S73 Final 53: Is this the year?

by mayne41event | 3 years ago | 0 Comments

 

By Donovan Simmons | @RZDSimmons | January 26, 2022 7:35pm 

Another offseason has finished. Another training camp and preseason has past. It is now the start of Season 73 of RedZone. Looking back on S72, it was the tail of two halves. Year 2 of Colin Hamels took a bit of a nose dive as the Saints started out 0-7 with no clear end in sight. Enter Pj Walker. Week 8 as the Saints host their division rival Tampa Bay Bucs. They went 7-3 down the stretch with wins over the aforementioned Bucs, Panthers, Texans and gave the Vikings all they could handle in a narrow loss.

At season’s end, all signs were pointing to turning the reins over to PJ going forward. He even resigned for 4 years. And with no first round pick and limited selections, drafting another QB was not in the cards. Then, the free agent QB exodus happened. Tua, Wilson, Brady, Stafford and Tannehill all on the market. And with the 3+1 players signing very team friendly deals, the cap space was there for a move to be made. Also, the dealing of Michael Thomas to the Steelers (Saints players love playing in the AFC North) freed up more space for 9 free agents to sign on the dotted line.

 

MLB Khaleke Hudson 3yrs $10.7 mil

CB Michael Ojemudia 3yrs $16.7 mil

CB Will Jackson III 2yrs $12.1 mil

WR Robert Woods 1yr $8.55 mil

TE Adam Shaheen 2yrs $5.5 mil

K Jake Elliott 3yrs $8.55 mil

QB Matthew Stafford 1yr $21 mil

DT Ross Blacklock 2yrs $11 mil 

WR Devin Duvernay 3yrs $15.2 mil

 

On top of freeing up cap, the Saints also received a current 3rd round pick and a future 2nd round pick. The future 2rd was flipped into a slew of late round picks from the Browns (More AFC North Deals). That gave them 9 total selections for the draft and they are listed below. Also listed are the players signed to the practice squad. 

 

2.14 - RT Walter Lowry VT

3.12 - DT Jaden Telfer WVU

4.11 - HB Julian Simmons UGA

5.11 - WR Matt Devine North Dakota

5.14 - TE Greg Weston Iowa

5.23 - RE Tashaun Whiteside Stanford 

6.4 - WR Derek Faulkner Tulane

6.14 - LT Cris Gentry USC 

7.14 - DT Frederick Harris Ohio

 

Practice Squad

 

WR Lance Long

WR Tommy Nicks

WR Steven Spikes

TE Greg Weston

T Cris Gentry

T Vince Jackson

G Zac Hood

DE Tashaun Whiteside

DT Forrest Gipson

LB JaWuan Hendricks

CB Sterling Smith

S Danny Goodwin

 

And now, the Season 73 final 53 for your New Orleans Saints

QB - Matthew Stafford, PJ Walker

The vote of confidence for PJ lasted all of 2 free agency weeks. But the veteran Stafford is only signed through S73 for now. Turning 37 at season’s end, his future in Nawlins after this season is up in the air. 

 

RB - Alvin Kamara, Garrison Henley, Donnell Pierce, Julian Simmons (R), James McCoy (FB)

The Kamara-ly Bros really carried this offense last year. Combining for 23k and 19 TDs on the ground. Pierce also returns and will fill in for either Kamara or Henley if any time is missed. 4th round pick Julian Simmons out of UGA is of a different mold of back. Giving the RB room more of a speedster and he will handle the return duties. 

 

WR - Robert Woods, Devin Duvernay, Allen Lazard, Michael Pittman, Bryan Barden, Derek Faulkner (R), Matt Devine (R) 

The trade of mainstay Thomas gives this WR core a much different look. Pittman and Barden are the main holdovers. Lazard returns as well, but after the signings of Robert Woods and Devin Duvernay, Lazard may be the odd man out. Rookies Faulkner and Devine may be too talented to not find their way on the field this season. 

 

TE - Juwan Johnson, Dalton Keene, Adam Shaheen, Dylan Soehner

With Adam Trautman not resigning as a 3+1, all signs point to Juwan Johnson taking the lead in the TE room. Greg Weston was selected in the 5th round, but an injury in rookie camp landed him on the P-Squad. Soehner returns and Dalton Keene was signed prior to their week 3 game at Las Vegas after a practice injury to Adam Shaheen. 

 

T - Ryan Ramczyk, Andrew Bates, Walter Lowry (R)

Ramczyk continues to anchor the right side of the OLine. While Bates takes over for Eli Wilkerson, who was released in the preseason. 2nd round selection Lowry will be the swing tackle.

 

G - Cesar Ruiz, Ty Hoffman, Rob Horan, Marvin Kramer 

The two most improved players from last season to this were Ruiz and Hoffman. The two of them really flourished once the Saints switched to a more power run scheme. Hoffman has excelled in being the pulling guard. While Ruiz has taken the lead on the screen game. Horan and Kramer offer solid depth. 

 

C - Erik McCoy, Michael Dieter

The Pro Bowler McCoy is the man in the middle. Looking to have another solid season. The 5-year vet Dieter will be his backup.

 

DE - Marcus Davenport, Bart McCloud, Payton Turner, Avery Boss

The trio of Davenport, McCloud and Turner combined for 19 sacks last year. They look to wreck more havoc this season as well. 

 

DT - Jerry Choice, Ross Blacklock, Frederick Harris (R), Jaden Telfer (R)

Choice didn’t take long to show why he was a first round selection last year, along with McCloud. He’ll be firmly in place at the top spot with the retirement of Suh and not resigning Godchaux. Blacklock comes over as a free agent after spending 3 seasons in Houston. Rookies Harris and Telfer will be the depth. And keep an eye out for 3rd round pick Jaden Telfer, he showed signs of being something special in camp. 

 

OLB - Pete Werner, Rashaud Shepherd, Zack Baun, Bobby Boyd

The OLB’s remain intact for S73. Werner and Boyd remain the starters. But Baun will for sure see time. And Shepherd will occasionally have his hand in the ground in pass rush situations. 

 

MLB - Khaleke Hudson, Joel Iyiegbuniwe

Nick Kwitikowski was released at the beginning of free agency. While there was some discussion of sliding over Pete Werner, the Saints opted to bring in the 4yr man Khaleke Hudson after spending 3yrs in Washington with the Football Team. Iyiegbuniwe will back him up.

 

CB - Marshon Lattimore, William Jackson III, Michael Ojemudia, Jimmy Moreland, Paulson Adebo, George Freeman

Lattimore remains CB1. But the one knock on this defense has always been, who will lock down the other side? The Saints have cycled in 6 CBs over the last three years. Jimmy Moreland the only one to last more than one season. Now enter William Jackson III and Michael Ojemudia, corners 7&8 respectfully. Paulson Adebo really showed out last year and earned the CB4/Dime package role. 

 

S - CJ Gardner-Johnson, Julian Love, JC Holley, Connor Murray

CJGJ played out of his mind last season. Second in INTs (14), Pro Bowler and he returns with his running mate Julian Love, who signed his 3+1 deal after playing on the franchise tag last year. Holley and Murray both return as their backups. 

 

Specialist - Jake Elliott, Blake Gillikin

Wil Lutz did not resign. Insert Jake Elliott into this kicking tandem. . 

 

Follow me @RZDSimmons on Twitter all season long for Saints coverage. And check out the team page at daddyleagues.com/redzone/team/NO