Saints Game Changing Off-season Moves: Sayonara Scott Fujita
by Dave Cariello on May 1, 2010 6:00 AM CDT
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Sponsored Post: This post is presented by Sprint. Bringing you the first wireless 4G network from a national carrier. Only on the Now Network.
It's time now for the second in a series of six posts covering the top game changing moments of the 2010 Saints off-season. In our first post of this sponsored series, we discussed the departure of Charles Grant and what effect it may have for the team next season. As depressing as it may be, our second off-season moment also involves the loss of another starting member of the Saints defense: Scott Fujita.
Game Changing Move #2 - March 7th, 2010 - Scott Fujita Signs with Browns
Unlike the loss of Charles Grant just three days earlier, this one stung a bit. Partly because Fujita was consistently more productive on the field and partly because Fujita was significantly more of a leader in the locker room. But the NFL is a business like every other and when a better financial opportunity presents itself, players usually take it.
Whether or not this move proves to work for or against the Saints is still to be determined but one thing is sure: It will be game changing. Immediate reaction among fans was tempered with the expectation that the team would find an adequate replacement for Fuji either in free agency or through the draft. Yet here we are now, post-draft, and the only thing the Saints have done to address the need has been the addition of a couple of undrafted free agents. Not very promising. There is still plenty of time to sign a veteran free agent linebacker, however, if the Saints don't feel like their solution is "in the building."
So what do you guys think? Will the Saints miss Scott Fujita's play on the field or will his eventual replacement on the outside be the upgrade fans have long wanted to see at the position?
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I liked Fujita
But I think we will be better served without him. I believe the move will force them to up grade our linebackers and all though we cant see it happening i trust Payton and Loomis
World Champions at last
by mississippisaintsfan on May 1, 2010 6:56 AM CDT reply actions
Not sure how, but I think the defense will be improved
I think a second year under GW’s system will help. I hope young LBs or aquisitions to come will help. I hope we resign Sharper or get a FS to work out, and I have some questions about L DE, but I think it will work out. Lotof room for problems, though.
"I think we agree, the past is over" - George W Bush
"The greatest enemy of knowlege is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge" Stephen Hawking
hey dave
does sbnation break you off a piece?
just wondering, you deserve it
AMBUSH!!
by DrewBreesManCrush on May 1, 2010 8:35 AM CDT reply actions
yeah
I get a little piece. Not enough for Stu to purchase more company stock though.
Wanna say something? Sign up! It's free!
by Dave Cariello on May 1, 2010 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Let’s just say that Dave hasn’t traded in the Escape hybrid for the Lexus LS 600h.
Who finds the money when you pay the rent?
As if I know. I don’t know. He may be making MEELLIONS off of this. Or pizza money. I don’t know. Stop by Campus Connection and see what cars are parked around there.
Who finds the money when you pay the rent?
If his shop starts selling T-shirts with "Who Dat?" on the front and "Sprint Dat!" on the back,
THEN I’ll start getting worried! :-)
Fat, dumb, and happy. Hell, two out of three ain't bad!
I Want To Die In My Sleep Like My Grandpa – Not Screaming and Yelling Like His Passengers.
by Just 'Nother Day on May 1, 2010 6:37 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm hoping it'll be improved
but I fear that we’ll struggle a bit with production at the LB position, as we did a bit this year when he was out.
But now that I think about it, weren’t we banged up at all three levels of D during the middle of the season, so it’d be hard to say with certainty that Fuj’s absence ad his absence alone hurt us in a concrete, specific, empirical (backed up with stats) way during 2009.
There the statement is out there, and someone can NAIL ME and prove me wrong…c’mon…(just like Roy Scheider in JAWS – “smile, you sonuva – - !” in honor of the 2010 summer blockbuster movie season on the horizon, I bring you this movie quote from one of the first summer blockbusters in motion picture history, sponsored by the MPAA and its telephonic corporate buddy SPRINT."
We've got 27 ways to add up to 11 (players on the field). I came up with another one last night. -- GW
oops, I forgot to close the parenthesis and added a " at the end of the line instead - can someone pass the liquid paper please?
We've got 27 ways to add up to 11 (players on the field). I came up with another one last night. -- GW
by Hans Petersen on May 1, 2010 9:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Who's stepping up?
Had we drafted a solid LB I’d be more optimistic, but we didn’t. Fujita was solid last year. Shanle was the weaker linebacker(i guess that’s why they call it weak-side linebacer). I was hoping that his spot would be challanged in the off-season by Dunbar. I see us with two questionmarks at OLB, and only two possible fill-ins. Both have to step up for us to be successful. That leaves no margin for error. What happens hen either LB misses time due to an injury? We’ve got nothing. Well we have some bodies, but no-one I have much faith in.
maybe this'll be enough for everyone to write us off as candidates to repeat and we can "sneak up" on people and go 2 for 2 in SBs
Ha!
We've got 27 ways to add up to 11 (players on the field). I came up with another one last night. -- GW
by Hans Petersen on May 1, 2010 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions
The shackles of the Final Four come off on July 22, and then Mickey can really some dealing. It’s a long time to camp.
Who finds the money when you pay the rent?
The shackles of the Final Four come off on July 22, and then Mickey can really some dealing. It’s a long time to camp.
Who finds the money when you pay the rent?
Dho! (slappng forehead)
Fat, dumb, and happy. Hell, two out of three ain't bad!
I Want To Die In My Sleep Like My Grandpa – Not Screaming and Yelling Like His Passengers.
by Just 'Nother Day on May 1, 2010 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Like a few others here, I am sorry to see Fujita, go, and I am dissapointed our Saints didn’t take an outside liebacker in the draft, but, as someone who writes one of these columns pointed out, all the players our Saints really wanted at the positions they needed were gone by the time they got to pick. I am curious to see how Dunbar does as a full time Linebacker. I remember when he played special teams, he got in some wicked blocks. It would be great to see him do that on defense on a routine basis.
Gonna miss Fujita
he was part of the ‘Chemistry’ last yr., GW must not be too worried, somebody(s) can fill the void, but they must be able to do 500 sit-up’s a day.(Fujitas’ regimen)
You think you know, and you don't know, and you never, ever will.-Jim Mora Sr.
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