New Orleans Saints: Coby Fleener An Excellent Addition
The New Orleans Saints kicked off the new league year by acquiring free agent tight end Coby Fleener to bolster their offense. They got it right when trying to find the right offensive weapon to deploy in 2016.
Ever since the Saints traded away tight end Jimmy Graham last season, they haven’t really filled the void and dimension he brought to their offense. Without that explosive threat at the position, the Saints’ offense regressed and didn’t resemble the offensive juggernaut they were known for establishing through the air these past couple of seasons.
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Fleener was one of the top players at his position in free agency and was quickly scooped up by a team that will heavily use his strengths to push the envelope these next few years. As per Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, his contract is a five-year deal for $36M that only hits the Saints’ salary cap for about $2.4 million in 2016.
The Saints are looking to address their defensive issues via the 2016 NFL Draft but also wanted to add a top play-maker or two via free agency this offseason. Adding Fleener brings a very nice dimension to their offense which will give quarterback Drew Brees a reliable target in addition to a viable red-zone target.
In his four years with the Indianapolis Colts, Fleener has totaled 2,154 receiving yards on 183 receptions and 17 touchdowns.
As one of the top tight ends in the NFL, the Saints got it right in acquiring him to finally replace the production Graham saw on offense. The Saints are a perfect fit for Fleener since he’ll finally be able to be the No. 1 option at the position for a team that heavily uses tight ends in their offensive playbook.
With the Colts, they preferred to re-sign tight end Dwayne Allen for their long-term solution at the position and decided to let Fleener test the market. Now that he’s the No. 1 option at tight end for the Saints, it’s his time to shine and prove that he is more than capable of being a main catalyst on offense to keep those chains moving.
It’s unsure at the moment if the Saints plan to bring back their aerial assault or if they will launch a more run-oriented offensive attack. Regardless, Fleener does well either as a receiving option, lined up as a wide receiver out the flat or even sticking to blocking assignments to execute rushing plays.
Once the Saints add another wide receiver into the mix, their offense should be able to click on all cylinders again. While Fleener is one piece of the puzzle on offense, the Saints still need to round out their overall roster if they are to have a bounce back season in 2016. It’s the first smart move with hopefully many more for the Saints this offseason.
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Fleener had a ton of success with the Colts thanks to quarterback Andrew Luck but fell off a bit last season due to his unfortunate injury. Now with someone likes Brees throwing to him, expect to see a big first debut year in the Big Easy as Fleener will no doubt enjoy his moment to shine.