Saints just cut starting OG Larry Warford

[TheSpecialJuan]

John McClain
@McClain_on_NFL
Texans are interested in G Larry Warford, who was waived by  the Saints. Warford is entering his 8th season and has been a starter every year since Detroit drafted him in the third round. He made the Pro Bowl the last 3 years.

[LinvilleGorge]

I just don't know what to make of Pro Bowl appearances, especially for OL. Trai was a Pro Bowler last year and he pretty much sucked.

[MHS831]

What about Iron Saint?  Where is his insight?  We keep him on this board for months and now that we need him, crickets? 

 

[Iron Saint]

He’s still starting caliber guard, but clearly took a step back last year from his first two seasons here. Combined with rumors that the team was unhappy he was out of shape last year, the selection of Ruiz with a 1st round pick, and the fact we’re paying Easton a decent chunk of change for the 6th OL role made it a no brainer.

But he definitely could help y’all.

36 minutes ago, Wolfcop said:

Overpay for backup QBs and have to cut a ProBowl guard. Nice!

Anybody that watched last year knows he made the Pro Bowl on name alone.

Not to mention we didn’t HAVE to cut him, we were already under the cap and our backup QB’s are making less this year than they did last year. Bridgewater made ~$7M by himself last year not even including the $450K or whatever for Hill’s last year of his rookie deal. Hill and Winston’s salaries this year combine for $5.941M so yeah, they didn’t have any bearing on this move.

[LinvilleGorge]

I'm not about to make fun of any other team regarding QB pay after giving Teddy Bridgewater a 3 year/$63M deal.

[MHS831]

4 minutes ago, Iron Saint said:

He’s still starting caliber guard, but clearly took a step back last year from his first two seasons here. Combined with rumors that the team was unhappy he was out of shape last year, the selection of Ruiz with a 1st round pick, and the fact we’re paying Easton a decent chunk of change for the 6th OL role made it a no brainer.

But he definitely could help y’all.

Anybody that watched last year knows he made the Pro Bowl on name alone.

Not to mention we didn’t HAVE to cut him, we were already under the cap and our backup QB’s are making less this year than they did last year. Bridgewater made ~$7M by himself last year not even including the $450K or whatever for Hill’s last year of his rookie deal. Hill and Winston’s salaries this year combine for $5.941M so yeah, they didn’t have any bearing on this move.

Might have been a bit harsh on you---but thanks.  I remember the "out of shape" thing.  The thing about Ruiz---he is going to end up at C, and he is a good center---

I was hoping he'd last, but even if he had been on the board in round 2, I have to think we'd still have gone with the YGM--DE.

I will also go out on a ledge and say that middle OL pass protection is more important for Brees than most other QBs....

[45catfan]

3 minutes ago, Iron Saint said:

He’s still starting caliber guard, but clearly took a step back last year from his first two seasons here. Combined with rumors that the team was unhappy he was out of shape last year, the selection of Ruiz with a 1st round pick, and the fact we’re paying Easton a decent chunk of change for the 6th OL role made it a no brainer.

But he definitely could help y’all.

Anybody that watched last year knows he made the Pro Bowl on name alone.

Not to mention we didn’t HAVE to cut him, we were already under the cap and our backup QB’s are making less this year than they did last year. Bridgewater made ~$7M by himself last year not even including the $450K or whatever for Hill’s last year of his rookie deal. Hill and Winston’s salaries this year combine for $5.941M so yeah, they didn’t have any bearing on this move.

So a quality starter, but not a superstar.  He looks like an upgrade, but not a must have...not to mention we can't afford him.

[Iron Saint]

1 minute ago, MHS831 said:

Might have been a bit harsh on you---but thanks.  I remember the "out of shape" thing.  The thing about Ruiz---he is going to end up at C, and he is a good center---

I was hoping he'd last, but even if he had been on the board in round 2, I have to think we'd still have gone with the YGM--DE.

Naw you’re good, friend!

I thought it was hilarious that right after I hit the post button, your post came in a minute before mine. Hahaha.

And indeed. I still think Ruiz stays at center and McCoy moves over to RG. Reason I believe that is apparently they either didn’t task McCoy with handling the OL checks last year or they didn’t feel he was up to it handling it as a rookie and instead had Warford handle them. 

We were apparently impressed with Ruiz’s ability to handle the OL checks and calls and he’ll probably be handling them this year and McCoy slides over between he and All-Pro Ramczyk where he should play even better.

[onmyown]

53 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

backlog? What? Schofield is coming off injury. Reed hasn't shown anything yet. Daley is better at tackle. Larsen is underwhelming at guard. The only sure starter we have is Miller. We are far from a backlog.

What injury? He missed 4 games in 5 years. He was a decent signing.

Moton is the only single starting caliber player currently starting for the Panthers offensive line. That horrific. All we have is depth and no actual starters. Looks like Panthers are once again doing a patch up shoddy job with the line god knows why.

Big mean and injuries do not work period. Otah, Oher, Williams, Paradis, M Kalil list goes on and on. Don’t know why the Panthers insist on olineman with big injuries.
 

All I see is a knee injury for Warford but no details. This concerns me. The saints saved over 7m by cutting him so that may be a factor too. I think he’ll be overpriced for too much injury concerns.

[jfra78]

We cant afford to even think about him

[LinvilleGorge]

We could easily make room for him if we wanted him.

We can cut RB Mike Davis and save $3M with zero dead cap. We can cut C Mike Reed and save $1.425M with zero dead cap. That's $4.425M of immediate cap space available with no penalty on top of the $7.6M currently available.

 

[MHS831]

20 minutes ago, Iron Saint said:

Naw you’re good, friend!

I thought it was hilarious that right after I hit the post button, your post came in a minute before mine. Hahaha.

And indeed. I still think Ruiz stays at center and McCoy moves over to RG. Reason I believe that is apparently they either didn’t task McCoy with handling the OL checks last year or they didn’t feel he was up to it handling it as a rookie and instead had Warford handle them. 

We were apparently impressed with Ruiz’s ability to handle the OL checks and calls and he’ll probably be handling them this year and McCoy slides over between he and All-Pro Ramczyk where he should play even better.

I was kidding--by the way---I piss people off with my dry sense of "humor."  Ruiz is a natural center--he was underrated and you all got a great value--even if he went before most thought he would.

Still, if you have ever noticed, Brees does he best work without middle pressure. Ruiz just never gets fooled, is always balanced, and he dominates on contact.  He would be my center and I would make the adjustments you suggest. 

 

[MHS831]

15 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

We could easily make room for him if we wanted him.

We can cut RB Mike Davis and save $3M with zero dead cap. We can cut C Mike Reed and save $1.425M with zero dead cap. That's $4.425M of immediate cap space available with no penalty on top of the $7.6M currently available.

 

Is Reed a C?  I had him as a LG.  I know he can play both.  With the addition of Schofield and Miller, Reed could be expendable--but his ability to play G and C might be too important.  I think he is decent.

Man, I hope Davis has not spent his money---he sure gets mentioned every time we need some room.

 

[jfra78]

28 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

We could easily make room for him if we wanted him.

We can cut RB Mike Davis and save $3M with zero dead cap. We can cut C Mike Reed and save $1.425M with zero dead cap. That's $4.425M of immediate cap space available with no penalty on top of the $7.6M currently available.

 

Gotta sign rookies