The Saints went all-in on Marcus Davenport. Neworleanssaints.com
Now that the 2018 NFL Draft is over, fans naturally will examine and evaluate how their favorite team did. Just as important, they’ll consider how their team’s rivals did. As a native New Orleanian and lifelong Saints fan, I’m locked in on the Saints’ haul of next year’s rookies. However, this is my maiden voyage at putting my thoughts out there for all to see. So let’s take a look:
1st Round, #14 Overall: Marcus Davenport, DE, UT San Antonio
This was a classic high-ceiling, low-floor, and may I add bold move. The Saints have been searching for a pass rusher to play opposite Cam Jordan for the past two or three years. Swapping first-round positions with the Packers, plus throwing in a fifth-rounder this year and first-rounder next year was a hefty price to pay. That, and passing on quarterback Lamar Jackson to go all-in on a position of need makes this pick ultra risky. Here’s to hoping it pans out. If it does, the Saints could find themselves in another deep playoff run.
3rd Round, #91 Overall: Tre’Quan Smith, WR, UCF
Wide receiver definitely wasn’t a position of need. Actually, this pick crowds the receiving corps meeting room. Sure, Ted Ginn Jr. is 33 years old and free agent acquisition Cameron Meredith is coming off a season-ending injury. But why not look at a tight end instead? Smith may work out, but I don’t agree with the pick.
4th Round, #127 Overall: Rick Leonard, OT, Florida State
The good news is, the Saints probably won’t need Leonard to play right away. The bad news is, possibly they may. With multiple injuries along the offensive line last year, depth is a major worry heading into 2018. Losing Swiss Army Knife backup Senio Kelemete is going to hurt. Leonard has played the O-line only two years, which could prove troublesome if he’s thrust into duty early on.
5th Round, #164 Overall: Natrell Jamerson, S, Wisconsin
If you look at Jamerson as a safety only, it’s a head-scratcher. They signed Kurt Coleman and have incumbents Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell at safety. But if you look at Jamerson’s two seasons at corner, this pick makes more sense and potentially could be another solid pick that was underestimated.
6th Round, #189 Overall: Kamrin Moore, CB, Boston College
Moore is the kind of guy who gets drafted because he doesn’t mind sticking his nose in it when tackling. The Saints’ man defense is not one of his strengths, however. Depth at defensive back will allow him time to develop, without having to be called upon to play too soon. If he makes the 53-man roster, it’ll be because of his contributions on special teams.
6th Round, #201 Overall: Boston Scott, RB, Louisiana Tech
File this under “what in the hell are they doing?!?” The Saints had an all-time great season from their running back duo last year. The backfield already is crowded, so why add to it? Why not take a project quarterback, or a converted tight end? Heck, take a chance on a guy who fell because of character concerns! Strengthening a strength is the only explanation for this pick.
7th Round, #245 Overall: Will Clapp, C, LSU
As current starter Max Unger continues to go further on the wrong side of age 30, finding a suitable replacement is necessary. Clapp was an All-SEC performer at center and guard during his time at LSU. I believe he has a higher probability to play before fouth rounder Leonard because of his experience and versatility.
I don’t assign grades to a team’s draft because it takes a few years to evaluate picks. Overall, I think the Saints filled holes with decent players and perhaps one or two future All-Pros. Not picking up a backup quarterback - or eventual Drew Brees replacement - leads me to believe Sean Payton is all-in on Taysom Hill being that guy. This draft, and next draft’s success, will rest on the shoulders of Davenport. The team gave up a lot to get him, so he has to pay off big time. Some of their mid and late-round selections have potential to be immediate contributors, which is always a plus. Training camp can’t get here fast enough. Preseason seems like eons away. I’m eager to see what these guys look like once the pads are on!
How 3 major x-factors could tip the scales in Texans-Colts: Week 1
Sep 5, 2024, 7:27 pm
Each football game of a season carries much more weight than one game in a 162 Major League Baseball schedule. That reality, combined with the National Football League campaign opening and with it the most anticipated season in Texans’ history, the Astros are relegated to second banana this weekend. Just the way it goes despite the Astros’ phenomenal extended run from 10 games out of first place in mid-June to now having control of the American League West race and a likely (though definitely not yet certain) eighth consecutive year of postseason play.
