Saints snagged Travis Etienne, but did early free agency moves leave critical needs unaddressed? An analyst weighs in on their strategic priorities.
If they're not done yet, the New Orleans Saints have been slow starters in free agency. While the Saints made a splash in the early going with an impact player addition at running back in Travis Etienne, they have since seemingly gone radio silent to some in making big splash additions.
One analyst believes that the Saints may have done too little to address their actual needs in free agency. Yago Atunes wrote the following of how the team might have mishandled their opportunity to build a contender.
"Some may argue that signing David Edwards addressed the offensive line, which provides some protection. And while that is partially accurate, since left guard was indeed a need, signing a guard alone does not define the offense's identity. Edwards may improve one aspect of the line, but he does not alleviate the heavy reliance on Chris Olave remaining healthy and productive for the pass-catching unit. Finally, it doesn’t remove the awkwardness of investing significant funds in the running back room while ignoring the most critical position on the field.
The core of the mistake lies in the order of priorities. Because of all the players the Saints signed (Travis Etienne, Doug Edwards, Kaden Ellis and Noah Fant), the problem is that New Orleans spent its initial moves in free agency on positions that made the roster appear busier but not necessarily wiser."
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) runs with the ball against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Steve Roberts-Imagn ImagesWhile true that the Saints did not address the wide receiver position, and, by extension, probably could have done more to build Shough's offensive line, the team will have an opportunity to address those needs for cheaper in the NFL draft.
It is uncertain New Orleans was going to be able to afford a quality No. 2 receiver that would make more of an impact than Etienne would at running back. In addition, quality offensive linemen are usually held onto by their teams as well given how valuable they are. So, if there is a game changing offensive lineman, the player may be out of the Saints' price range as well.
New Orleans might not have done as much as they would have liked to this point, but they should be able to add an impact player with the No. 8 overall pick. Wide receiver might be the first place the team looks to improve. We will monitor where the team goes with their first draft pick in April.