The Saints managed to hold on to their title hopes as long as they could. It looks like those days are over. Now, IMO, it's time to blow it up. Take it on the chin for the next couple of years and re-build through the draft. Trade Brees. I love him as much as anyone. But I bet we can get a 1st and 2nd round pick for him. Maybe another pick or two spread out over 2 drafts. Couple that with the salary that would come off the books and there's a start. Trade another 2-3 players for mid-round picks. Jahri Evans, Cameron Jordan and any other player that could bring in a 2nd or 3rd round pick, or multiple picks. The Saints could shed payroll and add maybe 5 or 6 draft picks over the next 2 drafts with the hopes of starting over.
The QB at U California is supposed to be another Aaron Rodgers. Go 0-16, draft him, let him learn from Brees for a season then trade Brees for whatever you can get. Anyway they can get rid of Jarius Byrd without taking the cap hit? But all the picks in the world are meaningless unless they draft smart. The 80's 49ers were masters at trading down for multple picks on draft day. The Patriots always find good players deep in the draft. Saints need to hire a GM who can do those things.
Our GM is a salary cap magician. He can do things with the salary cap that will make your head spin. However the talent he brings in with that magic makes you want to puke. Talent evaluation of players in the draft and free agency has been horrible. Draft philosophy and execution has been putrid. It will take gutting the team for a couple years before the salary cap will allow the Saints to rebuild. No one in their right mind is going to pay the inflated salaries that the Saints pay middle of the road players, the Saints are on the hook for most of them.
yeah I agree. As much as I like Drew, great for the city, stand up guy, total class, his better days are behind him. He isn't doing anything unless he has elite receivers and an elite line and a running game to take pressure off.
No one is going to give up much for either Brees or Evans; their combination of age and salary cap hit make them undesirable, if not completely untradeable. Our salary cap magician currently has us locked into $29 million in salary for players who are not even on the team. $29 million. The next worse team for dead cap money is at a little more than half that. The blowing up has to begin with whoever is evaluating potential incoming talent, particularly where veteran free agents are concerned. We have been consistently horrendous over the last 5 years at finding veterans who can come in here and improve the team. We've been equally bad in the draft, but at least new director of college personnel, Jeff Ireland, appears to have done well in his first draft. I'm optimistic that after 2 more drafts we could have a solid talent base in position, right about the time we'll be ready to turn the QB reins over to Garrett.
We're on the same page. I tried telling the faithful on Black and Gold before the season that we were in trouble with the way the Saints handle the cap, draft and free agency and the went beserk. Many there saw another Superbowl season. With the cap situation this isn't going to be a quick or easy fix.
Dude there is no way in hell. If we can see that Drew is over the hill I can guarantee you that every NFL GM knows it as well. There is no way anyone is giving up anything but a 2009 Buick with 212k miles on it for him. Lofty dream, just not going to come to fruition. Not now, not ever.
The Saints just need to bring in a young gun, and use Brees as a mentor. No one is gonna pay for him, but he is going to have to take a huge pay cut.
Brees is not going to take a pay cut but maybe he would be open to restructuring his contract to defer some of Tyne money to later years. The way Tom Brady did a few years ago.
