Saints defense in 2017

Fairley, Shelton and Kruger really shored up the defensive line. We need better linebackers. Robertson is good, but somebody else needs to step up. Hopefully the light comes on for Anthony. The secondary needs to get healthy.

We need a playmaker. Kikaha can hopefully help, but we need a speed rusher in the draft or FA. But the defense is better than it was two years ago.

Resign Fairly, pickup an all around type DE that's up and coming, someone good against the run also (easier said then done of course). Supposedly Kikaha's recovery has gone really well, keep his arse out of OTAs and let him come back for camp. 5 of the 6 draft picks go defense. Maybe sign a second tier CB in FA. Breaux should be fully recovered, hope Swann and PJ Williams will be also. Smart move to shut PJ down for the year imo. Put Anthony back to MLB where he belongs to either backup Robertson, or have Robertson move to WLB or SLB, he (Robertson)is one of those that can play all 3

Ah yes. Loomis not CSP. Well thought out premise.

quote:

---

The run defense improved fairly dramatically from 2015 to 2016

---

yeah, I was glad to see it.

but I think part of the reason for that is because teams mainly threw against us. Our corners had injury issues all year and the pass rush wasn't good enough to help out an undermanned secondary.

I do think the D-line played better than most people thought they would though. Gotta keep Fairley IMO.. finally have some legit talent to pair with Cam Jordan. Rankins and Fairley definitely helped this past year.

quote:

---

I think a combo of Kruger/Kikaha is a good DE rotation with Jordan on the other side.

---

I just don't know if I can agree with this. We got close to zero pass rush production from Kruger this year. I do like Kikaha but he is a major injury risk, and a bit too small to play 4-3 DE (IMO). I would much rather get a 1st-round blue chip player to play DE if we can.

quote:

---

I'd rather see us get a LB or CB with the 1st pick.

---

We just have such a terrible track record drafting these positions, especially CB. I think we should grab a guard in FA and then spend the rest on a top-flight CB, someone like Bouye from Houston. Then we can roll with Breaux-FA-Williams-Crawley-Swann-Moore and feel pretty good. Maybe we can try to find another guy like Robertson, a middle-cost LB that can play above his cost.

Then we snag a DE and LB in the 1st and 2nd and we are good to go.

Get another pass rusher. Kruger is not good. And you can never have too many. You win football on the lines. Lets shore that up first

Go all in on defense for the draft unless a RB we can't pass on falls to us (we need a special back, even though most won't agree). Pick up a guard in FA along with another impact player. Championship

Wonder how much Ron Leary will command

quote:

---

Wonder how much Ron Leary will command

---

Well, he is far from the best-available guard in the coming FA period, but OL will likely be at a premium because OL play around the league this season has been pretty bad, plus the salary cap is increasing a lot again. We will see a lot of "middling" type players like Leary get 8-10M easily

Edge rushers for one. They've added 4-5 starters in the last year too if you count JPP coming back from the boom