Rival Review - New Orleans Saints

[ctrcat]

Unger, when he was actually healthy coming off an All-Pro year, was beaten like a red-headed step child by a rookie in his first game named Starlite Lotulelei Jr.

Supposedly the CB group was in such dire straights yet they spent a 2nd round pick on SJB in 2014, making Eric Shelton look like decent 2nd round value.  Sounds like a FO without the first clue to me.

Anthony was the #31 pick in the draft (who most thought was a reach).  Jimmy Graham was #31 in the top 100.  Bwahaha.  Fair trade and great "value" alright.  

Hitting a woman on video with a belt kinda takes the "if" out of Junior's fate.

If the Roman Empire crumbled, then surely a team with an aging QB, a losing home record, a clueless FO, a team that showed zero heart in 2014, can return to the division cellar where they've spent most of their existence.

 

[Sean Payton's Vicodin]

Not really sure what to make of NO. Their o-line could be great and really help out their otherwise above average RBs, ala Cowboys last year. On the other hand, their receiving core is pretty poor and they lost their first or second best defender because of a pec injury, and they are starting a bunch of rookies on defense

[saints4lifeagain]

Fair enough.

Let me re-word my statement then:

Unger is not an improvement against NFCS rivals Carolina and possibly Tampa (assuming McCoy stays healthy).

That is yet to be seen.

Unger, when he was actually healthy coming off an All-Pro year, was beaten like a red-headed step child by a rookie in his first game named Starlite Lotulelei Jr.

Supposedly the CB group was in such dire straights yet they spent a 2nd round pick on SJB in 2014, making Eric Shelton look like decent 2nd round value.  Sounds like a FO without the first clue to me.

Anthony was the #31 pick in the draft (who most thought was a reach).  Jimmy Graham was #31 in the top 100.  Bwahaha.  Fair trade and great "value" alright.  

Hitting a woman on video with a belt kinda takes the "if" out of Junior's fate.

If the Roman Empire crumbled, then surely a team with an aging QB, a losing home record, a clueless FO, a team that showed zero heart in 2014, can return to the division cellar where they've spent most of their existence.

 

Jermey, next time just let super homer write the rivals outlooks. He's the most objective guys here.

[TheRed]

I still can't see how anyone could look at that Graham/Unger trade, and come out thinking the Saints have actually improved.

They traded one of the best TE's in the NFL for an aging oft injured Center who is only under contract through 2016.

I really just about can't stand Jimmy Graham, but the guy is really good, and he's going to light it up in Seattle.

Oh, and before any Saints fans come in here talking about how Jimmy Graham is 28, and his best years might be behind him. Our own TE Greg Olsen is 30, and he just had a career year. Hell, Tony Gonzalez was still putting up big numbers in his mid thirties with Atlanta. The Saints got absolutely jobbed in that trade, and that's just all there is to it.

Edited July 6, 2015 by TheRed

[saints4lifeagain]

Against Star, Unger has come out looking like a JAG. Nothing is going to change here. Putting on the Saints colors doesn't make him magically better. I suggest you watch The Panther-Seahawk games and see for yourself.

I watched them, and I know what you're saying. But different schemes and players around changes things. Again, Goodwin was basically a turnstile.

[ctrcat]

I still can't see how anyone could look at that Graham/Unger trade, and come out thinking the Saints have actually improved.

They traded one of the best TE's in the NFL for an aging oft injured Center who is only under contract through 2016.

I really just about can't stand Jimmy Graham, but the guy is really good, and he's going to light it up in Seattle.

Oh, and before any Saints fans come in here talking about how Jimmy Graham is 28, and his best years might be behind him. Our own TE Greg Olsen is 30, and he just had a career year. Hell, Tony Gonzalez was still putting up big numbers in his mid thirties with Atlanta. The Saints got absolutely jobbed in that trade, and that's just all there is to it.

Of course they did.  And they know it.  But their own foolishness got them into cap hell with no other way out.

