the road — to teams who were a combined 65-31(!!!) in the regular season. Twice to the 13-3 NFC Champions. Once to the 12-4 AFC runners-up and once to the 12-4 NFC South Champions (by a combined 7 points.) Hell, even the Jets and the Rams ended up 8-8 and 7-9 respectively. Did I mention that all six losses were on the road?

 

Like mama used to say, it beez dat way sometimes. Have mercy!

 

Furthermore, the 2013 Saints played 11 games against teams who were above league average in total defense, including 5 games against teams in the top 5, and 7 against teams in the top 10. They also played 5 games against the #1, 2 and 3 teams in scoring defense, and 8 games against teams in the top 10. They played 6 games against teams in the top 7 in passing defense, and 9 games against top 10 rushing defenses including 5 games against the #1, 2, 3 and 4 teams.

 

If you've been trying to figure out why the 2013 Saints' offense looked pedestrian at times, that might be a good place to start. It's not the whole story, of course, but I'd assert that it's a significant part of it. The scheduling gods really boned the Saints in 2013, by a pretty large margin over any previous year of the Payton/Brees Era. That's not an excuse, it's a reason.

 

Still, statistically, the offense was just fine in 2013. It did regress slightly from its own lofty standards. But 4th in total offense, 5th in yards per play, tied for 4th in fewest turnovers, 4th in first downs, and 10th in scoring offense doesn't exactly suck.

 

One of these things is not like the others though, right? That 10th in scoring… it bugs. It seems disproportionately low, given the offensive yardage. What's up with that?

 

Well, part of it can be blamed on Hartley. The Saints were an abysmal 30th in the league in field goal percentage, at 75.0%. Hartley missed 8 field goal attempts, including four inside 40 yards. Add 12 points to the Saints' scoring total and they move from 10th to 8th (it would also put them at about league average in FG%.) Hit one of the four misses from 40-49 yards on top of that, and they're at 6th in scoring. Which would almost completely account for the disparity in scoring offense vs. total offense. Not quite, but almost.

 

But probably a whole lot more important than that is that the offense simply had to work a lot harder to score than in the past. They were 29th in the league in number of offensive possessions, and 19th in the league in starting field position. In other words, the lack of extra possessions created by defensive takeaways, combined with the lack of any kind of kick/punt return game (17th in yards per kick return, 30th in yards per punt return) meant disproportionately few short fields for the offense to feast upon.

 

The offense actually did a hell of a job in spite of (and perhaps in another way, because of) that, because they were 2nd in the league in plays per drive, 3rd in yards per drive, 3rd in time of possession per drive, and 3rd in points per drive. There just weren't enough of 'em, and the ones they did have started too close to their own goal line. Which probably had a lot to do with the Saints having attempted the 3rd most field goal attempts from 40-49 yards out, on which Hartley was 10 of 14 (71.4%)

 

I know that reads like I'm "making excuses" for the offense. I'm not. Hey, I watched the games too, and we all know that the 2013 offense was at (a lot of) times a shell of its former self. I'm not denying that, and we'll get to that. All I'm saying is that, statistically, a significant part of it really didn't have anything to do with the offense itself. The stunning lack of that "hidden yardage" from special teams was a significant factor, as well as Hartley's relative incompetence, combined with a certain amount of bad luck in the relative lack of defensive takeaways and where on the field the takeaways they did get happened.

 

Side note: I agree with Malcolm Jenkins on takeaways. Always have. Sure, there are things you can do to increase the overall frequency of takeaways. And obviously you want as many of 'em as you can create. But they happen when they happen. You can't really control when, or where on the field they happen. That's 99% luck. Sometimes they change the outcome of the game, sometimes they're pretty much completely irrelevant. The 2013 Saints were pretty unlucky in that way.

 

Anyway, it all added up to particularly tough sledding for the offense. Which doesn't absolve them from their own failures, I'm just pointing out other contributing factors which when taken into account do in my opinion at least somewhat mitigate the perceived offensive regression, which in reality wasn't nearly as bad as popular opinion suggests it was anyway.

