Saints Need to Improve Defense in Free-Agency

“Need”. That one word has been tossed around quite a bit since the Saints disappointing 7-9 season ended a few months ago on the road at Tampa , Florida.

They “need” a number two cornerback. They “need” an offensive guard to help better protect Drew Brees. They practically “need” an entire new set of linebackers.

The New Orleans Saints find themselves in familiar territory once again. It’s the off-season and one of the NFL’s most potent offenses find themselves at the mercy of the defense.

It was only two seasons ago that the Saints were a feared juggernaut on the gridiron. Those days are seemingly gone.

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The Saints defense left Drew Brees and company running on the field last season like a one armed man running into a boxing ring.

If things don’t change for the Saints, it’ll be Drew Brees once again running and gunning for the playoffs with only half a team.

The defense has to start showing up. They “need” to improve, and drastically, if they want to get back to their past winning ways, in 2015.

Sean Payton didn’t muddle his words while giving an interview with Pro Football Talk on last Thursday while visiting the scouting combine.

Pro Football Talk was seeing answers as to why the Saint went 7-9 last season:

"“I think we struggled with some leadership positions. I think, overall, there was a big change when guys like Will Smith, John Vilma, Jabari Greer, Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper, those are a number of players — Darren Sproles, too — in one off-season, all leave. I think losing that experience and leadership hurt us some.” — Saints head coach Sean Payton, in an interview last week on Pro Football Talk Live at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis"

Ya think?

It’s nice to know that Sean Payton has seen the light. The question is does Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis have enough magic left in that hat of theirs to pull off another small miracle for the defense?

It’s hard to imagine that they don’t or they can’t. Sean Payton and Loomis have had the ability to find players who have been looked over and make them household names in any house with a gold fleur-de-lis hanging in the front of it.

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Take Robert Meachem or even Lance Moore for example, with the Saints they were legit threats every time they lined up for the Saints.  Moore went to the Steelers (and has since asked to be released) and no one has heard a peep from him.

Now the Saints and their fans are asking Payton and Loomis to do it for the defense.

If fans are looking for the proof in the pudding with these players than look no further than the 2013 season.

The 2013-2014 New Orleans Saints were fourth overall in the league in defense. It’s hard to imagine that the mighty defense of 2013 has fallen so far without their veteran players but, they have.

The Saints have to formulate a plan around the core of young players who have come into their ranks recently. The free agent market this off season is teeming with possibilities for the Saints.

There is home grown talent like Houma native and former Packers cornerback Tramon Williams, who is looking for a new team. Maybe he would give the Saints a hometown discount.

There is also Bryon Maxwell who would be an immediate impact player and game changer. While a player of Maxwell’s  ability and talent makes him pricey, don’t count the Saints out of the market for a player of his caliber.

Bryon Maxwell is still a possibility for the New Orleans Saints Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints are facing cap space problems  ($22.4 million over the projected salary cap) but, with some maneuvering that would include turning salary money into signing bonus money the Saints could make so legitimate room for a player like Maxwell.

When, not if the Saints are able to land an signature veteran defensive free agent or two off the market it will help bring together a very talented defensive backfield. The 2015 free agency pool is deeper than it has been in the past several years.

There’s no reason to think that the Saints wouldn’t be able to get what they need for their defense.  The Saints defense  and their fans are waiting for those several key players to fall into place.

The boys in the Black and Gold aren’t that far off from being the other half of what Drew Brees and his offensive teammates NEED, to push this Saints team back deep into the playoffs in 2015…….

Next: Drew Brees Will Have One of the Best Years of his Career in 2015