Drafting for Then and Now

Free agency for the Saints hasn't been as eventful as it has been over the past few years, but that is just fine. Patience is a virtue, and since Bountygate suspensions and penalties struck the team this year, I feel the organization moving at a different beat. Instead of relying solely on restocking through free agency, the team is focusing on smaller pick ups like bringing in young, inexpensive players who have high upside and older veterans who can contribute for pennies on the dollar. Without making the big splash like we are used to seeing, it's clear that the team is very much focused on the draft.

As of right now there is only one gaping hole on the roster and that is at left tackle. Common knowledge may suggest the Saints pick a tackle at No. 15 overall, but in reality that may not be the best choice for several reasons. The first reason is that at 15 none of the top-3 LTs will be available. Those who think Eric Fisher or Lane Johnson will be there are only fooling themselves. The next reason is that the team does not need to panic because there are other options available on the roster and in free agency, if only to be stop-gap solutions while another player develops. The team should draft a tackle this year, but probably not in round 1. Players like Terron Armstead, Brennan Williams, Xavier Nixon, or Chris Faulk could all develop to be good tackles in a few years, and can all be had with one of the team's later picks. So, based partially off of this premise, the Saints should avoid drafting solely for needs at the moment, rather they should look down the road and see where problems may arise.

Let's have a look at a few starting players who may need to be replaced in the near(ish) future:

Roman Harper
Brodrick Bunkley
Zach Streif
Marques Colston
Malcolm Jenkins
Jabari Greer

These guys are either slowing down physically, or just slowing down the team with their poor play and big contracts.

Now let's look at some question marks right now at other spots:

OLB rotation
reserve ILB
defensive line rotation
LT (already addressed above)
backup QB

So, with this in mind, think about what moves the team could make to both add talent to the roster and depth for the future. This line of thought along with choosing the best player available usually pays dividends for teams. Now show me your mock drafts!