Getting Them Marching Again - A New Orleans Connected Franchise (M16)

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Firings

Dolphins Let Philbin Go

Jerry Jones Tells Jason Garrett to Pack his Bags

Clash of Personalities has Pagano Leaving the Building in Indianapolis

Buccaneers Make Lovie Walk the Plank

Extensions

Bengals Show Commitment to Coach Lewis with a 3 year Extension

Despite Conference Championship Playoff Loss - The Hood re-ups for another 3 years in New England

Hirings

The Giants take the First Gamble of the Offseason: Sign Clemson's Spread-Offense Maestro; Tomas Single to a 3 year Contract

Ravens are Quick to Stabilize Staff; Sign Lovie Smith to a 3 year Contract

Harbaugh to Replace Pagano In Indianapolis - Cites "working with a young phenom like Andrew Luck" as the main reason.

[glassjaw05]

First Failure for New Owners?

Following the meetings early last week between Saint's upper management and several Head Coaching candidates, members within the organization seemed very confident in their ability to lock down their top choice; John Harbuagh. New Owner, Rickey Jackson, was practically gushing to the media following their meeting, about how well Harbaugh got along with everyone in the building and how impressed they were with his interview. On top of that, they were very intrigued by his vertical based offense and thought it would suit their personality and aims well. Not to mention his success in the post-season and at the Big Dance with his former team, the Ravens.

Unfortunately for New Orleans, and Jackson, they learned the hard way that if you're invested in a particular candidate, then you cannot allow them to leave the city without first signing a contract. Despite Jackson claiming that they had come to a verbal agreement, which ended up being quoted as larger than the contract Harbaugh eventually received from the Colts, news broke early Monday morning that he had put pen to paper in Indianapolis. Jackson was obviously surprised when informed of the breaking news, as stated that he felt 'betrayed and misled' by Harbaugh. When informed of this response, Harbaugh shrugged his shoulders and offered the following as his explanation and condolences;

"While the people in the front office seemed nice, New Orleans is a bit of a sinking ship. Payton did the smart thing and retired to Texas, Brees is getting the last of his money before he's over the hill and then what's left really? Where's my competitive incentive? Compare that to coming here to Indianapolis, where I've got one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, headlined by Andrew Luck. Please, that's a pretty easy decision from my spot, regardless of the money.

There you have it folks, we could be looking at a return to the years of The 'Aints, with our first disappointment served up by the clear dismissal by John Harbaugh.

[glassjaw05]

End of An Era of Golden QB's?

Tom Brady - QB, New England Patriots
(4 Superbowls, 6 AFC Championships, 17 Individual Awards)

Peyton Manning - QB, Indianapolis Colts & Denver Broncos
(1 Superbowl, 3 AFC Championships, 20 Individual Awards)

Charles Woodson - DB, Oakland Raiders & Green Bay Packers
(1 Superbowl, 2 Conference Championships, 11 Individual Awards)

Steve Smith Sr. - WR, Carolina Panthers & Baltimore Ravens
(1 NFC Championship, 7 Individual Awards)

Steven Jackson - HB, St Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons & New England Patriots
(3 Individual Awards)

Vince Wilfork - DT, New England Patriots & Houston Texans
(1 Superbowl, 3 AFC Championships, 5 Individual Awards)

Eli Manning - QB, New York Giants
(2 Superbowls, 2 NFC Championships, 3 Individual Awards)

Tony Romo - QB, Dallas Cowboys
(4 Individual Awards)

Other Notable Players:
Robert Garza - C
Fred Jackson - HB
Vonta Leach - FB
Cory Redding - LE
Scott Wells - C
Shane Lechler - P
Shaun Hill - QB
DeAngelo Williams - HB
Luck McCown - QB
Matt Schaub - QB
Wes Welker - WR
Adam Vinatieri - K
Reggie Bush - HB
Darnell Dockett - RE
Roddy White - WR
Jonathan Babineaux - DT
Frank Gore - HB
James Harrison - ROLB
Dwight Freeney - ROLB
Chales Tillman - CB
Mike Vick - QB
Reggie Wayne - WR

[glassjaw05]

Lombardi Returns Home Again

Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs
Feb 7, 2016 1 2 3 4 F GNB (14-6) 7 14 10 7 38 KAN (14-6) 0 3 0 7 10 Top Performers PASS: A. Rodgers - 19/30, 255Yds, 2 TD, 2 INT RUSH: J. Charles - 23Att, 108Yds REC: J. Nelson - 5 Rec, 69Yds	Team Stats Comparison GNB KAN First Downs 18 14 3rd Down Efficiency 8 9 4th Down Efficiency 0 1 Total Yards 497 468 Passing Yards 255 171 Rushing Yards 150 133 Penalties-Penalty Yards 56yds 50yds Turnovers 2 4 Time of Possession 35:48 24:12

[glassjaw05]

"Alright Gentlemen, it gets serious from this point forward. All the papers have been signed and the votes have fallen in our favor, we control the fate of the New Orleans Saints. Now we're already behind the eight ball thanks to bloody John Harbaugh using us as leverage to get a sweeter deal in Indy, but we can't let that set the tone for this off-season. Time to get back on the front foot and get the guy whose going to take us to the Big Dance locked down"

Rickey Jackson spoke with a smooth flowing, but deep baritone, letting his vowels draw out like any good boys whose spent enough time down south. Sitting in his office were the newly appointed staff of the Saints, including his PA; Harper Blake, Head Scout; Rod Woodall, Head Athletic Trainer; Nick Garrett and both Archie and Willie via conference call. There was also various other staff ranging from media relations, finances, marketing and grounds, who popped in throughout the day, but until they appointed a new Head Coach, these six individuals made the all of the key decisions for the franchise.

