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New Orleans 2017 Offseason - With Drew Brees at the helm, the Saints should be perennial contenders, but their Defense never fails to underwhelm.
Going into the 2017 offseason, the Saints has 4 key needs. With a division full of top QBs – Cam Newton, Matt Ryan and Tampa’s gunslinger Jameis Winston, New Orleans’ defence has been struggling to contain and compete. The Saints could use as much young talent as they can get on a defense that has ranked among the NFL's worst over the past three years.
DE
2-time Pro-Bowler Cam Jordan needs help urgently. Having a game-altering edge disruption will take immense pressure off of a consistently-underwhelming secondary.
DB
Inconsistency at the CB and Safety positions has cost the Saints games. They are constantly punished by the divisional QBs and WRs.
LB
The LB corps are passable, but there needs to be improvement and depth.
WR
The trade of Brandin Cooks has turned WR into a potential priority for the top 4 rounds.
The Skinny: The Saints were very active and landed a starting guard in Larry Warford from the Lions, a starting middle linebacker in A.J. Klein from the Panthers. Then, after signing away receiver Ted Ginn Jr. from the Panthers, they shipped receiver Brandin Cooks to the New England Patriots for a first-round pick. They will almost certainly use both of their first-round picks on defense. It was a good first few days for the Saints.
Offseason grade: A by CBSSports
ROD MOCK DRAFT
PICK 1a
New Orleans used their #11 pick and traded it to the Minnesota Vikings for a slew of players that instantly filled holes with starters they picked up CB Xavier Rhodes, LB Anthony Barr and QB Teddy Bridgewater.
With CB a major need for the Saints in a pass happy division, Rhodes is a tried and tested commodity that instantly changes the secondary for the Saints and is named a team captain.
Pro-bowl linebacker Barr strengthens another in-need unit on the Saints D and will be looking for a new lease of life after a ‘statistically’ poor outing in 2016.
Bridgewater, will slide in at QB #2 behind the ultimate pro Brees, giving him plenty of time to get over any injuries that he’s carrying and allowing him to perfect his game mechanics and learn from one of the best in the game.
PICK 1b (R1 P27)
The Saints moved back up in Round 1 to snag
John Ross, WR, Washington
With the loss of Brandin Cooks to the Pats, the Saints instantly fill that gap ‘quickly’ with Ross, officially the fastest WR in the game. Along with Thomas, Ginn Jr, Snead, Duarte and Fleener – Brees’ options to spread the ball just got better.
PICK 2 (R2 P54)
Jordan Willis, DE/OLB, Kansas State
Again, a huge boost to the needy pass-rush at New Orleans, Willis was quietly one of the most productive DE’s in the country. His speed, power and strength will see him work opposite Cameron Jordan, but will mix it up at OLB with Fowler. Let’s just say that QBs better be wary of our pass rush now.
PICK 3 (R3 P76)
Marcus Williams, S, Utah
My steal of the draft, Marcus Williams is one of the most underrated defensive prospects in this draft class. Williams is a ridiculously dynamic athlete. Williams is an immediate starter who will significantly help New Orleans pass defense, particularly on throws down the field, an area in which the team struggled last season.
PICK 4 (R4 P120)
Corn Elder, CB, Miami (FL)
The small & fierce former Running Back Elder is one of the most aggressive, tough, instinctive, tenacious, hard-hitting defensive backs in the next Draft. Elder is like a scrappy junkyard dog of a player and never gives up – don’t be surprised to see him in an outside/slot corner/safety role for the Saints – he’ll also be used for return duties with Ginn Jr.
PICK 5 (R6 P187)
Brandon Wilson, CB, Houston
Another versatile RB convert that's transitioning to CB. Wilson is an explosive athlete who could be considered on either side of the ball as a defensive back or a running back. A serious playmaker in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. His ceiling as a pro is high.
PICK 6 (R6 P196)
David Godchaux, DT, LSU
Davon Godchaux has the tools to play all over the defensive line for the Saints. His athleticism makes him scheme-versatile, and the 6'4", 300-pound three-year starter for LSU, Godchaux tallied 18 tackles for losses and 11.5 sacks while playing mostly as a defensive tackle, he’d slide in next to Rankins and comfortably fill the void left by Fairley.
PICK 7 (R7 P220)
Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming
With a 3rd round draft projection that's compared to David Johnson, Hill is another steal of the Draft. He may not have breakaway speed, but is impressive between the tackles where he always fights, and usually wins those important extra yards. A nice complimentary back to Mark Ingram.