Funny thing is the Hawks took on the contract and have a wee bit of predicament themselves with Wilson/Wagner still unsigned and a team of egomaniacs that already called Jimmy soft.  Wait until he can't block for RW or Marshawn.  At least he had a rapport with Drew.

Lose/lose for both teams.

[saints4lifeagain]

I still can't see how anyone could look at that Graham/Unger trade, and come out thinking the Saints have actually improved.

They traded one of the best TE's in the NFL for an aging oft injured Center who is only under contract through 2016.

I really just about can't stand Jimmy Graham, but the guy is really good, and he's going to light it up in Seattle.

Oh, and before any Saints fans come in here talking about how Jimmy Graham is 28, and his best years might be behind him. Our own TE Greg Olsen is 30, and he just had a career year. Hell, Tony Gonzalez was still putting up big numbers in his mid thirties with Atlanta. The Saints got absolutely jobbed in that trade, and that's just all there is to it.

I was not and am not a fan of the trade, but there's always different ways to look at it. Jimmy was definitely the biggest piece in the trade, but if Anthony and Unger perform well and the Saints make a turn around, who's to say who won the trade? You also have to think about the contract that came off of the books. Is it plausible to pay a TE that kind of money and be successful?

I think Jimmy will dominate in Seattle.

Of course they did.  And they know it.  But their own foolishness got them into cap hell with no other way out.

Funny thing is the Hawks took on the contract and have a wee bit of predicament themselves with Wilson/Wagner still unsigned and a team of egomaniacs that already called Jimmy soft.  Wait until he can't block for RW or Marshawn.  At least he had a rapport with Drew.

Lose/lose for both teams.

A lose/lose for both teams? 

Its one way or the other guy. 

Is Jimmy soft and can't block and overpaid? Or did the Saints lose a great player? 

Both teams can't lose, because you're contradicting yourself with your own argument.

I know what you're getting at though. The Panthers won the Saints/Seahawks trade.

[TheRed]

I was not and am not a fan of the trade, but there's always different ways to look at it. Jimmy was definitely the biggest piece in the trade, but if Anthony and Unger perform well and the Saints make a turn around, who's to say who won the trade? You also have to think about the contract that came off of the books. Is it plausible to pay a TE that kind of money and be successful?

I think Jimmy will dominate in Seattle.

Rob Gronkowski says hello. Also, the Patriots traded 6 time Pro Bowler Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay before the season even started. They still won the Super Bowl.

Now I know the Patriots are a differently run organization, but a legitimate game changer at TE is pretty much always going to be more valuable than an offensive lineman. Can you even name one guy on the Patriots OL? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I did see Gronkowski showing up big for his team when they needed it in the Super Bowl.

So again, you can rationalize this if you want, but it's a huge downgrade.

Edited July 6, 2015 by TheRed

[ctrcat]

I was not and am not a fan of the trade, but there's always different ways to look at it. Jimmy was definitely the biggest piece in the trade, but if Anthony and Unger perform well and the Saints make a turn around, who's to say who won the trade? You also have to think about the contract that came off of the books. Is it plausible to pay a TE that kind of money and be successful?

I think Jimmy will dominate in Seattle.

A lose/lose for both teams? 

Its one way or the other guy. 

Is Jimmy soft and can't block and overpaid? Or did the Saints lose a great player? 

Both teams can't lose, because you're contradicting yourself with your own argument.

I know what you're getting at though. The Panthers won the Saints/Seahawks trade.

Jimmy's new teammates called him soft.  Look it up.  Drew was also distraught according to reports.  The Saints lost the only player worth fearing and the Hawks have still yet to sign their young QB and LB whose contracts expire after this year.

Panthers win.

[saints4lifeagain]

Rob Gronkowski says hello. Also, the Patriots traded 6 time Pro Bowler Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay before the season even started. They still won the Super Bowl.

Now I know the Patriots are a differently run organization, but a legitimate game changer at TE is pretty much always going to be more valuable than an offensive lineman. Can you even name one guy on the Patriots OL? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I did see Gronkowski showing up big for his team when they needed it in the Super Bowl.

