The Case for Chase Bisontis at 42 (Or a high end Guard)

Don't think you have to convince most of this board that Bisontis or even Pregnon at OG would be a good pick. Not sexy, but anything to punch Ruiz out the door has value.

I don’t think you take one at 42. Do it in round 3, trade up with the 4ths if you really like one

This is particularly true if Zion Young is sitting there

Pregnon could likely start for us also. Bisontis I think def does

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Everything you do going forward has to have Tyler Shough in some part of your thought process.

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You still have to have a defense. The Saints had 15 years of a HOF QB...and came away with just one SB appearance (though another was obviously stolen). Often, because they just weren't quite good enough on the defensive side of the ball.

Could the Saints use an upgrade/depth at guard? Absolutely. But they've spent the majority of their FA and (now) early draft capital improving the offense around the guy they hope will be the franchise QB. As we sit here today, the Saints have what appears to be a solid RB tandem (even if Kamara is not the same guy he was 4-5 years ago). They have their starting WRs. They have a TE who seemed to have a good rapport with the QB. They have what they think are 4 solid players along the OL. Yes, a weak link at guard isn't ideal. But it's probably easier to "hide" a guard with 4 good players around him than it is to hide a tackle.

Defensively the starting line is probably average with flashes of really good. However, there's not much behind it. The LBs just lost the soul of that group. While not unexpected to lose him, Davis was still a productive player. The secondary was ok last year...but not spectacular. And while I wouldn't have broken the bank for Taylor either, he did make some big plays for the defense that, for the most part, kept the Saints in many games.

If the Saints can get some guys now to at least keep the defense competitive, it will allow a young offense/QB a little more room to grow. Even if the offense improves next year, it still would be a lot to ask a young group to constantly win shootouts. In an ideal world you replace Ruiz with a really good player. But that is not the NFL. Every team, even the best, will have weaknesses at some spots. If one guard is the only true weakness on the offense, then I think the Saints will still be fine. At least moreso than if fixing that one hole on offense leads to multiple on defense

I think Ruiz would hold more value as a grossly overpaid iOL backup for 1 year, than any mid/late round draft pick you could get for him.

Plus, you never know if the guy you’re about to draft will be worse than him

Bisontis is good. A lot of options should be there at 42

I was thinking something similar to the OP earlier. If you have 4 really good O-lineman and Ruiz, draft a stud G and let Ruiz be the swing C/G backup or we all know an O-lineman will get hurt at some point.

This would get us one of the best O-lines in the league for Shough and Etienne to work with, not to mention our new WR room.

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You have to assume their replacements will be drafted this weekend.

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Stutsman was splitting reps with him as a rookie.

It still pisses me off that we passed on Patrick Queen for that fat sack of shxt Ruiz.

This is so spot on i didn't even have to reply to the original post. You nailed it.