5 things Saints fans should want to hear
The naysayers are everywhere as the New Orleans Saints opened training camp.
Some have jumped ship because of the Junior Galette fiasco and the huge negative impact on next year’s salary cap it caused.
Others have convinced themselves that Drew Brees is on the down side of his career and is no longer an elite quarterback.
Last year’s chemistry issues, including the Galette’s situation, seemed to indicate to many that the locker room has unraveled and is no longer of championship caliber.
And then there was the defense, which featured no pass rush, a lack of ability to stop the run when needed and the most porous secondary in recent memory.
With that said, let’s consider the five statements Saints fans should most like to hear coming out of training camp.
No. 1 – Offensive line is more physical
There are other significant issues, don’t get me wrong. But this one has to take place to avoid another long season.
For starters, Max Unger has to stay healthy. It’s going to be tough for the Jimmy Graham lovers to let him go without any more gnashing of teeth if Unger misses games.
This offense has never needed a dominant offensive line to function at a high level, but last year showed that it still needs a credible NFL unit.
Falling short of that standard, Brees was constantly pressured up the middle and the running game after Mark Ingram was injured in week two was very limited.
Tim Lelito needs to make a smooth transition to guard and Andrus Peat needs to be ready if called upon. Zach Strief is a great friend of the media, but his days as an every-down starter are shrinking.
Protecting Brees will make the passing game more efficient and running the ball effectively will help the receivers get more single coverage and the defense more rest.
No. 2 – Those new cornerbacks, wow
It’s not about being mean or cruel.
The cover skills of last year’s secondary were simply frightening at times.
Opposing quarterbacks threw to wide-open receivers all day long.
It’s still hard to figure out why the Saints didn’t address the cornerback position immediately after the Champ Bailey experiment failed.
That situation was certainly rectified this past offseason. Brandon Browner has been a cover corner for the last two Super Bowl champions and gives Keenan Lewis seasoned help on the edges.
After that duo, Delvin Breaux brings a story to camp that will be all over the national news if he makes the club.
And by all accounts so far, the former McDonogh 35 star and LSU signee who broke his neck during a high school game at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans nine years ago also brings a lot of athletic ability to his hometown team.
Early talk also suggests that 2014 second-rounder Stanley Jean-Batiste is looking better. Add veteran reserve Kyle Wilson and third-round pick P.J. Williams of Florida State and suddenly defensive coordinator Rob Ryan may actually have more cornerback options than he knows what to do with.
At least that’s the hope after last year’s debacle.
If the cornerbacks do their job this fall, the pass rush will improve and the burden on the safeties will be lightened.
No. 3 – That Spiller guy is really good
Is it possible that former Buffalo Bills’ running back C.J. Spiller turns out being Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush in the same package?
That’s probably going a little too far, but consider the fact that Spiller had rushing seasons of 1,244 and 933 yards during his five-year stay in Buffalo.
He also had a 56-catch, 459-yard receiving season in 2012.
And don’t forget that all of those numbers came in a limited offense with bottom-tier quarterbacks running the show.
Something tells me this move to consistently warmer weather conditions is going to suit Spiller’s game just fine.
If so, a productive Spiller will cover up for the absence of Graham and overall lack of quality depth at wide receiver.
No. 4 – Oh, that’s Jairus Byrd
One of the biggest reasons why Saints fans were so excited entering training camp a year ago was the acquisition of free safety Jairus Byrd.
Instead of being the ball-hawking safety the defense has been needing since Darren Sharper retired to begin his path to prison, Byrd was a virtual no-show all season.
He played terrible for three games and then suffered a season-ending injury.
It’s crucial that Byrd perform like the playmaker and quarterback of the defense that Ryan and the Saints fans thought they were getting from Buffalo a year ago.
The last thing New Orleans needs is for Byrd to be remembered in the same category as Tebucky Jones a decade from now.
No. 5 – He’s not Jimmy, but he’s not bad
A year ago, reserve tight end Josh Hill caught 14 passes for 176 yards and five touchdowns for the Saints.
With Graham gone, the 6-5, 250-pound just might get his big chance to prove that he’s a legitimate No. 1 tight end in this league.
Sean Payton has been raving about Hill’s abilities throughout the offseason, but that’s almost expected. Time will tell how genuine those comments were.
A few things are for sure. One is that Hill won’t attract the attention that Graham did, and secondly, Hill is faster than Graham.
That will mean different routes, and probably fewer targets, that doesn’t mean Hill can’t still take pressure off the wide receiving corps.