So again, you can rationalize this if you want, but it's a huge downgrade.

Completely different circumstances. The Pats had a young guy at Guard that they liked and sold Mankins when they could still get something for him. That's the way they operate. Richard Seymore? Gronk is a completely different animal anyway. You named someone better than Jimmy, who gets paid less. 

I don't agree with you on a game changer TE being more valuable than OL though. The Saints best years came behind a dominant oline. Look at the Cowboys last year. Poo, look at the Panthers. You wouldn't trade Olsen for an Oline that actually protected Cam? 

Again, I don't like the trade. I love Jimmy. I think it's sad the way a lot of Saints fans are talking about him now. But I can see the thought process of the organization. Time will tell if they were right.

Jimmy's new teammates called him soft.  Look it up.  Drew was also distraught according to reports.  The Saints lost the only player worth fearing and the Hawks have still yet to sign their young QB and LB whose contracts expire after this year.

Panthers win.

I got it Mr. Simpson. Thanks.

Edited July 6, 2015 by saints4lifeagain

[TheRed]

Completely different circumstances. The Pats had a young guy at Guard that they liked and sold Mankins when they could still get something for him. That's the way they operate. Richard Seymore? Gronk is a completely different animal anyway. You named someone better than Jimmy, who gets paid less. 

I don't agree with you on a game changer TE being more valuable than OL though. The Saints best years came behind a dominant oline. Look at the Cowboys last year. Poo, look at the Panthers. You wouldn't trade Olsen for an Oline that actually protected Cam? 

Again, I don't like the trade. I love Jimmy. I think it's sad the way a lot of Saints fans are talking about him now. But I can see the thought process of the organization. Time will tell if they were right.

Well unfortunately we don't exist in a dream world where you can trade one player for an entire elite OL, so that option is out.

I would not trade Olsen for one offensive lineman. I've already seen the Panthers neglect TE for years in the past.

Graham got more up front guaranteed, but Gronkowski is on a contract worth $54 million.

You're at least somewhat rational about the trade at least though. So I won't give you too hard of a time.

[The Huddler]

As long as Rob Ryan is heading up that defense, I am thinking that whatever personnel they put on the field won't make a difference.  The defense's best weapon for the Saints in years prior was the offense.

In my opinion, the Saints made all the wrong moves for this off-season.  It would have been right if they started with swapping Rob Ryan for someone else, but they didn't.  For now, the Saints lone hope is a stout running attack to jump start everything else.  If that falls, so does everything else.  If it clicks, then they have a shot, but little more than that.

As long as Rob Ryan is heading up that defense, I am thinking that whatever personnel they put on the field won't make a difference.  The defense's best weapon for the Saints in years prior was the offense.

In my opinion, the Saints made all the wrong moves for this off-season.  It would have been right if they started with swapping Rob Ryan for someone else, but they didn't.  For now, the Saints lone hope is a stout running attack to jump start everything else.  If that falls, so does everything else.  If it clicks, then they have a shot, but little more than that.

lol

wtf

lol

wtf

[saints4lifeagain]

Well unfortunately we don't exist in a dream world where you can trade one player for an entire elite OL, so that option is out.

I would not trade Olsen for one offensive lineman. I've already seen the Panthers neglect TE for years in the past.

Graham got more up front guaranteed, but Gronkowski is on a contract worth $54 million.

You're at least somewhat rational about the trade at least though. So I won't give you too hard of a time.

You get what I was saying lol. I know they didn't trade him for a dominant Oline. Just traded him to help bolster the Oline.

Eagles call and offer Peters and their 1st for Olsen, you don't take it?

[pantherclaw]

The Saints are doing the best thing they possibly can, by going to a more run heavy offense. 

It'll improve their defense by simply keeping their defense off the field more. With some new talent on the defensive side of the ball, that should be good enough for a defense ranked in the middle of the pack. 

Will it be enough to get them back to the top of the division? I don't think so, I'm not even convinced they'll improve enough to get out of the NFCS cellar.