"So, have you made your mind up between Pagano and the A&M guy?"

Archie's voice carried the gruff undertones which continued to display his overall frustration about the fact that both of his sons had retired over the past week. While Peyton was more or less expected due to age and health, Eli's meandering press conference gave the impression that he was upset about Coach Coughlin retiring and was essentially throwing a hissy fit, which did nothing but piss his father off.

"That 'A&M Guy' is our man Archie. There's too much feedback on Chuck that he's a handful and Jim Glidewell might be the guy to break the college to pro funk. He's got a defense that I got a good feeling about and he sure as hell know's how to move the ball downfield. Plus he's organized as hell, lives and breathes football and has an inside track on the current college kids to boot. He and I will collaborate on personnel and see what we can get out of Drew before he hangs them up."

It was a conclusion which obviously divided the room, with both Archie, Willie and Garrett posing questions about viability of an up-tempo, vertical offense in the NFL, how long it would take to install and problems getting some of the older veterans on board with such a drastic regime change. It was clear, however, that Jackson had made up his mind and they were moving onto the next stage of problems; introductory presser for Glidewell, re-signing veterans, scouting and planning for free agency and the draft.

[glassjaw05]

Saints Hoping Jim Knows How to Keep Gliding in the NFL

The New Orleans Saints have crowned their new King today and he comes in the form of Jim Glidewell. Glidewell spent the past 4 seasons turning the Texas Aggies into a Big 12 afterthought to a SEC contender. His offense emphasizes putting vertical pressure on the defense, which means he may be looking to add another burner or two the the receiving corp. His defense, if it resembles his college formations, means that the Saints will need to add some disruptive D-lineman and more mobile linebackers.

Glidewell was confident in his opening presser, but stressed that patience was key in developing a winning culture and attitude within an organization. He has a quick turnaround now to look at the current roster and trim any fat that he finds superfluous and lock down any crucial expiring contracts. Then he'll look to bolster any holes in free agency before hitting the draft head on in two months. It might be Glidewell himself that's running an up-tempo until he finds his feet in the Pro ranks. Time will tell if he's going to help return the Saints to prominence or simply assist their descent back in the 'Aints.

[glassjaw05]

Re-Sign Players Meeting

"Alright Jim, the introduction is over, so let's get to work. First thing we need to agree upon is who to bring back. So lets go through by position and get our thoughts and decisions out in the open." - Rickey Jackson (RJ)

Name (Age/ Years Under Contract Left) – “Opinions/Thoughts” Decision

OFFENSE

QB
D. Brees (37/1) – Big cap hit, but the only continuity the franchise has right now. Captain and starter for the foreseeable future. - RJ
G. Grayson (25/3)- Decent development prospect heading into his second season. - RJ
M. Flynn (31/0) - Let him go, with a new system there's no benefit in keeping him over anyone else - Jim Glidewell (JG) - RELEASED
L. McGown – RETIRED

HB
M. Ingram (26/3)- Solid starter, could be upgraded,still has 3 years under contract, but did also have a pretty severe injury last season that he's still rehabbing. - JG
C. Spiller (29/3) – Solid cap hit, but could be highly effective as a backfield receiver in my offense. - JG
T. Hightower (30/0)- Played well, but has hit that 30 hump – RJ - RELEASED
K. Robinson (26/0) - Has been a hard nosed runner, but we’ll see what’s one the free agent market before we look to bring him back – RJ - RELEASED

FB
A. Johnson (27/0)- Great team player and good influence in the locker room, but I think you’ll be wanting more of a receiver/H-back for this role? – RJ - RELEASED

WR
B. Cooks (22/2)- Great player, developing well, should do very nicely in my offense - JG
M. Colston (33/1) - Not quite to the level of Drew and tapering a little in his ild age, but even with his cap number we should retain him and finish out his contract, he has done a lot for this team and he’s still serviceable - RJ
W. Snead (24/1) - Could definitely contribute in the new offense, hopefully continues to develop next season. - JG
B. Coleman (24/1) - Large target, who can be very useful as a fourth or fifth option. - JG
S. Jones (24/0) - Hasn’t developed as hoped over the last season, can’t see him contributing in any meaningful way. – RJ - RELEASED

