5th round is outstanding for a guy that was going to be released anyway, especially when you consider the magic Loomis has made in that round. I few years ago Loomis traded down a few picks in the draft to acquire Hollis Thomas, a starting DT was going to get released by the Eagles. Blaine Gabbert was just traded for a 6th round pick. I was hoping for a 6th at least. It looks like Philly blinked first.
Salary cap as it stands: $1.97 million under after Sproles leaving was figured in. PT has been extended, and I assume that means his $2.9 million cap is lowered by at least a million. So that puts us at least $3-$3.5 million under. Enough to sign a right tackle, center, slot receiver or cornerback based on what we can get and what the team thinks we need most. Restructuring contracts is probably not a good idea because that just shoves things under the carpet that much more you have to deal with in the coming years. So that leaves Bunkley. After June 1st, Bunkley saves us $4.5 million in the cap, as opposed to cutting him now which would save us only $1.3 million. With the emergence of Jenkins at NT, look for Bunkley either to take a sizeable paycut or be on the streets come June 1st. The only problem with a June 1st cut is you have to wait to sign anyone until after that point with the money you save. There are always decent players left after June 1st in the FA market however.
It doesn't need to be a "RB". Just a quick, shifty guy who makes people look dumb when you get the ball to him out in space. That fits Cooks to a tee. It still wouldn't surprise me to see a guy like Dri Archer weasel his way onto the Saints roster, though. Hopefully after they snag a long, physical CB.
This year's small school running back sensation appears to be Timothy Flanders out of Sam Houston St, the Southland Conference's all-time leading rusher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuL6FJrFnko
