As the 2011 NFL draft approaches, it is important to understand where the Saints stand at each major position group.\u00a0 We will continue this examination by looking at one of the Saints biggest areas of strength: the receiving corps.<\/p>\n
While I firmly believe that the running game was a huge part of the Saints Super Bowl run in 2009, the fuel that makes this offense go is the connection between Drew Brees and his outstanding set of wide receivers.<\/p>\n
When it comes to wide receivers, the Saints really have it all, with dynamic playmakers filling all of the necessary roles that a team hopes to address with its receiving corps.<\/p>\n
The Possession Receiver: Marques Colston.\u00a0 Colston is the prototypical big target.\u00a0 At 6’4″, 225 lb., Colston is absolutely not afraid to run routes over the middle and up to 30 yards down the field with free safeties bearing down.\u00a0 For Saints fans, seeing Colston take a massive hit between the hashes, hang onto the ball, and pop right back up ready for the next play has become commonplace.<\/p>\n
The Deep Threat: Devery Henderson.\u00a0 At only 200 lbs., Henderson isn’t going to make his living going toe to toe with hard-hitting safeties.\u00a0 He uses sub-4.4 40-speed<\/a> to routinely get behind defenses and has been on the receiving end of a seemingly endless number of beautiful downfield strikes from Drew Brees.\u00a0 His ability to pull safeties back toward the end zone is a big reason why Colston is so often open over the middle, and he creates a soft cushion behind the linebackers for Lance Moore to work out of the slot.<\/p>\n The Slot Receiver: Lance Moore.\u00a0 The smallest and quickest of Drew Brees’ targets, Moore makes his living in the quick passing game, primarily working off of slants and quick outs against larger players who are unable to turn back to the ball as quickly as he is.\u00a0 This makes Moore an excellent target on third and short, which gives the Saints offense another dimension in situations where conventional wisdom would call for a running play.\u00a0 This is reflected in that Moore trailed only Colston in receptions and receiving yards in 2011, but had the lowest yards per reception<\/a> of the four primary Saints receivers.<\/p>\n