 

 

 

Looking ahead: Fixing what ain't really all that broke

By just about any statistical measure, this offense overall is still very much "elite." That much is inarguable. But it's also inarguable that they're backsliding. They're just not what they once were, that much is obvious from watching them play.

 

They're older, they're slower, they're not as explosive, they're not as powerful up front, their weaknesses are becoming easier for opponents to exploit, and Sean Payton's schemes have gotten a bit stale. After all, they've been doing pretty much the same things, with pretty much the same guys, for eight years now. That's a long time.

 

It's actually one hell of a testament to how good Sean Payton and his players are at football that it's lasted this long, and even now is still effective at a top-5ish level. (Statistically, anyway.)

 

Still, in this league you either evolve or die. And if we're being honest, this offense hasn't really evolved a whole hell of a lot over the last eight years.

 

Which isn't necessarily an indictment of Payton. Because as long as it ain't broke, there's no reason to fix it. And it's never really been broke. It hasn't evolved much because, to date, it hasn't really had to. Keep doing it until they're able to stop ya.

 

Sure, every now and then you've got to patch it up a little bit with some duct tape. Stinchcomb to Strief. Faine to Goodwin to de la Puente. Nicks to Grubbs. Bush to Sproles. That kind of thing. Individual players inevitably come and go every year, and you're constantly tweaking. From year to year, even week to week.

 

But eventually, patching it up with duct tape to restore it to 90% of its previous functionality for the umpteenth time is no longer gonna be sufficient. Because it's still degrading, slowly but surely. Better to "fix" it for real at the first sign of a significant leak — when it's not really "broken" per se, just aging and weakening — than after your basement is already flooded.

 

I think that's where the offense is at this point. It's still "elite" but not nearly as elite as it once was, and it won't be "elite" for much longer without something a little more aggressive than just another couple layers of duct tape.

 

And it's not just the pipes. It's the plumbing.

 

Or, to put it another way, it's not just the hardware, it's the software. Both are still functional, but both are overdue for an update or three.

 

Payton took a lot of shit this year for being perceived as too "predictable" with his playcalling. I think there's something to that, but I think the "problem" (such as it is) isn't "stubbornness" or anything like that. It's just Sean Payton doing what he always does — the smart thing — and playing to the strengths of his players. To me, the issue is that many of his players are simply too specialized. Individually, their strengths are too specific. If you prefer to be a little more negative about it, you could say that there are too many "one trick ponies" on offense. And those same guys have been doing the same things for so long now, everybody knows precisely what those tricks are.

 

And hey, it's worked damn well for longer than most head coaches even last in one place. So it would be ridiculous to complain about the results to date. But, eight years in, it's pretty much inevitable that a kind of predictability will set in. The offense remains for the most part effective and successful because it's so "multiple" in that they have so many weapons on the field, and most teams still don't have the defensive weapons to counter them all. But how each of those weapons work individually, and how Sean Payton wields them, is so well-known at this point, it's easy to anticipate what each of them individually is probably gonna do on a given down, which makes them easier to defend against.

 

But what's the alternative? It would be stupid for Payton to start calling plays that require his players to do things they're not good at, just for the sake of attempting to fool the opposing defense. That's what we observers like to call "being cute" or "overthinking" and we hate that because it's a terrible strategy that's doomed to failure.

 

So he's kind of boxed in at this point. And in order to break out of that box and restore that element of unpredictability, they're gonna have to be a different kind of "multiple." Which is gonna require refreshing the personnel with guys who are less specialized and more versatile individually. Easier said than done, of course, and there's a certain element of "fixing what ain't broke" to it. Because it ain't "broke" really. It just needs to be freshened up a bit. It needs to be updated. It needs an injection of new tricks.

 

 

 

The Dude Abides -or- A Case of the S'posedas

And the roadmap is already right there on the other side of the ball. The situation of course was radically different, because the defense most certainly was "broke" and it was obvious that drastic measures were in order. And to Sean Payton's credit, drastic measures were taken immediately, and they were successful to an extent that exceeded even the most wildly optimistic of projections.

 

The situation on offense isn't even on the same planet as the defensive situation was last year in terms of requiring massive changes. And as we pointed out back in the fall, the defensive transformation was about half deliberate, and half fallen ass-backwards into as a result of circumstances that at the time were thought to have been unfortunate. Still, there are all kinds of lessons to be learned there. Things that should be emulated on the offensive side of the ball.