PICK 8 (R7 P222)
Ethan Cooper, OG/OT, Indiana
The 6’3”, 325lb Cooper has played all over the line, but will probably kick inside for the Saints and be a rotational back-up to Walford (and Peat).
OTHER ROD TRADES
Other key trade pick moves included:
DE/OLB Dante Fowler Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars for pick #196 and QB Garrett Grayson. Fowler Jr. fills the Pass rush need the saints have opposite Cam Jordan and will trade time at LDE with Jordan Willis. Both Willis and Fowler Jr. will be mixing it up at DE and OLB depending on whether or not we’re running a 4 or 3 man front.
TE Thomas Duarte from the Miami Dolphins for a trade of picks #42 and #103 (Saints) for #54 and #97 (Dolphins). Duarte is a fast, sharp route runner that can also line up at WR. We’ll see 2 TE sets with him and Fleener. He was a guy I was after last year in the draft – I always get my guy
ROD UDFAs
Travin Dural, WR, LSU
This guy has flown under the radar because of appalling QB play, but I'm taking a flyer on a guy with good speed and size that's come from the same stable as Jarvis Landry and Beckham Jr. He can sit at the back of the depth chart and improve his ball skills, but his day will come.
Glen Antoine, DT, Idaho
Antoine is the epitome of a run stuffer - he'll only be used on obvious run plays when the Saints will switch to 3-4 technique. He's as big as a house and with smother anything in front of him!
Anthony Cioffi, S/CB, Rutgers
The dude is just plain fast, and plays even faster. He's another one of the ball-hawk multi-positional guys that I like to draft, he's comfortable as a CB, FS, SS and even at WR. He'll be a star on ST and will get his day on the starting lineup.
Bradley Northnagel, LS, California
Even though the Saints have just picked up Jesse Schmitt off waivers, Narthnagel’s talents as a dependable LS will serve the Saints for years to come.
Missed Opportunities (Guys I went in hoping for)
Christian McCaffrey, RB
This is a guy I really hoped to pick up with my late Rd 1 pick, but he was taken earlier than I expected, a guy I think that can contribute on both ground and air games with Brees. Losing McCaffrey instigated the move up from #32 to get John Ross who was still available.
Chidobe Awuzie CB
A guy I hoped would fall to me in the second but Washington and @Riverumbbq took him 2 picks ahead of me! Something tells me that Awuzie may actually go in the 1st in the actual draft...
So that's it guys - thanks for all the fun, and discussions - it really has been a blast again this year.
Going into the 2017 offseason, the Saints has 4 key needs. With a division full of top QBs – Cam Newton, Matt Ryan and Tampa’s gunslinger Jameis Winston, New Orleans’ defence has been struggling to contain and compete. The Saints could use as much young talent as they can get on a defense that has ranked among the NFL's worst over the past three years.
DE
2-time Pro-Bowler Cam Jordan needs help urgently. Having a game-altering edge disruption will take immense pressure off of a consistently-underwhelming secondary.
DB
Inconsistency at the CB and Safety positions has cost the Saints games. They are constantly punished by the divisional QBs and WRs.
LB
The LB corps are passable, but there needs to be improvement and depth.
WR
The trade of Brandin Cooks has turned WR into a potential priority for the top 4 rounds.
The Skinny: The Saints were very active and landed a starting guard in Larry Warford from the Lions, a starting middle linebacker in A.J. Klein from the Panthers. Then, after signing away receiver Ted Ginn Jr. from the Panthers, they shipped receiver Brandin Cooks to the New England Patriots for a first-round pick. They will almost certainly use both of their first-round picks on defense. It was a good first few days for the Saints.
Offseason grade: A by CBSSports
ROD MOCK DRAFT
PICK 1a
New Orleans used their #11 pick and traded it to the Minnesota Vikings for a slew of players that instantly filled holes with starters they picked up CB Xavier Rhodes, LB Anthony Barr and QB Teddy Bridgewater.
With CB a major need for the Saints in a pass happy division, Rhodes is a tried and tested commodity that instantly changes the secondary for the Saints and is named a team captain.
Pro-bowl linebacker Barr strengthens another in-need unit on the Saints D and will be looking for a new lease of life after a ‘statistically’ poor outing in 2016.
Bridgewater, will slide in at QB #2 behind the ultimate pro Brees, giving him plenty of time to get over any injuries that he’s carrying and allowing him to perfect his game mechanics and learn from one of the best in the game.
PICK 1b (R1 P27)
The Saints moved back up in Round 1 to snag
John Ross, WR, Washington
With the loss of Brandin Cooks to the Pats, the Saints instantly fill that gap ‘quickly’ with Ross, officially the fastest WR in the game. Along with Thomas, Ginn Jr, Snead, Duarte and Fleener – Brees’ options to spread the ball just got better.
