***Un-Official Saints 2008 Offseason Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[saintfool]

I dont disagree with you at all and I hope we got Best Defensive Player available as well, but I could totally see them justifying taking an O lineman or even taking Mendenhall and saying he was the BPA

Is their going to be an o-line player - Center, specifically - that could fall to them at R1.10? Mendenhall, to me, is more valuable to other teams than he is to the Saints. As muddled as our RB situation is, we are stocked. My needs list, based on urgency, is as follows:CBFSLBCDT

 

[ATC1]

My dream would be if both DTs are taken, we look to move down.

Lito Sheppard and #19 for #10? - Kenny Phillips

If McFadden is still there try to make a trade with Dallas.

 

[saintfool]

Scratch off "Center" among the off-season needs for the team. This move just covers our bases...

Saints sign Lehr to one-year dealPosted by Jimmy Smith, The Times-Picayune. March 19, 2008 4:19PMCategories: SaintsThe Saints signed unrestricted free-agent center/guard Matt Lehr to a one-year contract on Wednesday, his agent said.Lehr, entering his eighth NFL season, also considered an offer from the Denver Broncos before deciding to come to New Orleans, where he'll compete for a starting spot with center Jonathan Goodwin to replace the departed Jeff Faine.Faine signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team for which Lehr played last season."The opportunity to basically be with a team on the rise was important," Lehr said Wednesday. "And everybody knows the Saints have one of the best quarterbacks (Drew Brees) in the game. It's an explosive offense."I've had the opportunity to work with a couple of the coaches there from former teams I played with."Lehr, a fifth-round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in 2001, stayed with the Cowboys through the 2003 season, the first that Saints Coach Sean Payton spent in Dallas. Defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs was also a member of that Dallas staff.Lehr fills a need for veteran depth on the offensive line for the Saints, who lost starting Faine. Goodwin, also a player who can fill two positions on the offensive line, will likely compete with Lehr for the starting center's job.Lehr's agent, St. Louis-based Bob Lattinville said Wednesday Lehr signed a one-year deal. Lehr had joined the Bucs last year during free agency after a stint with the Atlanta Falcons."We've had a good conversation with Mickey (Loomis, Saints general manger) and (offensive line coach) Doug Marrone," Lattinville said.The Broncos had expressed interest in Lehr before the recent firing of general manager Ted Sundquist and Lattinville waited to see if the Broncos still had the same curiosity.Lehr served a four-game suspension in 2006 when he was with the Falcons for violation of the NFL's steroid policy.Lehr said the Saints told him he's be given an opportunity to compete for the starting job."They said straight up the best five were going to start," Lehr said. "I'll get a chance to compete for a starting position. In order to stay in this league you have to be able to do more than one thing, especially if you want to stay in this league longevity-wise."I've heard a lot about the O-line coach there. I just want a chance to become a better football player and help out the team as much as possible."Lehr, 6 foot 2, 304 pounds, did not make any starts for the Bucs last season, but did play in every game.He said the Saints were a nicer fit than the Broncos."New Orleans was a much better situation for me," said Lehr, who'll arrive in town this weekend and begin working in the team's off-season conditioning program on Monday.

 

[ATC1]

That brings much needed depth to gaurd as well. Plus he came from a division rival. Good signing, and a lot cheaper than Faine.

 

[saintfool]

That brings much needed depth to gaurd as well. Plus he came from a division rival. Good signing, and a lot cheaper than Faine.

He gives us options. While I think Loomis was willing to let Faine go because of the confidence in Goodwin, Lehr is experienced and the contract is only 1 year. This just frees us up in the draft.

 

[PranksterJD]

That brings much needed depth to gaurd as well. Plus he came from a division rival. Good signing, and a lot cheaper than Faine.

He gives us options. While I think Loomis was willing to let Faine go because of the confidence in Goodwin, Lehr is experienced and the contract is only 1 year. This just frees us up in the draft.

This seems to have been the M.O. all offseason. Its not a bad one either, IMO, but it really seems like they're working very hard to **not** be handicapped by need in ANY way.

 

[saintfool]

That brings much needed depth to gaurd as well. Plus he came from a division rival. Good signing, and a lot cheaper than Faine.

He gives us options. While I think Loomis was willing to let Faine go because of the confidence in Goodwin, Lehr is experienced and the contract is only 1 year. This just frees us up in the draft.

This seems to have been the M.O. all offseason. Its not a bad one either, IMO, but it really seems like they're working very hard to **not** be handicapped by need in ANY way.

BPA is not a bad strategy to have going into the draft. However, they should be targeting an impact player. More specifically, we should be targeting an impact player on defense. The team needs that. The fans want that.

 

[Football Menace]

That brings much needed depth to gaurd as well. Plus he came from a division rival. Good signing, and a lot cheaper than Faine.

He gives us options. While I think Loomis was willing to let Faine go because of the confidence in Goodwin, Lehr is experienced and the contract is only 1 year. This just frees us up in the draft.

This seems to have been the M.O. all offseason. Its not a bad one either, IMO, but it really seems like they're working very hard to **not** be handicapped by need in ANY way.

BPA is not a bad strategy to have going into the draft. However, they should be targeting an impact player. More specifically, we should be targeting an impact player on defense. The team needs that. The fans want that.

on the bolded part. Drafting BPA is ok if you have holes on both sides of the ball. But, in the Saints case, we don't have holes on the offensive side of the ball (at least none that could stop us from winning ballgames). The defense, on the other hand, is full of holes and question marks. Can Vilma/Morgan stay healthy? Is Gay the answer to the pile of poop that is Jason David? Will McKenzie come back ready to go? Why must our corners give the recievers a 10 yard cushion on 3rd and 3, and then backpedal at the snap? Can we get a freakin' pass rush going? Try to find those type of questions on the offensive side of the ball. They're just not there. So in our case, the BPA strategy can go to hell. I wouldn't care if McFadden falls to us. We shouldn't consider an offensive player until the 3rd round at best.

 

[Statorama]

I'd be absolutely P.O'ed if the Saints went anywhere but defense. The offense is solid and doesn't need much help at all. All of this RB talk is crazy. We have enough depth behind Bush. So hopefully they learn their lesson with Meachem last season (still pissed about that pick), and take the best defensive player available. I'd be happy with any of the top 3 CBs, Ellis, Dorsey, or Rivers.

Completely agree with this.

Make it three.With all of the defensive signings in the offseason, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they picked an offensive skill player...so I'm ready to be PO'd.That said, I'm still not mentally prepared to hear "with the 10th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Wide Reciever...." <cue beer bottle going through tv screen>