 

The first, and boldest, thing Sean Payton did — before he even knew who he was bringing in to implement the plan — was to commit to a change in approach. But as bold as that commitment was, the changes were never supposed to be as extensive and as radical as they ended up being. Junior Galette was gonna play, but he was supposed to be a situational pass-rushing sub for Will Smith. Akiem Hicks was gonna play, but Kenyon Coleman was supposed to be the starter at RDE. David Hawthorne was gonna play, but Jon Vilma was supposed to be starting at ILB. Rafael Bush was gonna play, but not nearly as much as he ended up playing. Ditto for Kaare White™, who was supposed to be a seldom-used dime corner at best.

 

Hicks, Galette, Bush and White ended up being four of the Saints' top-7 defensive players, according to PFF's overall rating.

 

(And here's the part where we state for the record for the millionth time that PFF's ratings are not gospel. I get it. I'm gonna argue against a few of them here shortly, because sometimes it's hard to figure how they even arrived at a particular conclusion/rating… David Hawthorne being a good example. But overall, I consider PFF's work sound enough to use as "support" for assertions, in most cases. Disagree? Sue me. Better yet, sue them and leave me the hell alone.)

 

Anyway, the point is that as bold as the deliberate part of the defensive transformation was, circumstances forced them to go farther with it than they ever intended to go so quickly. "Safer" options they otherwise probably would have gone with were taken away from them. They were forced to go all-in and get on with it already, to a far greater degree than they were probably comfortable with. And thank goodness.

 

The common threads there? Youth, athleticism, versatility. The defense got one hell of a huge injection of that in 2013, and it worked wonders. Galette and Jordan switching sides. Hicks and Jordan playing inside or outside. Kenny Dwayne f*ckin' Vaccaro being all over the damn field and doing all kinds of crazy shit on a snap-by-snap basis.

 

That's precisely the kind of thing the offense could use right about now. And just splitting Jimmy Graham out wide half the time isn't nearly enough. (More on that later.)

 

 

 

It's not about "getting out of your comfort zone." It's about establishing a new comfort zone. But to do the latter, you've first gotta do the former.

For the better part of eight years now, Message Board Guy has been shouting from the rooftops "RUN THE BALL, PAYTON!" for some reason. Probably because grampa was a big fan of Larry Czonka, and all this fancy newfangled "forward pass" bullshit is for sissies. Or something. And as loath as we here at moosedenied usually are to agree with MBG, because he's almost invariably full of shit, we're gonna have to go ahead and jump on board with the notion that now might be the perfect time for Sean Payton to finally go ahead and commit to that. For real this time.

 

A confluence of circumstances has presented the perfect opportunity for Sean Payton to take a cue from the wildly successful defensive rebuilding effort and make a bold decision to change the approach on the offensive side of the ball. An opportunity to be "multiple" in ways that for the most part simply haven't been possible until now.

 

126 rushing yards at a rate of 4.2 yards per on the road in a monsoon against the #2 rushing defense in the league, 185 rushing yards at a rate of 5.14 per on the road in the cold against the #10 rushing defense, and 108 rushing yards at a rate of 4.15 per on the road against the #7 rushing defense in 3 of the last 4 games should serve as the writing on the wall. The big neon sign that reads "Hey Coach! HELLO!"

 

Sure, they lost two of those three games, but the rushing game (along with the defense, of course) was the reason they won the one, and the reason they had a puncher's chance to win the other two as opposed to being blown out.

 

So the stage is set. The writing is on the wall. This is your best chance at winning on the road, outdoors, in inclement weather, in December and January. And if it works on the road in inclement weather in December and January, it damn sure isn't gonna be any less effective indoors in September.

 

But I can hear MBG screaming "Well then why the f**k didn't they do it indoors in September?"

