Will the Saints Draft a TE?
Mar/25/10 11:29 PM Filed in:
Jeremy Shockey I have noticed that the Saints aren't as explosive with Jeremy Shockey out of the lineup. Do you think the Saints should get a tight end with one of their top two picks?
A: Yes and no, Chris. I think if the Saints do draft a top tight end prospect in the first or second round, he would excel in their offense and develop into a regular Pro Bowler. This offense is made for tight ends, only they've never really had one consistent tight end stay healthy in the years that Sean Payton and Drew Brees have been here. They've gone through Ernie Conwell, Mark Campbell, Billy Miller, Eric Johnson, Shockey and David Thomas, among others. And all of them have performed well when they're in the lineup. I think if the Saints had, for example, drafted Greg Olsen in Round 1 in 2007, he'd be an absolute star in this offense. ... And I think with Shockey's physical style and the fact that he's getting older, a young tight end would make a lot of sense in the draft. If the Saints go with an offensive player early, I think that would be the position to target.
But all of that being said, I don't think the Saints NEED a tight end in the draft. They've proven that all of those fill-in guys can work just fine, and David Thomas is still a young player with the potential to develop into a top tight end in this league. So it's a position where they can have success without making a real big investment.
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(nola.com)