PICK 2 (R2 P54)
Jordan Willis, DE/OLB, Kansas State
Again, a huge boost to the needy pass-rush at New Orleans, Willis was quietly one of the most productive DE’s in the country. His speed, power and strength will see him work opposite Cameron Jordan, but will mix it up at OLB with Fowler. Let’s just say that QBs better be wary of our pass rush now.
PICK 3 (R3 P76)
Marcus Williams, S, Utah
My steal of the draft, Marcus Williams is one of the most underrated defensive prospects in this draft class. Williams is a ridiculously dynamic athlete. Williams is an immediate starter who will significantly help New Orleans pass defense, particularly on throws down the field, an area in which the team struggled last season.
PICK 4 (R4 P120)
Corn Elder, CB, Miami (FL)
The small & fierce former Running Back Elder is one of the most aggressive, tough, instinctive, tenacious, hard-hitting defensive backs in the next Draft. Elder is like a scrappy junkyard dog of a player and never gives up – don’t be surprised to see him in an outside/slot corner/safety role for the Saints – he’ll also be used for return duties with Ginn Jr.
PICK 5 (R6 P187)
Brandon Wilson, CB, Houston
Another versatile RB convert that's transitioning to CB. Wilson is an explosive athlete who could be considered on either side of the ball as a defensive back or a running back. A serious playmaker in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. His ceiling as a pro is high.
PICK 6 (R6 P196)
David Godchaux, DT, LSU
Davon Godchaux has the tools to play all over the defensive line for the Saints. His athleticism makes him scheme-versatile, and the 6'4", 300-pound three-year starter for LSU, Godchaux tallied 18 tackles for losses and 11.5 sacks while playing mostly as a defensive tackle, he’d slide in next to Rankins and comfortably fill the void left by Fairley.
PICK 7 (R7 P220)
Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming
With a 3rd round draft projection that's compared to David Johnson, Hill is another steal of the Draft. He may not have breakaway speed, but is impressive between the tackles where he always fights, and usually wins those important extra yards. A nice complimentary back to Mark Ingram.
PICK 8 (R7 P222)
Ethan Cooper, OG/OT, Indiana
The 6’3”, 325lb Cooper has played all over the line, but will probably kick inside for the Saints and be a rotational back-up to Walford (and Peat).
OTHER ROD TRADES
Other key trade pick moves included:
DE/OLB Dante Fowler Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars for pick #196 and QB Garrett Grayson. Fowler Jr. fills the Pass rush need the saints have opposite Cam Jordan and will trade time at LDE with Jordan Willis. Both Willis and Fowler Jr. will be mixing it up at DE and OLB depending on whether or not we’re running a 4 or 3 man front.
TE Thomas Duarte from the Miami Dolphins for a trade of picks #42 and #103 (Saints) for #54 and #97 (Dolphins). Duarte is a fast, sharp route runner that can also line up at WR. We’ll see 2 TE sets with him and Fleener. He was a guy I was after last year in the draft – I always get my guy
ROD UDFAs
Travin Dural, WR, LSU
This guy has flown under the radar because of appalling QB play, but I'm taking a flyer on a guy with good speed and size that's come from the same stable as Jarvis Landry and Beckham Jr. He can sit at the back of the depth chart and improve his ball skills, but his day will come.
Glen Antoine, DT, Idaho
Antoine is the epitome of a run stuffer - he'll only be used on obvious run plays when the Saints will switch to 3-4 technique. He's as big as a house and with smother anything in front of him!
Anthony Cioffi, S/CB, Rutgers
The dude is just plain fast, and plays even faster. He's another one of the ball-hawk multi-positional guys that I like to draft, he's comfortable as a CB, FS, SS and even at WR. He'll be a star on ST and will get his day on the starting lineup.
Bradley Northnagel, LS, California
Even though the Saints have just picked up Jesse Schmitt off waivers, Narthnagel’s talents as a dependable LS will serve the Saints for years to come.
Missed Opportunities (Guys I went in hoping for)
Christian McCaffrey, RB
This is a guy I really hoped to pick up with my late Rd 1 pick, but he was taken earlier than I expected, a guy I think that can contribute on both ground and air games with Brees. Losing McCaffrey instigated the move up from #32 to get John Ross who was still available.
Chidobe Awuzie CB
A guy I hoped would fall to me in the second but Washington and @Riverumbbq took him 2 picks ahead of me! Something tells me that Awuzie may actually go in the 1st in the actual draft...
So that's it guys - thanks for all the fun, and discussions - it really has been a blast again this year.