Saints met with top QB prospect Cam Ward [Schefter: CLE, NYG or maybe Saints have to make an offer compelling enough for #1 pick]
I reported 9/40/71/next year's 2nd or 9/40/next year's first round pick. I'd assume Carr would be in the mix as well. I think the Titans like Ward and may now are zeroing in on him as their guy but that certainly was not the case the last month or so as they really have wanted Abdul Carter. Because this QB class isn't last year's and Ward isn't seen to be the same level of prospect that Bryce Young was, the cost to move up is considered lower. However, I've always maintained I highly doubt TEN does the deal because moving to 9 takes them out of the range of Carter or Hunter which is something I'm 99% sure they don't want to do.
But premium picks are just that... they are premium until they become players and then they are... Payton Turner? Davenport? Penning?
I get that they wasted picks on Turner, Davenport, Foskey, and maybe Penning, but if they are going to be sheetty in the draft then it's not going to matter who the QB is because he won't have the talent he needs around him and the difficulty of doing that without two first and two seconds is going to be high for a team that is already aging.
I really like Ward and would do any reasonable deal to get him. But, I think there has to be a limit or else you aren't being fair to Ward because you won't be able to build around him properly. If they can do it for 9/40/71 and next years 2nd, I'd be ecstatic with that deal and I'd even do it happily if next year's second is next year's first. But, I'm not sure the Titans would be willing to do the deal for that. I think the Titans are at least going to want 9/40 this year, our 1st and 2nd next year and maybe some sweetener otherwise they will just take Ward. They may even want 3 firsts. Especially if they also really like Ward.
As far as Carr, I don't think it's possible to trade him until after June 1, but maybe it would soften the blow of the assets they would trade for Ward if they knew they could get a 2nd round pick in return for Carr after June 1. But, I'm not sure Carr is worth that on the trade market and the landing spots for Carr are shrinking and could get smaller after the draft.
But, I agree this deal is highly unlikely to happen. The one way I think maybe the Titans do this deal is if we can find a way to move up to #4 with New England by trading them Olave for the move up to #4. Then we trade #4 (and other picks) to the titans for #1. #4 should put the Titans in position to take either Carter or Hunter.