Saints need key draftees to defeat Father Time

    Tick … tick … tick.
    The clock is ticking on the Saints’ window to win another Super Bowl in the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era.
    Brees turned 34 in January. Two more of the Saints’ best players, guard Jahri Evans and wide receiver Marques Colston, will celebrate their 30th birthdays before the start of the 2013 season.
    The Saints offense, as good as it has been, showed some warts in 2012. The Saints slipped from first in the NFL in fourth-quarter points (10.7 points per game) to 20th (5.8 points per game).
    The Saints have a need for a playmaking wide receiver. Payton is banking on tailback Mark Ingram justifying a draft-day trade in 2011 that sent first- and second-round picks to New England.
    So, if one of the several outstanding left tackles in this draft slides to pick No. 15, do the Saints ignore their many needs on defense? Or does Payton really stick to his best-athlete-available mantra and take a flyer on West Virginia wide receiver/kick returner Tavon Austin in the middle of Round 1?
    Austin supposedly is one of the hot players moving up draft boards even though he stands only 5-9. Remember, every wide receiver that Payton has drafted for the Saints has stood 6-1 or taller.
    When Payton looks at his defense, he sees plenty of holes. In 2012, the Saints allowed an NFL record 7,042 yards over 16 games. They also allowed 8.1 yards per pass play. The Saints recorded only 30 sacks.
    Does Payton select an outside pass rusher with his first pick? Or does he look inside for help at defensive tackle? The Saints allowed 5.2 yards per carry. The Saints also allowed 19 rushes of 20 yards or more, and seven rushes of 40 yards or more.
    With limited cap space, the Saints hope for immediate help from veteran free agents. O. Perry Walker High School’s Keenan Lewis took less money to come home. Outside linebacker Victor Butler, who had 11 sacks in his first four seasons in Dallas, gets a chance to earn a starting job.
    So, as Payton heads to draft kickoff Thursday night, a lot is riding on the work of his team of scouts, led by director of college scouting Rick Reiprish.
    Tick … tick … tick.
    Payton needs to infuse his offense with more speed and revamp a defense that was shredded a season ago.
    A Super Bowl victory means you were the best for one season. Two championships mean something entirely different. That’s why three days in April are so critical.
    Ed Daniels is sports director of ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at edaniels@clarionherald.org.