Other current mock drafts....CBS Sports has Bama LB Tim Williams at number 10, Fournette to the Lions at 13.....Bleacher Report, Sparty DT Malik McDowell at number 5, Fournette to the Lions again, this time at 7....SI.com, Iowa CB Desmond King at #8....the Bucs take Jamal Adams at 5, and Fournette to the Bills at 9.
Right. The Saints have $40m in dead money against the cap. $40m!! Highest in the NFL by far. 2nd place is CLE at $20m and everyone knows what a dumpster fire that organization is. Rita and the kids need to submit this to the court because if that's not proof the old man has lost his marbles, nothing is. What other owner would retain his GM with that much dead money on the books?
I went to the Saints- NE game this year in the Dome. It was my first time there since Katrina, and since the Saints won the Super Bowl. I remember reading the Program for the game and reading all of the bios on the administration and coaches, and being impressed by the administrative talent the 2000+ Saints have accumulated since I grew up (60s-90s). I immediately thought of this thread and all of the impatience and vitriolic comments being shared. The same leaders who took us to our first ever Super Bowl win were being questioned and discarded. Folks here were calling for their heads and questioning every move and draft choice. Even though they lost that NE game, I left impressed with the organization- “a first rate professional group who knew what they were doing,” is what I thought. Eight games later and the Saints are the hottest team in the league, doing what they need to do to win a Championship. The last team to win this number of games after losing their first 2 games, the Dallas Cowboys, went on to win the Super Bowl. I sure hope some of you questioning Peyton, Loomis, Brees, Ingram, draft picks, etc are man enough to eat crow and admit you were wrong and premature in your judgement. The same admin and coaches who brought us to the promise land had to deal with injuries (Ingram), challenging situations/contracts (Loomis/Peyton), and admittedly made some bad decisions about FAs and draft choices, as do other teams/coaches, but have righted the ship and made significant strides and improvements. Draft choices, FAs the past few years include Ingram, VBell, MLattimore, MThomas, AKimara, CJordan, RRamaszck, TArmstead, MUnger, Vaccaro, etc, etc. Pretty good decisions, IMO, and the efforts/Architecture is starting to take shape and pay off!! Thought we should revisit this thread/opinions, and see what patience and molding can yield. Geaux Saints!!
I heard on the radio the other day that the last team to win 8 in a row after losing their first 2 was the 1937 Chicago Bears.
Most of my criticism has been for Sean Payton. I also criticized Mark Ingram. Ingram's fatal flaw is fumbling. Peyton's fatal flaw is arrogance. If they can correct those fatal flaws, then the sky's the limit. This year, so far, so good. At least, good enough. I've never really placed a whole lot of blame on Loomis. Peyton is to blame for the poor Personnel decisions. Loomis just makes the money work.
You threw lots of names out there, but you left out the one that deserves more credit than anyone not wearing a jersey for this year's turnaround. Jeff Ireland is the assistant GM and director of college scouting. He's been in the position for the last 3 years, and he's the main reason the Saints have gone from one of the oldest to one of the youngest teams in the league in that brief time. He's also why we're suddenly finding players in the draft who are sticking with the club and having an impact, as opposed to having 5 virtually wasted drafts from 2010-14. Payton himself said as much during one of this week's press conferences. The rest of the league is noticing, and if the Saints don't make a move this offseason, Ireland is likely going to get a GM job elsewhere. We would be stupid to let him get away. Loomis' time is over; its Ireland's time, if the Saints are visionary enough to make it happen.
Yeah, I should of mentioned him. His addition coincides with the turnaround. Who hired him? Agree, Saints should think proactively to retain him. You brush over the thread comments. Go back and read details. Tell me what team has not gone through stretches where FA, or draft decisions haven’t panned out? To their credit, they let go prior draft scouts, and brought in Ireland. Give credit to those who made those bold moves.... Loomis/Payton. All of those naysayers bashing Ingram, were really bashing the O-line (and, frustrated with his injuries, which are part of being human and playing a collision sport). The O-lines improvement equals the improvement we have seen in the run game, and thus overall record. Just saying, in this world of social media, patience is lost in the fan base, and these “experts” get exposed as complainers and band wagoners. By the way, CJordan was drafted in that time frame you mentioned.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...BMBQ&usg=AOvVaw1YGLLBF6dwPqKSlXYoTLz7&cf=1 Message received?
I'll just say some of it was deserved (for example, look at all the dead money on the books for free agent busts) and some of it was born out of frustration from losing. I'll happily eat crow where I was wrong and am loving this season so far. No matter what, I'll always be a WD4L.
