With The First Pick
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New Orleans Saints Offseason Review

By Jon Dove

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: Marcus Davenport of UTSA poses after being picked #14 overall by the New Orleans Saints during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: Marcus Davenport of UTSA poses after being picked #14 overall by the New Orleans Saints during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The New Orleans Saints attacked this offseason like a team who feels ready to make a strong Super Bowl run.

Drew Brees is entering the back-end of his career and the New Orleans Saints sense the window closing. This is obviously why they were extremely aggressive this offseason. The Saints keyed in on specific needs and attacked.

New Orleans success last year is directly related to the improvement on the defensive side of the ball. They saw some of their younger players develop while a few key veteran additions rounded out the group.

However, they still lacked a strong pass rush which is why they traded up in the draft to land Marcus Davenport. He will be expected to immediately work on the opposite side of Cameron Jordan.

The Saints paid a steep price for Davenport including a 2019 1st round pick. He is a raw player who isn’t going to have the luxury of bring brought along slowly.

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New Orleans made two more key additions on the defensive side of the ball. Demario Davis was brought in to solve the linebacker problem and Patrick Robinson should take over as the team’s primary slot cornerback.

Davis is a fluid athlete who can cover a lot of ground. The linebacker position has been a problem for the Saints over the past few years. Robinson showed last year with the Eagles that he’s one of the better slot corners in the league.

His experience and veteran status should also help what is a very young secondary group.

The offensive side of the ball only got small additions. Cameron Meredith came over from the Chicago Bears and could be a major weapon. However, he’s coming of a knee injury that could take time to heal.

Rookie receiver, Tre’Quan Smith, could be another player who works his way into the lineup. He features good size and quickness.

The Saints are in a position where they are looking to win now. They won’t be happy with a playoff appearance and are aiming for a Super Bowl victory. The moves they made this offseason speak to that goal.

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