WalterFootball.com - Detailed NFL Mock Drafts, Player Prospect Rankings, and One of the Largest Mock Draft Databases on the Web

2012 NFL Offseason: New Orleans Saints

Draft Grades, Season Previews, Offseason Needs, Free Agents

New Orleans Saints (Last Year: 13-3)

2012 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
G Ben Grubbs, DT Brodrick Bunkley, OLB David Hawthorne, OLB Chris Chamberlain, ILB Curtis Lofton.
Early Draft Picks:
WR Nick Toon, DT Akiem Hicks.
Offseason Losses:
WR Robert Meachem, G Carl Nicks, NT Shaun Rogers, NT Aubrayo Franklin, OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, CB Tracy Porter.

2012 New Orleans Saints Offense:
The Saints are a mess. The repercussions from Bountygate has left multiple players and head coaches suspended. Sean Payton is gone for the year. But it's not the end of the world because Drew Brees, one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, proved last season that he can still be effective without his head coach and main play-caller.

So, everything will be OK. Maybe. Brees is currently holding out. He reportedly wants $23 million per year, which the Saints are unwilling to give him. It's definitely way too much money when compared to what the other top signal-callers are earning, but one would think that re-signing Brees would be a priority, no matter what the terms, for a team desperate for some positive PR in the wake of Bountygate. That apparently is not the case.

It could get ugly with Brees. As last year's lockout proved, he won't settle for anything less than what he thinks he's worth, and considering what he's done for the city of New Orleans, he's worth a ton. If, however, he and the Saints can come to an agreement, he'll continue to play on a very high level without Payton. The concern will be his supporting cast. Only guard Carl Nicks and pedestrian receiver Robert Meachem are gone, but will the players be focused after everything that has gone down this offseason?

Nicks' departure would have been a huge deal because he was arguably the best guard in the NFL last year. However, the Saints brought in Ben Grubbs, a very worthy replacement. The rest of the front line, meanwhile, has remained intact. Right guard Jahri Evans struggled a bit in 2011, but only because he was plagued with knee issues. He had surgery earlier in the offseason and appears to be 100 percent, so expect him to return to Pro Bowl form. The final lineman in the interior, center Brian De La Puente, was a pleasant surprise last season. An undrafted free agent out of Cal, De La Puente was rock solid as Brees' center in 2011.

The offensive tackles aren't very good, but they aren't exposed very often because Brees releases the football quicker than almost any quarterback in the NFL. The combination of blind-side protector Jermon Bushrod and Zach Streif permitted eight sacks last year - a figure that would have been much higher had they been paired with an inferior signal-caller. Third-year Charles Brown, a second-round pick in 2010, is expected to push Strief for the starting right tackle gig. Brown was in the starting lineup last season until landing on injured reserve with a hip injury.

Meachem, as mentioned, is the only other New Orleans offensive player to depart this offseason. He won't be missed very much because he never lived up to expectations. Besides, Brees, like many of the other elite quarterbacks, has a knack for transforming mediocre wideouts into big stat-producers. Lance Moore is a perfect example. He'll continue to serve as Brees' second-favorite target at the wide receiver position, only behind Marques Colston, who re-signed with the Saints in mid-March.

If Brees can get the most out of average talents, what can he do with an exceptionally skilled player? That's what everyone discovered last year. Second-year tight end Jimmy Graham had a monstrous 2011 campaign, registering a whooping 99 receptions for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. The scary thing is that Graham hasn't even hit his potential yet. He's still learning the nuances of football after being a basketball star for so long.

New Orleans' No. 2 player in terms of receptions wasn't Colston; it was Darren Sproles, formerly of the Chargers. Sproles had just 87 carries, but tallied 603 rushing yards. More impressively, he registered 86 receptions for 710 receiving yards and nine scores all together. Sproles is an incredible safety valve, and he nearly made everyone forget what a bust Mark Ingram was as a rookie. The Saints dealt a first- and a second-round pick for Ingram in the 2011 NFL Draft, but he barely did anything because of lingering injuries. Perhaps he'll eventually stay healthy, but he recently had a knee operation. It was a pretty minor procedure, but it was a reminder that he dropped last April because teams were worried about the long-term status of his knees.

