Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson Are a Pipe Dream (1 Viewer)

[crawfish2010]

I don't think Rodgers is a reality but the Saints could make Russell Wilson's contract work. If they have to mortgage the future to get Wilson then it would be worth it.

 

[Jesse Custer]

I don't think Rodgers is a reality but the Saints could make Russell Wilson's contract work. If they have to mortgage the future to get Wilson then it would be worth it.

Who would protect him and who would he throw to? I'm genuinely curious. Prevailing rumor is three firsts and a marquee player. Which marquee players do we have that Seattle could want? Ramczyk, Kamara, or Lattimore. To me, those are the indispensable players. As is stands right now, we have practice squad players at WR and TE. Those would be easy to shore up with draft picks. Not so easy when the team is constantly against the cap and you have to get free agents.

 

[crawfish2010]

Who would protect him and who would he throw to? I'm genuinely curious. Prevailing rumor is three firsts and a marquee player. Which marquee players do we have that Seattle could want? Ramczyk, Kamara, or Lattimore. To me, those are the indispensable players. As is stands right now, we have practice squad players at WR and TE. Those would be easy to shore up with draft picks. Not so easy when the team is constantly against the cap and you have to get free agents.

Get the QB and figure out the rest later. What's the alternative..... Taysom Hill or drafting a rookie QB and hopes he pans out in 3 years?

 

[Jesse Custer]

Again, who would protect him and who would he throw to? It's not like we have a ton of cap room to get proven free agents at the skill positions or on the OL. This isn't Madden with the salary cap turned off. Successful teams are built over multiple seasons. Look at what the Rams mortgaging their future is getting them. That's what happens when you trade away all of your first round picks. A lot of preseason hype and a team that falls flat in big games and puts up 3 points in the Super Bowl they only got to because of godawful officiating. Seattle has better skill position players aside from the RB position and Wilson can't win with them. DK Metcalf is better than any receiver on our roster right now. Why do people think Wilson would do better here? He's not Brees. It takes a lot more than just being short to be Brees. He's a 33yo QB who wants say in the roster and hasn't played particularly well for the past few years. I'm with some other posters on here in thinking that people salivating for the guy haven't really been paying a whole lot of attention to him. He's been worse than Jameis was this season with a MUCH better offensive roster.

 

[Blessedog]

Again, who would protect him and who would he throw to? It's not like we have a ton of cap room to get proven free agents at the skill positions or on the OL. This isn't Madden with the salary cap turned off. Successful teams are built over multiple seasons. Look at what the Rams mortgaging their future is getting them. That's what happens when you trade away all of your first round picks. A lot of preseason hype and a team that falls flat in big games and puts up 3 points in the Super Bowl they only got to because of godawful officiating. Seattle has better skill position players aside from the RB position and Wilson can't win with them. DK Metcalf is better than any receiver on our roster right now. Why do people think Wilson would do better here? He's not Brees. It takes a lot more than just being short to be Brees. He's a 33yo QB who wants say in the roster and hasn't played particularly well for the past few years. I'm with some other posters on here in thinking that people salivating for the guy haven't really been paying a whole lot of attention to him. He's been worse than Jameis was this season with a MUCH better offensive roster.

I don’t totally disagree with what you’re saying but I think people throwing the Rams in there is a terrible example (not to attack you). Before Mcvay got there and started mortgaging the future the Rams had not had a winning season since 2003. They haven’t had a losing season since and made it to the Super Bowl. That’s a failure? I think there are many teams that would take that degree of failure.

Draft picks guarantee you nothing. First rounders are at best a half court shot. Beyond that? Every one is a full court heave. Best of luck. It isn’t a bad strategy at all.

People probably think Wilson is Brees-like because has also been one of the most efficient QBs in the league over the last few years. Where the narrative that Wilson hasn’t played well over the past few years has come from is beyond me. He has been having issues for one reason or another this year though. Quite frankly, I think Lockett is washed up and Metcalf is getting taken out of the game consistently. Those guys aren’t playing well but Wilson has also been terribly inaccurate since his return.

A fully healthy Wilson from 2020? I’d absolutely take that and give up assets to get him. Getting him targets and protection is the least of my worries. Just remember it took a global pandemic to stop Loomis from Loomising.

