Saints preserve us

After a dream season that included the team’s first-ever trip to the NFC Championship game, the New Orleans Saints have spent the first half of their offseason retooling in hopes of improving on last season’s results.

While the Saints have added players through free agency, what is considered the most important part of the offseason happens this weekend—the NFL Draft.

This season the Saints have eight draft picks, beginning with the 27th selection of the first round. The Saints also have three picks in the fourth round; however, with the pending signing of restricted free agent cornerback Jason David, the Saints would give up a fourth round pick, leaving them with the 123rd and 125th selections.

Local draft analyst Mike Detillier said the 27th pick of the draft presents the Saints an opportunity to not only address a need position, but also pick the best player available at that slot.

“You’ve got enough need areas on this team, that you can actually pick best player available and have it be a need position,” he said. “So I think the worst thing you can do, is say I absolutely need one spot. With the first-round pick, I think you’re much better going with the best player up on the board.”

According to Detiller, positions that the Saints are looking to address include cornerback, defensive line, wide receiver and linebacker. Names he mentioned included Paul Posluszny (LB), Justin Harrell (DT), Anthony Spencer (DE), Dwayne Bowe (WR) and Chris Houston (CB).

“I think those are probably the target players that you’d be looking at early,” said Detillier.

The analyst expects late second-round value to be at wide receiver. Receivers he said might be available include South Carolina’s Sidney Rice and LSU’s Craig “Buster” Davis.

Other second-round possibilities include Jonathan Wade (CB), Turk McBride (DT), David Harris (LB) and Michael Coe (CB).

In the mid-rounds, Detillier said the Saints will likely select a quarterback. “That was one of the things (Sean) Payton told us after practice last year,” said Detillier. “That he would like to draft a quarterback every year.”

One reason for drafting a quarterback is the value of future trades, similar to the deal the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texas made earlier this year for quarterback Matt Schuab. In the trade, Atlanta swapped first-round picks with Houston, and acquired two second-round picks—all for a quarterback that has taken less than 100 snaps in the NFL.

While the Saints haven’t signed what most would call “big-ticket free agents,” Detillier said the team’s offseason additions all fit the profile of players Sean Payton likes. “I think they were very picky about exactly who they wanted to bring in,” Detiller said of free agent additions. “I think they have every right to be (picky), based off the success they’ve had with that certain type of player.”

Offseason additions include Brian Simmons (LB), Kevin Kaesviharn (S), Olindo Mare (K), David Patten (WR) and possibly Jason David (CB).

“Overall, they’ve addressed a number of needs,” said Detillier. “They’ve brought in players that I think fit with what I’ve described as the ‘football profile’ that Sean Payton wants in a player.”

For rookies that “profile” consists of players that will contribute right away. “Sean Payton says, his job here as a coach … is to get these guys ready to play for week one,” said Detillier. “What he is saying is unlike what I’ve heard in the past from a Jim Mora or a Mike Ditka or a Jim Haslett, who said these (rookies) take a little time.”

So it’s no coincidence that last year’s draft netted four rookie starters, including Reggie Bush, Roman Harper, Jahri Evans and Marques Colston.

Detillier points to last year’s results to signify the importance of the draft. “Last year, we saw what a draft can do for a football club,” said Detillier. “I really believe that it’s still … the single most important piece of the puzzle, because it brings you a good young flow of players that can come in and help you out immediately.”

Saints preserve us