New Orleans signed former Buffalo Bills first round pick C.J.Spiller to a four year contract worth 18 million.
The often spectacular Spiller missed seven games last season and despite a thousand yard season in 2012 was never used as the full time starting runner in Buffalo,usually sharing time with Fred Jackson.
Spiller is tremendous in the open field,very fast and versatile enough to be used in the passing game as a receiver.
The Saints sputtered last season after trading Darren Sproles to Philadelphia in the short passing game and Spiller was brought to the team to hopefully bring what the Saints missed so badly without Sproles to the offense.
Spiller is certainly capable of adding that dimension as long as he is physically able.
I think that's more than possible as Spiller's injury last season was a broken collarbone and should be easier to return to full speed than a knee injury or torn muscle.
I think this is a very nice signing and shows the Saints are being proactive in attempting to revamp now before Drew Brees ages too badly.
The Saints then added another 2015 draft choice and bulked up a flagging defense as well as New Orleans shipped wide reciever Kenny Stills to the Miami Dolphins in return for linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third round draft pick.
Stills was just 22 and was often used as a deep threat as he averaged 16.5 yards per catch in his two years after being drafted in the fifth round in 2013.
Stills was known for the long route and the occasional drop,but at 22 has plenty of football ahead of him with the Dolphins.
Dannell Ellerbe had an excellent 2013 with Miami after signing there from Baltimore,but had an ugly hip injury in 2014 and missed all but one game last season.
Ellerbe was known for his speed and range,but it'll remain to be seen with Ellerbe,just how he will return from an injury known to affect those qualities.
Ellerbe has agreed to restructure his contract to help the Saints lower their cap space,so the cap hit for a team looking to shed dollars will not be as bad as reported.
The Saints also add the Dolphins third round selection,which give New Orleans multiple picks in the first,third and fifth rounds as the Saints enter a pivotal point in a rebuild.
I like the Saints adding picks and Ellerbe (assuming he is back to form) should help a defense that was porous last season.
However,when your top commodity is your quarterback and you have just taken away his top deep threat and the best tight end in the game,you have to wonder how the Saints are going to address the receiving corps.
Kenny Stills could very well turn out to be badly missed.
Could the Saints use one of these picks for another receiver?
Or maybe a recently released veteran such as Stevie Johnson or Dwayne Bowe?
Interesting times in New Orleans.....
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