The 2015 Off-Season: The year of Leadership and Class

After a few days mulling over all that has been happening, I see what they are doing (I think) and am completely on board. What were the three main problems last year? Lack of talent, strong veteran leadership and maturity. Shift to this off season and major splashes have been made. We have traded our first in Saints history elite skill player to the NFC champions (the same ones that we have yet to best and most certainly will have to in order to hold the crystal again) for a Center that is known to not only be one of the best and smartest at his position but also an incredible locker room presence. We also received a 1st round pick in that deal. In losing that elite talent, we also eliminated one of the maturity problems on the team.

Talent. Leadership. Maturity.

The other moves all lend credence to this shift. While we did lose a strong locker room presence in Lofton, we also got rid of poor talent with that move. We signed Browner, a 30yo CB who is known as a strong presence in the locker room. He improves our talent at the greatest position of need, and he brings in more veteran leadership. We are trying to trade Stills. Yes this would be a talent decrease, but it tells me that he may very well be another of the maturity issues on this team. Rumors are swirling that we may be trying to trade for Phily's guard who was rated 2nd at the position last year. He is 33. Again, if this is true, then another example of strong veteran presence that is talented.

We have been reported by multiple sources to be open to trading any player on our team not named Brees or Cooks. This is a clear sign that they have a plan to rebuild this team into a new image. They are banking a lot on stockpiling draft pick while signing older veterans. I think it's a great move, because they can now focus on drafting higher character players in this year's draft that can be groomed into the team by the veteran leaders we are bringing in. They are admitting their past mistakes with these moves, and they are attempting to fix them.

The biggest problems we have had with previous coaches has been stubbornness. Hasslett, Ditka, Mora... all of them would make mistakes, and none of them would admit to them or attempt to fix them. They just kept on forcing those mistakes down our throats. Paeyton is owning up to the mistakes he has made, and he is showing great character in addressing them.

Will it work? We shall see. We have been quite bad as of late with drafting good players, and a lot is being banked on this year's draft. We have a new scouting department though, and that could change all of this. If we draft poorly again and all of this fails us in 3 years when we have no young talent ready to replace the vets, then we know it was a failure. But I commend them for at least trying and for doing bold moves to do so.