 

Because it wasn't working in September. Because Mark Ingram sucked in September. Because it's a process. Because it takes time for a coach to go from not even knowing an undrafted rookie's name to realizing that he's got The Next Curtis Martin™ on his hands. (Or something.) Because Jahri Evans was playing through injuries. Because Charles Brown. Because they were 4-0 in September and what had always worked was still working. Because the whole "can't win on the road, outside, in inclement weather" thing wasn't really a thing yet. Because Sean Payton's 2013 season was largely spent feeling out and getting a handle on new realities.

 

And then there's the matter of Sean Payton's offensive lines having always been built primarily for pass blocking anyway, with run blocking being regarded as little more than lagniappe. Or at least that's been the general consensus for most of the last eight years. So while the prevailing opinion is that the rushing game got an awful lot better late in the season thanks in large part to improvement on the line, and that's great, you've gotta wonder whether it's sustainable or whether it was just a short-term mirage.

 

It just so happens that the Saints' two worst run blocking o-linemen*, Zach Strief and Brian de la Puente, are about to be free agents. Crisis? Or opportunity? Did you know that the Chinese use the same word for both? Yep. Crisitunity.

 

(*PFF actually graded Jahri Evans as the Saints' worst run blocking o-lineman in 2013, but of course he gets a pass because he played injured and we all know that when he's healthy he's awesome.)

 

In my opinion, this situation is just screaming for a d-line style bold and sudden transformation. A shift in focus. An injection of youth, athleticism, versatility, and good old fashioned brute force. The process is already underway with the late-season insertion of Terron Armstead at left tackle (who, in an admittedly small sample, was graded by PFF as the Saints' best run blocking o-lineman.) Do that again. Twice. Right now.

 

"Wang, are you f***ing insane? You want to replace both tackles and the center in one offseason + one month? What about continuity? What if they get Drew killed? Strief is the Saints' best pass blocker! [etc.]"

 

Oh I'm not saying it doesn't carry risk, because of course it does. And risk is uncomfortable. Obviously, keeping Drew clean and upright it Job One. Always will be, I don't have a problem with that.

 

And maybe Strief was the Saints' best pass blocker, although this is one of those PFF ratings I don't quite "get." Strief was "credited" with 3 sacks, 4 hits and a whopping 26(!!!) hurries, second most behind Charles Brown's 33. So I'm not really sure where the lofty pass blocking grade comes from. But whatever, we'll take their word for it. Doesn't change my argument any.

 

But it does bring up a larger point about the o-line… forget the run blocking for a second. Even the pass blocking began to deteriorate in 2013. And while I'm sure some of that can be blamed on Charles Brown, and Jahri Evans being less than 100% for most of the season, and theoretically both of those issues have been solved at this point, we're trying to be proactive here. We're trying to get out in front of this thing.

 

 

And I've got an under-the-radar name I wanna throw out there for starters. MARCEL JONES, BITCHES!

 

We here at moosedenied have decided that this is gonna be our guy who we'll be hyping all offseason and into the fall, until it makes you physically ill. And we'll be going all hipster with it when others start hyping this guy at some point in the future. But until then, a hearty "Remember where you heard it first!" will just have to suffice. Might wanna start practicing the "Wang called that shit way back in January!" tweets and whatnot. Because if you don't, I will. And nobody wants that.

 

6 foot 6, 320 pounds of brick house. He was a 7th round pick, just like Strief was. He's every bit as big as Strief, and every bit as athletic as Armstead. 2012 scouting reports hyped him as equally good at run and pass blocking. At Nebraska. And I'm pretty sure he'd straight murder a chump for a biscuit.

 

He's also already on the roster, so no further investment required in terms of a draft pick, having to pay him free-agent market value, etc. He's been in the strength and conditioning program for the better part of two years, theoretically knows the playbook, all that good shit. This guy… this is my kind of guy. Another Terron Armstead for the other side of the line.

 

And at center? Why not a rookie? Gonna have to use that late first rounder on somebody. Why not Travis Swanson, the consensus best center in the draft, a four year starter in the SEC, a bona fide road grader who's apparently no slouch in "pass pro" (as the kids are saying these days) either? Don't want to invest a first? No problem. Bryan Stork in the 2nd or 3rd. Or insert your favorite mid-round center here. There will be a shitload of 'em to pick from in May. Tyler Larsen, Weston Richburg, take your pick.