2012 New Orleans Saints Defense:
Conventional wisdom going into the offseason said that the Saints would suffer the most defensively in the wake of Bountygate. Jonathan Vilma and other members of the stop unit would undoubtedly be suspended, while New Orleans as a whole would have to adjust to playing without employing dirty tactics. In an odd turn of events, however, the Saints' defense could actually be better than it was last year.

New Orleans made several quality signings this offseason. Two linebackers were obtained for well below market value. Curtis Lofton, formerly of the Falcons, and David Hawthorne, who played for the Seahawks his entire career, will bolster what used to be the Saints' weakest area. Lofton, who will be playing in the middle, is a premier run defender. Hawthorne, meanwhile, is a well-rounded player who will start at weakside linebacker. Both will be on the field all three downs. Scott Shanle, manning the strong side, is a weak defender, but he'll benefit from having fewer responsibilities this season.

The third major addition via free agency was defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, who was excellent in run support for Denver last year. Bunkley cannot get to the quarterback, however, so the Saints will be hoping that Sedrick Ellis can return to form. Ellis was the seventh-overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, but has been a major disappointment recently. He's entering the final year of his contract, so he could soon be done as a Saint. Third-round rookie Akiem Hicks, a Canadian with major upside, will push for playing time behind Ellis.

There are some question marks at defensive end as well. Will Smith had just 6.5 sacks last year, and five of them occurred in Weeks 1-8. He won't be able to get off to a hot start again in 2012 because he's been suspended for the first four games of the season. Once he returns to the lineup, he'll start across from second-year left end Cameron Jordan, a first-round pick last April. Jordan was dynamic in run support, but couldn't generate much pressure on the quarterback. Junior Galette, 24, did a better job of that, so perhaps he's earned more playing time this year, especially considering Smith's early suspension.

The Saints will need a better job of getting to the quarterback because they lost starting cornerback Tracy Porter to the Broncos in free agency. Porter had a really pedestrian 2011 campaign, but he had the potential to rebound. New Orleans' new starting corner across from Jabari Greer (54.0 completion percentage last year) is 2010 first-rounder Patrick Robinson, who started eight games this past season. Robinson did a decent job in coverage, so Porter's absence will really have a greater impact on depth more than anything. All New Orleans has behind Greer and Robinson is Johnny Patrick, a second-year defensive back who was chosen in the third round last April.

The safety play has to improve. Strong safety Roman Harper was very fortunate to avoid suspension for Bounygate, but perhaps Roger Goodell figured that letting him be on the field would be an even greater penalty for New Orleans. Harper is a terrific blitzer, but is an abomination in coverage. Free safety Malcolm Jenkins wasn't very good in that department either last season.

2012 New Orleans Saints Schedule and Intangibles:
The Saints used to be pretty miserable at home - 54-66 as hosts from 1992 to 2007 - but they've completely turned it around. The Louisiana Superdome has transformed into a mad house where opposing quarterbacks can't hear anything. In the past four seasons, the Saints are 28-7 as hosts, including a perfect 9-0 last year.

Darren Sproles was a good replacement for Reggie Bush. He scored on a punt return and allowed the Saints to outgain their opponents on both kickoffs and punts.

Garrett Hartley drilled the Super Bowl-clinching field goal in the NFC Championship back in January 2010. He went 20-of-25 the following season, but missed all of 2011 because of a hip injury.

Third-year punter Thomas Morstead had a great season despite the fact that he didn't get much work. He averaged 48.3 yards per kick with 13-of-46 attempts placed inside the 20.

