METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints made some radical changes during last week's flurry of transactions. But perhaps the biggest philosophical change of all is the way they loaded up on draft picks.
The Saints now have nine picks in this year's draft, including five in the top 78 (two first-rounders, one second-rounder and two third-rounders). They could add another if they receive a compensatory pick.
If the Saints keep all nine picks, it will be the most since they drafted nine players in 2002.
In recent years, the Saints have been on the opposite end of the spectrum. They’ve had by far the fewest draft picks of any team in the NFL dating back to 2008 (38 -- with the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets tied for the second-fewest with 46, according to ESPN Stats and Information).
That’s an average of just 5.4 picks per year, thanks to a combination of trading up (Sedrick Ellis, Mark Ingram, Brandin Cooks, among others), trading for veteran players (Jonathan Vilma, Jeremy Shockey, among others) and losing two picks during Bountygate.
New Orleans has only had a total of three picks in Rounds 1 or 2 in the last three years combined.
This draft could become reminiscent of 2006, the Saints’ first year under coach Sean Payton, when they added a total of 10 players (eight draft picks and two veterans acquired in draft-day trades). And in some ways, it feels like the Saints are going back to their 2006 roots, when they felt a need to rebuild both the roster framework and culture of the franchise.
Here’s a tally of who has come and gone during the past two frantic weeks:
ADDITIONS:
CB Brandon Browner (free agent from New England Patriots)
RB C.J. Spiller (free agent from Buffalo Bills)
C Max Unger (trade from Seattle Seahawks)
LB Dannell Ellerbe (trade from Miami Dolphins)
1st-round draft pick (No. 31 from Seattle)
3rd-round draft pick (No. 78 from Miami)
5th-round draft pick (from Kansas City Chiefs; specific pick to be determined after compensatory selections)
RE-SIGNED FREE AGENTS:
RB Mark Ingram
LB Ramon Humber
(QB Luke McCown, LB Parys Haralson and K Shayne Graham re-signed last month)
SUBTRACTIONS:
TE Jimmy Graham (traded to Seattle)
G Ben Grubbs (traded to Kansas City)
WR Kenny Stills (traded to Miami)
RB Pierre Thomas (released; still unsigned)
LB Curtis Lofton (released; signed with Oakland Raiders)
CB Corey White (released; claimed by Dallas Cowboys)
DL Tyrunn Walker (signed with Detroit Lions)
STILL UNSIGNED:
OT Bryce Harris
LB Moise Fokou