TE
J. Hill (26/0)- Feel like he could really fit into my offense, great downfield speed and natural receiver. Depends on how much he’s looking for. – JG – MAKE AN OFFER
B. Watson (35/0) -Great team man, has really contributed nicely over the past couple of seasons, but his age is a huge question mark. - RJ - RELEASED
M. Hoomanawanui (28/0) - Doesn’t fit in the blueprint of what we’re after in a TE. – RJ - RELEASED
R. Allen (26/0) - Hasn’t been the development shown that would allow him to be retained as a prospect - RJ - RELEASED

LT
T. Armstead (25/1) - One of the best at his position in the league, we need to get him locked in for the long term ASAP - JG

LG
T. Lelito (27/0) - Solid starter, could be improved upon, but depending on his asking price, should be retained. – RJ – MAKE AN OFFER
M. McGlynn (31/0) - Declined as an effective back-up. – RJ - RELEASED

C
M. Unger (30/1) - Very good starter, but huge cap number for a center, also entering his final contract year, could look to move him for something? – JG – POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT
S. Kelemete (26/0) - Moved all over the line since he was drafted and never really found a home. – RJ - RELEASED

RG
J Evans (33/2) - Huge cap hit and declining ability, might try to move him just to free up some room, he has helped turn the franchise around from that 2005 draft however. – RJ - POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT

RT
A. Peat (22/3) - Would have been nice to see some more development from him over his first year, but we’ll see what happens next season - RJ
Z. Strief (32/3) - Solid cap hit for a backup, we might need to just bite the bullet and release him, as I don’t see anyone willing to give anything up for him. – JG – CAP CASUALTY

DEFENSE

LE
B. Richardson (24/2) – Not sure that he fits into our new defensive scheme, but I think we should wait and see what the market has by the way of an upgrade first - JG
T. Barnes (25/2) - Similar situation as Bobby, minimal cap problem, but hopefully we can upgrade the position and look to find more suitable ends - JG

RE
C. Jordan (27/5) - The face and leader of the defense. Locked down for the foreseeable future. - RJ
O. Gwacham (25/3) - Sit in the boat with the other two LE’s, hopefully we can find some more quality depth in the free agent pool and give these guys a chance to compete in the pre-season - JG

DT
J. Jenkins (27/1) - As a NT and a space filler he doesn’t really fit what we’re trying to do on D, see if there’s any interest in him on the trade block? We really need to upgrade our DT position to have an effective defense. – JG – POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT
T. Davison (23/3) - Decent rookie season, but needs to develop more in order to get a second contract. - RJ
L. Virgil (25/0) - Has not shown that he can make an impact when he gets on the field. – RJ – RELEASED

LOLB
H. Kikaha (24/3) - High energy player, can probably find some time as a situation pass rusher, but this is really the position we should be looking at to improve our defense and particularly coverage. - JG
K. Edebali (27/1) - Does not fit in the new scheme – RJ – RELEASED

MLB
D. Hawthorne (31/1) - Great leadership and experience at LB, but probably does not have the mobility to start in the new 4-3 hybrid. Could look to get something for him before he’s out of contract. – JG – POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT
S. Anthony (24/3) - Solid first year, has the skills and athletic ability to start in our defense, but needs to continue to improve. - RJ
M. Mauti (26/1) - Two knee surgeries has not left him a mobile backer, may need upgrade the backup spot and let them compete in the pre-season - JG

ROLB
D. Ellerbe (30/2) - Solid player, but again it would be a huge improvement to get a slightly smaller, quicker player into this spot as a starter for the new D, he could certainly play a role as backup, but that would give him an inflated cap number. – RJ - B]POTENTIAL TRADE BAIT[/b]
R. Humber (29/1) - Similar spot as Mauti, we’ll see what we can add in terms of the draft and free agency and let them compete - JG

CB
D. Breaux (26/2) -
K. Lewis (30/2) -
K. Wilson (29/0) - Solid back-up but not worth his asking price or the occasional head aches that he causes on the practice field. – RJ – RELEASED
T. Carter (30/0) - Decent fill in during injuries last year, but age and skill level means we’ll let him walk. - RJ – RELEASED
P. Williams (23/3) -
D. Swann (23/3) -

FS
J. Byrd (29/4) - One of the biggest cap hits on the team, but also has occasionally started to flash the ability that we signed him for, give him one more season to show his value before we start put him on the trade block. - JG
R. Bush (29/0) - Has been a great teammate and solid locker room influence, but he wants a long term contract at 29, let him walk and bring in someone to develop behind Byrd. - JG – RELEASED

SS
K. Vaccaro (25/1) - Continues to show the skills and the instincts, but needs to take another step to be a real impact defender, but certainly fits what we’ll want out of a SS - RJ
J. Sanford (31/0) - Age and asking price don’t mesh with what we’re doing – JG – RELEASED
V. Sunseri (22/2)- Decent back-up, who can hopefully develop over the next two seasons to see some field time - RJ

SPECIAL TEAMS

K
K. Forbath (28/0) - Hopefully we can upgrade this spot in the draft or free agency – RJ – RELEASED

P
T. Morstead (30/3) - Premier punter, but has a sizeable cap number, worth keeping in mind. - JG

[glassjaw05]

Josh Hill - TE: Resigned for 3 years for $4.5M


Tim Lelito - LG: Resigned for 4 years for $6M