A Tale of Two Franchises

The Saints’ big draft-day trades to twice jump ahead of the hapless Bengals to take the best available DTs on the board highlights the difference between an aggressive front office who are determined to win and a complacent front office who are hoping to win.

Both the Bengals and Saints finished 2007 with disappointing 7-9 records – but each teams’ response in the offseason could not be more different.  

In the free agency window, the Saints were active in addressing their weaknesses. They had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2007. So they traded a 4^th rounder to the Jets for LB Jonathan Vilma and signed LB Dan Morgan. They also signed big-time free agents CB Randall Gay from New England and DE Bobby McCray from the Jags.

In the Bengals offseason, they only signed DE Antwan Odom from the Titans after botching a few trades to bulk up their interior line and refusing to trade Chad Johnson. The Bengals remain well under the salary cap. 

Both the Bengals and Saints had interior defensive linemen as their top targets. The Bengals hoped that Sedrick Ellis would fall to them at the #9 overall pick. Well, the Saints made sure they got Ellis and traded up in front of the Bengals to snag him.

Then in the 5^th, with Demario Pressley (DT, NC State), still available, the Saints AGAIN traded ahead of the Bengals and were able to take perhaps the biggest value of the entire draft. The Bengals, likely with no backup plan, were forced to scramble and ended up taking the guy with the perhaps the most character issues in the entire draft. 

So, lets recap. Saints and Bengals finish 2007 at 7-9. Saints aggressively sign multiple free agents to shore up defense. Bengals sign one guy, stay well under salary cap. Saints make trades to ensure they get the best available DTs. Bengals do nothing and end up with a linebacker, a 3^rd round DT and a DT with huge character issues.

Could the Bengals 2008 season turn out better than the Saints? Of course.  All things being equal, does Mike Brown want to win?  Of course.  The difference is that the Saints have proven that they want to win NOW. Can you really say the same thing about the Bengals?

Comments

[Mike]

Our free agent policy is terrible all the way around and it gives me a migraine. At least this should keep us out of the Shaun Alexander running.

Regarding the draft though, the Bengals would have had to trade their first 3rd round pick because the second one was compensatory (which you cannot trade). So they wouldn't have gotten the pick where they received Sims. So the question is...

Would you rather have Rivers, Simpson and Sims

or

Ellis and Simpson?

I don't know the answer to this question.