Was there a bigger ass to step on to DS9 than

I think they did that in The Gorn Crisis comic, but there are at least two novels that show them thwarting a Dominion scheme to create their own artificial wormhole.

Was the E the flagship?

I'm sure they could, but I wouldn't mind seeing some.

 

I would always assume that a ship named Enterprise would be the flagship. But, as I said on another thread, a post-NEM series set on a Federation starship could have storylines that brought back Garak or Weyoun in a more natural way. That would surely be better than trying to shoehorn them into another series that doesn't quite fit.

 

Bringing in Garak and Weyoun would be a step down for Picard. It would shift the entire focus of the show from Picard to "Picard's Neighborhood" where the guest characters of the week take on a bigger spotlight than the title character. I cannot see Garak or Weyoun fitting in any way that makes narrative sense other than pure, unadulterated, fan service.

Give fans a good story and it will be just fine.