The Saints have many tough non-divisional opponents on their schedule. That includes the Chiefs (home), Packers (away), Chargers (home), Broncos (away), Eagles (home), 49ers (home), Giants (away) and Cowboys (away).

2012 New Orleans Saints Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2012 New Orleans Saints Analysis: The Saints are in disarray right now. They have tons of talent on the roster, but all of the Bountygate suspensions (coaches included, of course) are a huge distraction. Re-signing Drew Brees would be just what the doctor ordered, but neither side is budging. The longer Brees holds out, the less of a chance New Orleans has of making the playoffs. It's probable that either the Falcons or Panthers will walk away with the divisional crown.

Projection: 9-7 (3rd in NFC South)

2012 Fantasy Football Rankings

More 2012 NFL Season Previews

*** 2012 NFL DRAFT GRADES, OFFSEASON NEEDS BELOW COMMENT BOARD ***

Wicket 04-29-2011 10:14 am xxx.xxx.xxx36.2 (total posts: 2)

@JackDiesel

So because someone who actually makes a more extensive argument than Yay or Nay you believe that he is an uninformed fan. To subsequently assume that if someone who is uninformed dislikes it means that the pick must be good is even more flawed.

Furthermore if I were an uninformed fan I'd see Heisman winner, must be reallzzzz good playerzzz.

But to get on subject. For the saints base offense which is a pass-first offense they focus on creating individual missmatches by stretching the field horizontally and vertically. In the saints offense the running backs usually have the duty to stretch the field horizontally, which requires the running backs to be quick enough to turn the corner (which ingram isnt) and to be shifty enough for the running back to make people miss in the backfield (which ingram isnt).

Ingram failing to do both of those things will allow the opponent to cover him with linebackers instead of safeties allowing the opponent to either use both their safeties in double coverage or to push another guy in brees' face, further making thefact that brees is short an issue.

For the running game itself Ingram is also a weird choice. The saints run the ball 24 times a game on average. Going into the season with Bush, THomas, Ivory and Ingram would mean all of them will get at least 5 pops a game (you know jsut as well as I do that Payton spreads carries around like that) maxing the amount of carries for ingram on about 10. That is way to few carries for ingram to be effective and tire down the defense and taking advantage of the holes the weary defense gives up. Ingram is a great player with unreal vision but he should have landed on a team like the Giants who actually would let him pop it 20 times a game and let him tire down defenses.

The saints however just spend 2 premium picks (which is a boatload) for a running back to run the ball no more than 10 times a game unless they are winning big anyway and to compromise the strength of the saints, the passing game, in the proces.

Given the tone of your original reaction you will probably dismiss this without actually showing any understanding of football but there is no single part of this argument that doestnt hold.

JackDiesel 04-29-2011 10:00 am xxx.xxx.xxx.128 (total posts: 1)

@Wickett. I'd love to hear you try and explain that Ingram doesn't fit in our offense. You sound like an extremely uninformed fan and I personally love that you hate the pick, because that means they nailed it.

The Saints didn't give up much to land Ingram. They only lost their 2nd round pick because what they basically did is take next year's 1st round pick (32nd overall) and advance it to this year. It's not like what ATL did where they had to give up this year's 1st round pick AND next year's along with a boat load of other picks.

Mike 04-29-2011 09:26 am xxx.xxx.xxx0.53 (total posts: 2)

How do you know ingram doesn't rank that high? you've yet to see him play a down in the NFL. Ingram did it all at bama. Ran caught and blocked, something AP couldn't do. that's why he had chester taylor bailing him out on 3rd down. a D? please! Our running game was constantly injured a stable of backs, PT, Ivory Ingram and Bush will allow for a fresh 4th quater back to wear down defenses. A solid running game is a key success in the NFL. Along with Brees as our QB, we'll be fine. Jordan and Ingram= both A's.

