Last year was a wonderland for New Orleans and Saints fans. After years of failure, disappointment and disaster, the beloved hometown black and gold shocked the football world. First they reeled off the best regular season record in the NFC, then they defeated the NFL Commissio…I mean…Brett Favre and the Vikings in the NFC title game and finally they not only won the Super Bowl but also reminded us all why, just a few years ago, we all thought Peyton Manning was just Dan Marino with better commercials.
If last year was a wonderland, this offseason must be starting to feel like a visit to Oz.
Unfortunately the Saints don’t have any ruby red slippers to click together that will get them back home.
We are still a month away from the draft and the defending champs are already looking like the collective group that set off down the yellow brick road all those years ago.
They still have their Dorothy – their leader that dropped in out of nowhere (Drew Brees) to save the day. Dorothy’s faithful sidekick Toto, that is more bark than bite (Reggie Bush) is still here and you can never say anyone that still lives and fights in New Orleans doesn’t have courage.
But like the Scarecrow and Tin Man, the Saints may now be without their brain and heart.
First, Scott Fujita (the brain), a defensive leader and the NFL player I most admire (since Warrick Dunn retired) signed with the Cleveland Browns. Maybe it is decidedly liberal politics in a conservative, me-first NFL, maybe it is him being the first free agent to sign with New Orleans after Katrina, maybe it is his being the white adoptee of asian parents, maybe it is his leadership of a Saints defense that went from punchline to difference maker. Whatever it is about him that I admire, Fujita’s move to Cleveland leaves a gaping hole in the Saints defense – both at linebacker and at leader.
He didn’t have flashy numbers or celebrate for 5 minutes after being the third one to pile on an already tackled back (<cough> Ray Lewis <cough>), but he led the defense, called the plays and made stops.
While Fujita’s involvement in Louisiana didn’t end with his moving from the bayou to the shores of Lake Erie, the Saints will be without him on the field for the first time in the Payton/Brees era.
While Fujita was the brain that led the Saints defense, Darren Sharper was the heart. Coming in as a free agent a year ago, the 14 year pro used his freaky ball hawking abilities (9 interceptions) and veteran leadership to immediately turn a weakness of the Saints defense into a strength (both passing touchdowns allowed and interceptions went from mid-teens to top five rankings).
It seems fitting that the final nail in the coffin of the Super Bowl was an interception by one of the young defenders in the Saints secondary.
Sharper is again a free agent and has yet to sign with anyone. All indications are that he is open to returning to the Saints and that the Saints want him back.
Let me correct that – the Saints NEED him back.
Putting aside the strong playoff performance that led to the Super Bowl, this is a Saints team that gave up 30 points to the Redskins and 34 points to the Dolphins during the regular season. There may be talent on the Saints defense, but they are still young.
The Saints didn’t make a strong effort to re-sign Fujita because of other younger players that they see stepping into his place. But as the NFL has proven over and over again, you can replace someone’s position but you can’t replace a leader.
Look at what happened to the Bucs defense when soon-to-be-former Buc head coach Raheem Morris let Derrick Brooks go.
Look at the impact Brian Dawkins had on the Broncos secondary. A player deemed too old and dispensable by the Eagles came to Denver and immediately became the heart of a revamped defense.
Well, a defense that was revamped for 6 weeks.
All of this makes it imperative that the Saints do whatever they can to make sure Sharper returns to the Super Dome next season.
The Saints defense has already lost their brainy leader. They can’t lose their emotional leader as well if they have any hopes of getting back to the Emerald City.
No matter what the Wizard behind the curtain says.