It is reality that getting swept out of Cincinnati cost the Astros two games in the standings to Seattle the last two days and trimmed their division lead to four and a half games going into this weekend. There was nothing shameful about getting swept. It’s not as if they choked. They got outplayed and beaten in all three games. Stuff happens within a 162-game season. The 2019 Astros were vastly better than the 2024 Astros. The 2019 ‘Stros posted the best record in franchise history at 107-55. In Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole they had the two best pitchers in the AL. The Reds finished 75-87 in ’19. In the lone Astros-Reds series five years ago, Verlander and Cole started two of the three games. The Reds swept the Astros out of Cincy by scores of 3-2, 4-3, and 3-2. Stuff happens. The following week the Astros called up Yordan Alvarez. There is no Yordan coming to fortify the offense now, but wait! Is that Kyle Tucker's music?
The Astros host the NL champs this weekend
It’s highly unlikely but it’s still a possible World Series preview at Minute Maid Park this weekend with the Astros home for three games versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The reigning National League Champions woke up under .500 July 11, but since then have been sizzling with 33 wins against just 15 losses. Over the same time frame the Astros are 27-21. The Diamondbacks by a large margin have scored the most runs in MLB this season, and that’s while playing the last nearly three weeks without Ketel Marte because of a high ankle sprain. Marte has been far and away the best second baseman in the game this year. He may return this weekend in a designated hitter role. The Arizona offense overall has been sensational, however it has vulnerability against left-handed pitching, in significant part because it typically takes lefty-hitting platoon beast Joc Pederson out of the lineup. The D’Backs are 55-35 in games facing right-handed starters, just 24-27 in games started by opposing southpaws. The Astros have lefties Framber Valdez and Yusei Kikuchi set to go in the first two games this weekend. While the Astros deal with the Diamondbacks the Mariners are in St. Louis for three against the Cardinals.
Eleven Diamondbacks have had at least 200 plate appearances this season. Only one of them has an OPS below .725. The Astros also have 11 guys with at least 200 PAs. Five of them lug around sub-.715 OPSes: Jeremy Pena (.714), Jake Meyers (.664), Mauricio Dubon (.645), Jon Singleton (.697), and Chas McCormick (.566).
Maximizing Tucker's return
Speaking of returns, Tucker fiiiiiiinally should see action for the first time since his June 3 bone bruise. Oh wait, broken leg. Shame on the Astros for their BSing over this and other injuries. Yeah, Alex Bregman slept funny. Whatever. To boost the lineup Tucker doesn’t have to be the .979 OPS MVP candidate he was when felled. Ben Gamel has done some good work, but over time he’s Ben Gamel. Same for Jason Heyward. If Tucker's legs are under him his power is a B-12 shot and only Yordan is in his league in on-base percentage. Joe Espada has decisions to make as to how slot the batting order. Against a right-handed starter Jose Altuve, Tucker, Alvarez, Yainer Diaz, Bregman one through five makes sense with Tucker dropping down below Yainer against a left-handed starter. No question those are the top five in some order. How much of a workload Tucker is ready for bears watching. Presumably he doesn’t initially play the outfield day in day out. When Tucker DHs obviously Bregman (and Yordan) can’t so Alex’s ailing elbow holding up is key. One might say hopefully the bone chips don’t fall where they may. Tuesday the Astros start a stretch playing 16 days in a row.
Keep hope alive!
If you’re an Astros fan holding out hope of chasing down the second seed to avoid having to play the best-of-three Wild Card series, say it with me, whatever nausea it may induce: “Go Dodgers Go!” Hurt as it might, business is business. The Dodgers play host to the Guardians. The Astros trail Cleveland by five games with just 22 to play, but do finish the regular season with three games at Cleveland. It's pretty much over for the Astros to catch both the Orioles and Yankees.
Season-long trends mean nothing once the playoffs start, and that’s a good thing for the Astros provided they are in the playoffs. They continue to flat out stink in close games. Thursday’s 1-0 loss to the Reds has the Astros record in one-run games at 15-24. In two-run games they are 10-14. Correlatively, the Astros also continue to routinely fail late in close games. The Astros have played 14 games that were tied after seven innings. They have lost 11 of the 14. In games tied after eight innings they are 7-13. Every team loses an extremely high percentage of games when trailing after eight innings, but the Astros haven’t pulled out a single game they’ve trailed going to the ninth. 0-50. Oh and fifty. But hey, the White Sox are 0-92!
*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and I discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.