 

[zeetes]

thank you

 

[EGLSShin]

If the Saints really want either of them, they'll find a way to get one of them. The question is, are the Saints still interested? You still have to answer the Winston question before you even think about going in that direction.

 

[jahsoul357]

I don’t totally disagree with what you’re saying but I think people throwing the Rams in there is a terrible example (not to attack you). Before Mcvay got there and started mortgaging the future the Rams had not had a winning season since 2003. They haven’t had a losing season since and made it to the Super Bowl. That’s a failure? I think there are many teams that would take that degree of failure.

Draft picks guarantee you nothing. First rounders are at best a half court shot. Beyond that? Every one is a full court heave. Best of luck. It isn’t a bad strategy at all.

People probably think Wilson is Brees-like because has also been one of the most efficient QBs in the league over the last few years. Where the narrative that Wilson hasn’t played well over the past few years has come from is beyond me. He has been having issues for one reason or another this year though. Quite frankly, I think Lockett is washed up and Metcalf is getting taken out of the game consistently. Those guys aren’t playing well but Wilson has also been terribly inaccurate since his return.

A fully healthy Wilson from 2020? I’d absolutely take that and give up assets to get him. Getting him targets and protection is the least of my worries. Just remember it took a global pandemic to stop Loomis from Loomising.

Which 2020 Wilson; before or after the Bills game? And how can you call Lockett washed up when he just came off a 100 reception year and he is inching towards 1000 yards this season. And it is not a narrative that he is playing bad. The thing is calling out that fact that most here are screaming for Russell Wilson but they really don't know anything about his skill at QB. Really stats and clips.

Some film breakdown from last season



He is crazy accurate with the long balls and he can improvise better than most who has stepped on the field but he always looks for the big play and that ignore the dump off or underneaths. Everyone wants to blame the OC but your offense will stall more often than not when you don't take what the defense gives you.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

Well, if the Saints sign one of the two during the 2022 offseason, someone with considerable glee will bring back this thread. Fair enough.

I admit my strong biases: In the NFL, teams win through the draft--but win with great quarterbacks. And I realize the second statement is an argument for getting Rodgers or Wilson. But great franchiuses win consistently with great quarterbacks whom they have for 10 to 13 years with another great quarterback ready to take their place.

Rodgers, who is still playing at an absurdly high level, may give you another two or three years after 2021. Signing Rodgers as a free agent in 2023 makes more sense than making a major trade for him in 2022. Wilson just turned 33. He could play to 40, but that is the exception, not the rule. And so much of Wilson's game is based on his mobility, which will decline with age along with his being able to withstand major injury. But for argument, let's assume Wilson can play at a high level for five years after 2021.

The problems are that the Saints do not have the talent on offense that Wilson is looking for in a new team, and that if the Saints trade multiple high draft picks to Seattle, they will be unable to acquire the receivers he will want and need because of the lack of draft picks and cap space to acquire free agents. Last year, because of our cap position, we lost in free agency quality players we wanted to keep--a wide receiver, a defensive end, two defensive tackles, and a cornerback--and we were unable to sign in free agency quality players. After this season, Armstead and Marcus Williams are unrestricted free agents. If we had good receivers. I would be tempted to agree with going after Wilson--or at least I could more readily see the case for making a major trade to get Wilson.

But we do not have the talent at the skill positions to have a great passing game even with Wilson; if we trade for Wilson, we will be giving up the draft picks needed to get the necessary talent at the skill positions; without the draft picks that would go to Seattle in a trade, our overall roster will suffer--we need help at defensive tackle, in the secondary, and in the offensive line as well as at wide receiverand tight end; and we do not have the cap space to go out and spend the dollars needed to get the talent we otherwise could obtain through the draft on days 1 and 2.

And keep this is mind: The core of the current team is based in substantial part on our first four picks in the 2017 draft. That draft was a huge reason that we were in the playoffs in 2017 and had a legitimate shot to be playing in the Super Bowl. Our drafts since 2017, for several reasons, have been far less productive. The draft in the NFL is still king. Yes, there are bad teams that draft high every year and that stay bad. But then there are teams that take full adavantage of a high draft position for a year to three years, and are suddenly contending with a talented roster.