Wicket 04-29-2011 08:58 am xxx.xxx.xxx36.2 (total posts: 2)

A day later and im still disgusted by the Ingram Trade&Pick. How you can spend 2 premier picks on a player that doesnt even fit well in your offense is beyond me. The trade is really worse than the falcons trade, at least they filled a real need.

Luckily the Cameron Jordan pick was a slam dunk

mark ingram 04-29-2011 03:44 am xxx.xxx.xxx.170 (total posts: 7)

i miss you dawg (:. GEAUX SAINTS

Palvin 04-29-2011 03:21 am xxx.xxx.xxx.254 (total posts: 1)

Great draft by the Saints so far.....worthy of an A for sure. In Jordan we filled our greatest need at DE, and Ingram stabilized our RB position. Hopefully with our 3rd rounders we address our OLB and find a quality DT (Foster and Ellis, perhaps?). It's a good day to be a Saints fan.

brandon adam 04-29-2011 01:45 am xxx.xxx.xxx.170 (total posts: 7)

@jay people are defiantly undervaluing the 28 pick it will be worth it. also he wont have play every down right away

Jay 04-29-2011 01:39 am xxx.xxx.xxx.117 (total posts: 1)

As much as I love the Jordan pick, I don't understand the Ingram pick. All the Saints did was add another RB with durability issues. That said, the Saints' D-line is going to be a nightmare for opposing linemen. A for Cam Jordan, F for Mark Ingram.

brandon adam 04-29-2011 01:28 am xxx.xxx.xxx.170 (total posts: 7)

ok nevermind bush is probably gone. )':

brandon adam 04-29-2011 01:26 am xxx.xxx.xxx.170 (total posts: 7)

maybe but who knows. who the hell knew the vikings would take ponder at 12??? THE NFL is a guessing game

joe 04-29-2011 01:19 am xxx.xxx.xxx13.3 (total posts: 3)

bush is gone.

joe 04-29-2011 01:19 am xxx.xxx.xxx13.3 (total posts: 3)

bush is gone.

brandon adam 04-29-2011 01:16 am xxx.xxx.xxx.170 (total posts: 7)

if the running back stable stays the same this
off-season. its looking pretty good.

thomas- great balance of speed and power doesnt make bonehead mistakes. also very elusive

ingram- power back and great vision

bush- a great change of pace guy.

ivory- power back but very shifty

i like what im seeing in these 4 backs

Kemp 04-29-2011 01:09 am xxx.xxx.xxx9.50 (total posts: 1)

Not that I dislike Ingram or the pick, because I don't. But I do find it hilarious that Ivory has been the poster boy all offseason in sports media for why you don't have to spend high round selections on running backs, and then his team throws down a 2nd and a 1st for Ingram.

joe 04-29-2011 01:05 am xxx.xxx.xxx13.3 (total posts: 3)

ingram,ivory,thomas best RB group ever.

Pages: 1 2 ...7 8 9 1011 12 13

2012 NFL Draft Grade: C

Goals Entering the 2012 NFL Draft: The Saints don't pick until the third round. Like the Raiders, they'll have to use their picks on depth. New Orleans will concentrate on the defensive side of the ball.

2012 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It's still a year later, and I don't think the Saints should have traded the No. 27 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft for Mark Ingram. It was just too much to surrender for a back who's not elite like Trent Richardson or Adrian Peterson. He wasn't even the top runner on his college team. That'll impact this grade because it's one of two reasons New Orleans didn't select a player until No. 89.

I feel like the Saints used four of their five selections at least somewhat well. They added depth to areas that needed it, and they didn't reach all that much, save for the Corey White pick. Not bad overall.

2012 NFL Draft Individual Grades:

89. Akiem Hicks, NT, Canada: C+ Grade
The Saints needed defensive tackle help, but Akiem Hicks was a bit of a reach at this juncture. No major big board had him in the top 125. The good news though is that Hicks has enormous upside, so maybe the Saints can turn him into a good player. He's worth the gamble.

122. Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin: A Grade
Nick Toon could have gone in the third round, so the Saints are getting really good value with him. They're also filling a need because Robert Meachem defected for San Diego.

162. Corey White, S, Samford: D Grade
I don't give out F grades on Day 3. If I did, this would be an F. No major big board had Corey White in the top 500. I didn't think he would even be a priority UDFA.

179. Andrew Tiller, G, Syracuse: B- Grade
The Saints had no depth at guard. This is a bit early for Andrew Tiller, but that's not a major deal in Round 6.

234. Marcel Jones, OT, Nebraska: B Grade
The Saints were looking to upgrade their offensive tackle depth. Marcel Jones is a decent selection. He fits the range and addresses that aforementioned area.

Season Summary:
The Saints should play all of their postseason games at home next time. Their previous two seasons have concluded with a trip to the NFC West champion, so it's becoming clear that they won't be able to reach the Super Bowl again unless they secure homefield advantage.

Offseason Moves:

Saints sign QB Luke McCown

Giants sign DT Shaun Rogers

Saints re-sign OLB Jonathan Casillas

Saints re-sign K John Kasay

Saints re-sign WR/KR Courtney Roby

Redskins sign CB Leigh Torrence

Saints sign ILB David Hawthorne

Rams sign OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar

Saints sign ILB Curtis Lofton

Broncos sign CB Tracy Porter

Saints sign DT Brodrick Bunkley

Saints sign G Ben Grubbs

Buccaneers sign G Carl Nicks

Chargers sign WR Robert Meachem

Saints re-sign WR Marques Colston

Saints re-sign QB Chase Daniel

Saints re-sign DE Turk McBride

Saints franchise QB Drew Brees

Offseason Needs:

Two Outside Linebackers: New Orleans' linebacker play is a joke. Aside from Jonathan Vilma, everyone must go. Unfortunately, the team doesn't have a first-round pick to fix this problem (Zach Brown would be a great addition). Signed David Hawthorne and Chris Chamberlain
Inside Linebacker: Jonathan Vilma won't be playing for the Saints next year because of Bountygate. Signed Curtis Lofton
Defensive Tackle: Only one Saint defensive lineman had more than four sacks. In a division with Matt Ryan and Cam Newton, this needs to change. An interior pass-rusher is needed. Signed Brodrick Bunkley; drafted Akiem Hicks
Wide Receiver: Marques Colston and Robert Meachem are free agents. Colston already told the media that he won't be taking a hometown discount to stay in New Orleans. Re-signed Marques Colston; drafted Nick Toon
Left Guard: Carl Nicks is a free agent. Because the Saints have to franchise Drew Brees, they won't be able to tag Nicks, meaning he'll be able to test the market. Signed Ben Grubbs
Strong Safety: Roman Harper is constantly abused in coverage. This has to stop at some point.
Interior Offensive Line Depth: The Saints are a bit thin here.

2012 NFL Free Agent Signings:

Ben Grubbs, G, Ravens. Age: 28.
Signed with Saints (5 years, $36 million; $16 million guaranteed)

Ben Grubbs missed half the year with a turf toe injury. He's a talented guard who is a slightly better run blocker than pass protector.
David Hawthorne, ILB, Seahawks. Age: 27.
Signed with Saints (5 years)

David Hawthorne is one of the better inside linebackers in the NFL. He had a nagging knee injury that plagued him throughout 2011, but he still performed on a really high level.
Curtis Lofton, ILB, Falcons. Age: 26.
Signed with Saints (5 years)

Curtis Lofton is a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker. Re-signing him is Atlanta's No. 1 priority this offseason because he's the soul of the defense.
Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Broncos. Age: 28.
Signed with Saints (5 years, $25 million; $9 million guaranteed)

Brodrick Bunkley had a great year as a run-stuffer, but he offers nothing in the pass-rushing department.
Chris Chamberlain, OLB, Rams. Age: 26.
Signed with Saints (3 years)

Chris Chamberlain is a special teams ace and a solid reserve/two-down spot starter at linebacker. He plays well against the run, but gets lost in coverage.
Elbert Mack, CB, Buccaneers. Age: 26. -- Signed with Saints
Luke McCown, QB, Jaguars. Age: 31. -- Signed with Saints

New Orleans Saints Free Agents:

Salary Cap: TBA.

