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Analyzing Pace in New Orleans


WindyCity

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The point has been made that Ryan Pace is trying to build the Saints offense in Chicago. Some of his recent draft picks would also confirm that this could be his focus as he goes to work on a rebuild on offense.

 

I thought by looking at the2 013-2014 Saints, his last yeas with the team, we could get some insight as to how the Bears may continue to add to the offense.

 

Some Overall Thoughts

 

-The Saints have always invested more at OG than OT, whether this is about Brees height or not is up for debate, but they have always had more invested in the interior OL than at OT, which seems to be the opposite of most of the league.
 

-Tons of speed at the WR position.

 

-Big basketball playing TEs.

 

The Positions

 

 

QB

 

Drew Brees [Mitch Trubisky]

 

Both QBs have exceptional accuracy and we have already heard Pace talk about the similar mental make ups of both players. I think Trubisky's mobility is a huge plus when you  compare him to Brees physically.

 

RB

 

Mark Ingram [Jordan Howard]

Darren Sproles [Tarik Cohen]

 

This position is one of the most obvious connections between the 2 as Pace seems to have recreated a better version of the Saints backfield. Cohen and Sproles is the obvious connection with their speed and quickness and ability to catch. Jordan Howard is a better version of what Mark Ingram does for the Saints.

 

WR

 

Marques Colston [Cam Meredith]

Brandon Cooks [5'10" 180lbs, 4.33]

Kenny Stills [6' 184lbs, 4.38]

Robert Meachem [6'2" 214lbs, 4.41]

Lance Moore [Kendall Wright]

 

This is where the difference is. The Saints always load their WR core with speed and guys who make plays downfield, as the deep shot is important to their offense, but the Bears do not have this. You can see the thought process behind a guy like Wheaton adding a deep element, but he has been super unreliable. Based on NO, I would expect the Bears to add a ton of speed in the offseason, at the detriment of size.

 

Up until 2014 they also heavily used Lance Moore as an exclusively slot option. Perhaps that can be Kendall Wright as we get someone in at QB who doesn't suck.

 

TE

 

Jimmy Graham [Adam Shaheen]

Josh Hill [Dion Sims]

 

This is another position where the Bears have striking similarities to the Saints. Most obvious is the fact that Pace drafted a 6'7" basketball player to play TE who is a size and athletic mismatch, with blocking deficiencies. Both players were/are raw when they were drafted and Graham only produced 31 catches for 350 yards as a rookie.

 

OL

 

LT: Terron Armstead [Charles Leno]

LG: Carl Nicks/Ben Grubbs [Josh Sitton]

C: Jonathan Goodwin [Cody Whitehair]

RG: Jahri Evans [Kyle Long]

RT: Zach Strief [Bobbie Massie]
 

Again the Bears strength is on the inside, where they have dominant players, and the OTs are average to slightly above in Leno's case. I think this method will continue in team building with Trubisky's ability to climb the pocket. It puts less stress on the OT position. Bshrod [4th], Armstead [3rd], Strief [7th] have been the mainstays at OT, only recently have they invested more premiums picks at the position, possibly because Brees is losing his mobility.

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Looking at Pace's time in New Orleans since 2002, when he began scouting, there are some interesting trends in terms of offensive talent.

 

2002-2006-Scout

2007-2014-Director

 

From 2002-2006: the Saints used 2 1st round picks and 1 2nd round pick on offensive skill positions players.

From 2007-2014: the Saints used 3 1st round picks, 1 3rd round pick on offensive skill position players.

2006 was the year that Drew Brees arrived in New Orleans and in 2006 and 2007 they made significant investments in the offense.

2006

RB Reggie Bush [1st]

OG Jahri Evans [4th]

OT Zach Strief [7th]

WR Marques Colston [7th]

*What a home run 7th round

2007

WR Robert Meachem [1st]

OG Andy Alleman [3rd]

Rb Anontio Pittman [4th]

T Jermon Bushrod [4th]

Based on the approach they took in New Orleans I would expect that the Bears are not going to be afraid to draft around the QB and to add skill position players early in the draft, with OL being added in the middle rounds.

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Nice research! I think (God-willing the kid stays healthy) getting 12 games of tape and experience for Trubisky will help Pace identify what he needs to add to this offense. I don't think Fox/Loggains will be back next season, so it also will enable the next HC/OC combination to really evaluate Mitch and have a plan to present to Pace when they are getting interviewed for the job.

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Similar for sure drafting style but I feel like Pace understands the importance of defense. The Saints never have had a really good defense during Brees's career. I hope Pace realizes how important of a miss that is. 

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Good write up windy.  I felt early on that Pace wanted to emulate the no offense, but after this draft it should have been very apparent to everyone that Pace wanted duplicate what they did in new orleans.   Its as transparent as anything you are going to get from halas hall

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