A Call for Change in New Orleans

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No protection plan needed for these witnesses
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
John DeShazier


Saints players would've made awful witnesses on their behalves.

Any jury of their peers would have looked past their words and into their eyes and body language as the boys of Black and Gold attempted to steer clear of the obvious and promote the ridiculous, that they still (sigh) are mathematically alive.

Better, probably, to have clammed up after being read their Miranda Rights after Sunday's 24-21 loss to Atlanta, to plead the Fifth instead of take the stand, to do everything possible to avoid incriminating themselves.

Here, though, is what is evident regardless of what is said by a team that is 4-7 in the pitiful NFC and has lost six of its past eight games: Changes in management shouldn't be -- and, hopefully, won't be -- the only ones that are made in the can't-arrive-soon-enough offseason.

Salary cap be darned, the roster begs for adjustment.

As much as there is to like about quarterback Aaron Brooks on and off the field, and easy as it would be statistically to advocate a long-term stay, the fact is it appears he has topped out as a player in New Orleans. Although he might benefit from new tutelage as a Saint, he might prosper even better in a new environment.

One can't ignore the description-defying errors that still occur at the worst of times, making what otherwise would be a sparkling career touchdown-interception ratio (99-61) as pedestrian as a plus-38 ratio ever could be.

And, of course, there's the biggest ratio of all -- minus-2 as the Saints' starting quarterback, his 32-34 record much more meaningful than his march up the charts in the team record book.

It's hard to imagine a team exists that has more of a hang-dog look when its quarterback makes a mistake, even though the coaching staff offers that a good portion of those mistakes aren't the quarterback's fault. Maybe future free agent Drew Brees will inspire a better reception, if his escalating value can be met and he can be pried away from San Diego.

The corps of linebackers must be gutted. Enough said.

Whatever can be extracted in exchange for Johnathan Sullivan, who shrinks daily in status but never in girth, should be taken and viewed as a steal. The light hasn't flipped on for the second-year defensive tackle, and the Saints now look like idiots for trading two first-rounds picks (No. 17 and 18) to move up to the No. 6 overall spot in the 2003 draft, where they took a player who's inactive on game days. Even, shamefully, on the occasions he's a member of the Sunday roster.

All that needs to be said of the secondary is this: Safety Jay Bellamy, whose starting position had been given away before last season and who might not have gotten it back if not for an injury to Mel Mitchell, has been the best and most consistent playmaker on defense the past two years.

How many keepers are on the offensive line, based on this season? And is the spotty play an aberration, since the unit was considered a strength last year, or a coincidence, because of Deuce McAllister's bad ankle?

Obviously, every move that could be made can't, or won't, be made. The cap can't completely be ignored and trading players isn't easy. One team must find another that's willing to assume the responsibility of the former's headache, probably in exchange for taking on a headache of the latter's.

So a new staff will be left with the task of "coaching up" some of the leftovers, hopefully extracting uninterrupted maximum effort from players who either brain lock or take off plays, quarters and games. And new management will be handed the job of unearthing gems in the low rounds of the draft and among the non-marquee free agents.

And maybe sooner rather than later, the witnesses won't be so easily discredited.

. . . . . . .


John DeShazier can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3410.

 

Hard to do with a parasol toting owner who doesn't know what to do with the team.
New stadium, new city?

They are hamstrung