Drew Brees, QB, Saints. Age: 33.
Franchised by Saints

Drew Brees just turned 33, but he's still going to be one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL for a few more years. He holds Dan Marino's record for most passing yards in a single season, but he'll need another Super Bowl ring to go down as one of the all-time greats. He'll be franchised.
Carl Nicks, G, Saints. Age: 27.
Signed with Buccaneers (5 years, $47.5 million)

Carl Nicks is arguably the top guard in all of football. He has no weaknesses to his game; his blasts open huge holes for his running back, and he seldom allows a quarterback pressure. He was whistled for only two penalties all year.
Marques Colston, WR, Saints. Age: 29.
Re-signed with Saints (5 years)

Marques Colston's numbers are awesome, but there are two issues here. First, is he just a product of New Orleans' system? And second, if he's willing to take more money to play for a bad team, that'll speak volumes about his priorities. Just ask the Seahawks how they feel about Sidney Rice.
Tracy Porter, CB, Saints. Age: 26.
Signed with Broncos (1 year, $4 million)

Tracy Porter is coming off a down year, but he's still an effective starting cornerback. He'd look much better with a consistent pass rush in front of him.
Robert Meachem, WR, Saints. Age: 27.
Signed with Chargers (4 years, $25.9 million)

It's frustrating, but Robert Meachem has never lived up to his potential. He has talent, but it appears as though he's destined to be a mediocre wideout for his entire career.
Shaun Rogers, NT, Saints. Age: 33.
Signed with Giants

Shaun Rogers stuffed the run well this past season, but offered nothing in terms of rushing the passer.
John Kasay, K, Saints. Age: 42. -- Re-signed with Saints
Jo-Lonn Dunbar, OLB, Saints. Age: 27. -- Signed with Rams
Aubrayo Franklin, NT, Saints. Age: 32.
Pat McQuistan, OT, Saints. Age: 29. -- Signed with Cowboys
Adrian Arrington, WR, Saints. Age: 26.
Turk McBride, DE, Saints. Age: 27. -- Re-signed with Saints (1 year)
John Gilmore, TE, Saints. Age: 32.
Chase Daniel (RFA), QB, Saints. Age: 25. -- Re-signed with Saints (1 year)
Jeff Charleston, DE, Saints. Age: 29.
Ramon Humber (RFA), ILB, Saints. Age: 25.
Leigh Torrence, CB, Saints. Age: 30. -- Signed with Redskins
Courtney Roby, WR/KR, Saints. Age: 29. -- Re-signed with Saints

2012 NFL Free Agent Rankings Coming Soon

Divisional Rival History:
Atlanta Falcons: The Saints have won 10 of 12 in this rivalry. New Orleans can thank Garrett Hartley for missing an overtime field goal during one of those two losses.
Carolina Panthers: The road team has inexplicably won 11 of the previous 17 matchups. The Saints have swept the past two years though.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A road-dominated series. The visitor won 12 of the past 18 meetings prior to 2011.

Features to be Posted This Offseason:

2012 NFL Draft Grades (Pick-by-Pick NFL Draft Grades as well - Live on Draft Day!)
Detailed season preview
Fantasy football projections
Positional rankings
Daily updates on free-agent signings

2012 NFL Offseason Pages

2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - June 20

2014 NFL Mock Draft - June 18

Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - June 17

2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22

NFL Picks - Feb. 3

2012 NFL Offseason: New Orleans Saints Draft Grades, Season Previews, Offseason Needs, Free Agents