A final comment: We need to get the quarterback position right, and I don't think we have a quarterback on this roster we can consistently win with. What is the answer? I am not averse to finding one in the draft. When the 2022 draft comes around, there will two or three quarterbacks who will go much higher than they are projected to go by some at this time. If we can find a young quarterback and clean up our cap issues, I can wait. I don't want a one- or two- or even three-year run. I want a team that consistently competes.

 

[whodatsaint]

Excellent post. Well thought out and written. Are you trying to make the rest of us look bad? Knock it off.

 

[Eman5805]

1. Not that they can't afford it. It's a tremendous investment with equally tremendous risk. Things don't work out and you've weakened your ability to rebuild. But the idea is you wouldn't be giving up high picks if our quarterback is Wilson for long. You'd expect to be in the bottom 8th of the rounds in every draft while he's here anyway.

2. I have zero doubt about the Saints ability to field a competitive team while paying them. The argument basically implies we should never pay any elite quarterback what they're worth. Do you think it was a mistake to pay Patrick Mahomes if you're the Chiefs? But we trade for an already highly paid QB and it's too much? To me, the result is the same regardless of how you acquired an elite QB. As an aside, I remember many fans (a confusing amount) would act like Brees should take a huge pay cut so the team can sign more players. Imagine my job asking that of me...take less money so we can hire people to replace you someday. Pfft. Unless I just loved my job that much...nah. Not even then. It's a silly idea. But I digress.

3. Again. How high would our picks be if we had Rodgers or Wilson? The Saints haven't really invested in finding WR talent and it finally caught up to them. Way I figure, we could probably acquire Devante Adams if we signed Rodgers for certain. How the money would work would probably be a challenge. But this year, I see us letting go of Terron Armstead, Cam Jordan, and Bradley Roby anyways. Give this team Adams and if Mike Thomas gets healthy and Aaron Rodgers' arrogant self throwing to them? I'd take that chance.

4. This is probably not as much a thing as fans claim it is. Within the division, maybe. But conference? Eh. I'd need to see more than a few team officials state this seriously to be a real reason against it.


Is getting them a pipe dream? I don't think so because this is not a normal front office. If I were a betting man, our 2022-23 season (god these numbers are getting big, or I'm getting older) starting QB will be a healthy Jameis Winston

 

[dboysaints]

just stick with what we have...Winston, HIll..Book....and hope the QB draft class improves within the next 5 years if we flutter...

 

[AreYouSERIOUS?!]

I keep reading that the Saints will pursue Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson in the 2022 offseason. Someone needs to explain to me how this would be possible. This is my reasoning--and if I wrong, please correct me:

1. Both Rodgers and Wilson are under contract. A team hoping to acquire either player will have to make a trade, giving up draft picks or players of value. The Saints cannot afford to give up high draft picks.

2. Neither player will take a pay reduction. How do the Saints fit either player under our salary cap given our present cap position? And were we to somehow do it, how many players would be lose because we could not afford to sign our own players or free agents with other teams?

3. Even assuming a healthy Michael Thomas, the Saints still have a below-average group of wide receivers and tight ends--especially if we have to trade away high draft picks. Are the Saints really a desirable team for either--in particular, for Rodgers who can return to a Packers team that will not be trading away draft picks to get a quarterback?

4. Why would Green Bay and Seattle make a trade with an NFC team? I would think any trade would be with an AFC team like Denver, Cleveland, or Pittsburgh.

I get that Sean Payton probably wants to win now and that what Sean wants, Seans normally gets. But it seems the salary cap consequences would be brutal. And the Saints' offense needs much more than a quarterback, even one like Rodgers.

Draft Picks??? The SAINTS seem to not fair well with high draft picks anyway...NEXT!!!

 

[football]

Seriously, we don't have any capital to get any of these guys even if you want to. Trading away key players and getting quarterbacks at their twilight of their careers and paying them king ransom is not the ideal for the franchise in the future. For me right now, stick with Winston and try to see if we can draft a quarterback. Too much given up and the chances of success is very slim.

 

[liveoakh]

If we were going in the direction of signing Wilson, Rogers, or even Jamies.............why was Taysom the first QB signed? His money, makes it that much harder to sign QB FAs.