Draft News

Will the New Orleans Saints target a wide receiver, like Ohio State's Garrett
Wilson, in the first round of the NFL draft? With a pair of picks now, they
could also aim for a quarterback or another long-term need.

By Mike Triplett | ESPN Staff Writer

METAIRIE, La. -- Leave it to the New Orleans Saints to find a way to stay bold and aggressive while in the midst of finally trying to save some salary-cap space.

New Orleans didn’t necessarily “win” Monday’s trade with the Philadelphia Eagles when it comes to most draft value charts. (ESPN’s draft pick value calculator weighed heavily in Philly’s favor, while others were closer to a tie.) But the idea of trading their 2023 first-round draft choice for an extra first-rounder in 2022 makes a lot of sense when you consider the Saints’ current circumstances:

• They’re finally trying to show some financial restraint after pushing the salary cap to its limits during the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era and beginning this offseason about $75 million over the cap.
• On the flip side, they’ve made it clear they aren’t going into rebuilding mode under new coach Dennis Allen and feel like they remain a serious playoff contender after five straight winning seasons.

So what better way to add premium talent at an affordable price?

The two biggest questions now are whether the Saints plan to package pick Nos. 16 and No. 19 to move up even higher in this year’s draft and whether they might have a quarterback in their sights.

But it’s possible they simply like the idea of double-dipping in the top 20 to surround current quarterback Jameis Winston with some much-needed reinforcements on offense.

Here’s a look at the prime possibilities:

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