 

The point is that opportunity is there for the Saints' o-line to undergo a quick and thorough transformation mirroring the wildly successful 2013 d-line transition. To get younger, meaner, more athletic, more physical, and more versatile/well-rounded. Which will in turn allow the late-season rushing success to become a permanent fixture in the offense, thereby creating a different kind of "multiple" for Sean Payton and Drew Brees to work with. The kind of "multiple" opposing defenses aren't used to having to deal with when playing the Saints.

 

It would be bold, it would be risky, it would be uncomfortable. But it needs to happen. "It all starts up front" right? So start it up front. Do it. Now. Because to hell with another year of a 25th-ranked rushing game and 37 sacks. That shit ain't cutting it.

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

Alright, fine. I've got another 10,000 words or so in me right about now. But at some point I'm gonna need to go ahead and click Publish, and I'm already way past TL;DR anyway. I just wasn't gonna shut up until I got the Marcel Jones thing out there. That was the most important thing, because "FIRST!" and all. But now that that's happened (and I'm pretty sure this is also the longest post in moosedenied history, so high five!) I guess I'll go ahead and do the rest of this post some time over the next week or so. I've got a whole bunch of things to say about Malcolm Jenkins, for example. So STAY TUNED or whatever. Because we ain't nearly done yet. And I'm pretty confident that we've got this whole thing all figured out. Next week… ANSWERS! Promise!

 

*bong*

 

LOST

[Fordgalaxy]

Too soon

 

Seriously. At least wait for the pre-season to start a thread about a team that pays for injuries to other teams players.

[treeduck]

Too soon

 

Seriously. At least wait for the pre-season to start a thread about a team that pays for injuries to other teams players.

I wish they'd put a bounty on you Adolf...

[treeduck]

New Orleans Saints Senior Bowl prospects meetings:

 

Walt Aikens, DB, Liberty

Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech

Chris Davis, DB, Auburn

Ahmad Dixon, DB, Baylor

Shaquelle Evans, WR, UCLA

David Fales, QB, San Jose State

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane (SR)

Gabe Jackson, OL, Mississippi State

DaQuan Jones, DL, Penn State

Tyler Larsen, OL, Utah State

Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

Keith McGill, DB, Utah

Stephen Morris, QB, Miami

Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin

Cyril Richardson, OL, Baylor

Dez Southward, DB, Wisconsin

Bryan Stork, OL, Florida State

Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB, Coastal Carolina

Billy Turner, OL, North Dakota State

Jimmie Ward, DB, Northern Illinois

James White, RB, Wisconsin

[Principled Man]

New Orleans Saints Senior Bowl prospects meetings:

 

 

 

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

 

Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

 

Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin

 

 

Don't even think about it, MoFo..... they're all ready to put on the Green & Gold..... ;)

[treeduck]

New Orleans Saints Senior Bowl prospects meetings:

 

 

 

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

 

Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

 

Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin

 

 

Don't even think about it, MoFo..... they're all ready to put on the Green & Gold..... ;)

Two tight ends? :o

[Principled Man]

New Orleans Saints Senior Bowl prospects meetings:

 

 

 

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

 

Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

 

Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin

 

 

Don't even think about it, MoFo..... they're all ready to put on the Green & Gold..... ;)

 

Two tight ends? :o

 

Oh yeah......the Pack always looks for good TE's......for their 2-TE sets and for special teams. We're certain that they'll draft at least one in May.

[treeduck]

New Orleans Saints Senior Bowl prospects meetings:

 

 

 

C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa

 

Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

 

Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin

 

 

Don't even think about it, MoFo..... they're all ready to put on the Green & Gold..... ;)

 

Two tight ends? :o

 

Oh yeah......the Pack always looks for good TE's......for their 2-TE sets and for special teams. We're certain that they'll draft at least one in May.

You could always cough up 2 first rounders for Jimmy Graham... ;)

[treeduck]

Terron ArmsteadVerified account

‏@T_Armstead72

Minor hand surgery in the morning!! Praying for success and a speedy recovery

 

http://saintsreport.com/forums/attachments/f2/72404d1390947285-terron-armstead-hand-surgery-terron.jpg