Saints met with top QB prospect Cam Ward [Schefter: CLE, NYG or maybe Saints have to make an offer compelling enough for #1 pick]

[SigFreudianSlip]

I'm sure Ward will go #1 but I'd bet $$ that he will be in the same company as a Mayfield or a Lawrence or maybe a Murray. Above Young but below the other QBs taken @ #1 like Burrow , Williams , Goff. It would take yrs but I bet you a $20 donation to SR that he never gets to the elite status

For the fun of it and to help SR I’ll take that bet. I’m not too confident I’ll win this one but is all in good fun and for a good cause.

 

[St. Geezy]

LOL the thing is that as fans we can say " What the heck , go for it " It's not our careers on the line if it's a catastrophe. We don't get fired for taking this HUGE gamble. If it blows up in Loomis and CKM and Ireland's faces they may never get the job they want in the league again.

Yep. The “Just go for it” crew has nothing but fan pride on the line.

This decision, if it backfires, could literally set the franchise back by a decade…4 to 5 years to determine the player is a bust, and likely another 4 to 5 years of figuring out who is next, not to mention the loss of the potential help of the picks you gave up for the player, including your current #9 positioning.

This is a HUGE decision that goes beyond “Just going for it.” It’s one thing to trade up to a mid first round pick, it’s a whole different ball game when you’re talking about a move from pick 9 to pick 1.

This is a franchise-altering decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly, even as fans. You BETTER get this one right if you do it, or else; the consequences of not getting it right will be disastrous.

 

[StudioSaint]

That's... not what is happening at all. They want a QB. They loved Ward (as in their scouting) long before they even had a head coach. They'll try like hell to move up to #1 to get Ward and if they fail, they then might try to trade to #2 for Shedeur.

I know you keep saying that. 60minutes already told us all that about Ward a month ago. He also told us that the Titans were asking more than the Saints were okay with. We'll never know if the Saints "tried like hell to move up" unless they actually move up.

60minutes also said that the Saints have a 2nd round grade on Sanders, which runs counter to the idea that the Saints would trade up to #2 to get Sanders. That would also cost the Saints quite a bit of draft and/or player resources.

I don't find it credible that anyone in the draft "war room" for the Saints would be leaking this information to the internet street unless it's a deception on their part. Why would they give away critical confidential information and/or risk losing their jobs? I'd be surprised if they all didn't have NDA's in their contracts that prohibit them from sharing that information.

I find it believable that lower level employees outside the Saints draft "war room" are jumping to conclusions based on scant tidbits of information they hear and then passing it along to the internet street as actual knowledge.

I do think they have a cutoff point for each move but they are 100% gonna try like hell to do so. Reported it five days ago and now it's out nationally. Shrugs.

According to you. Others are saying the opposite and they say they have sources too. I don't find any of it credible, because anyone can say anything.

Also, I don't need sources to know that the Saints have likely spoken with the Titans and may speak to them again. "Try like hell" is a meaningless hyperbole in my opinion. It's subjective and can't ever be proven or disproven.

 

[Saint Spud]

Lance had over 300 atts in college alone, exaggerate much? and in his biggest yr he threw for 28TD and NO Ints. AND he had 1100yds rushing in 2019
This is not a comparison of Ward to Lance it's evidence that trading up for a QB does not work out way more times than it does. You could insert Zach Wilson in in place of Lance or RG3 or any number of QB that were traded up to get and were either busts or had very underwhelming careers and were not worth the trade up

You can say the same about drafting a QB. It fails more often that it hits.

That doesn’t mean you stop trying. It’s the most important position in team sports. If you love a guy, go get him.

 

[JackDiesel]

Yep. The “Just go for it” crew has nothing but fan pride on the line.

This decision, if it backfires, could literally set the franchise back by a decade…4 to 5 years to determine the player is a bust, and likely another 4 to 5 years of figuring out who is next, not to mention the loss of the potential help of the picks you gave up for the player, including your current #9 positioning.

This is a HUGE decision that goes beyond “Just going for it.” It’s one thing to trade up to a mid first round pick, it’s a whole different ball game when you’re talking about a move from pick 9 to pick 1.

This is a franchise-altering decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly, even as fans. You BETTER get this one right if you do it, or else; the consequences of not getting it right will be disastrous.

It doesn't set the franchise back a decade. You have 4 years to figure out if he's right and depending on how the trade up is structured you get a full compliments of picks back after a year or two. If he's a bust then chances are you have a top 5 pick in the next few years to try again.

In 2021 Bears traded up for Fields giving up a future first. In 2024 they ended up with the first overall pick and drafted what was billed as a generational talent at QB.

We've been non-aggressive at finding a franchise QB for 8 years and it still hasn't happened and chances are it doesn't happen this year. If we end up with another middle of the pack pick next year we'll be in the same situation. At some point we're going to have to trade up if you want a shot at a QB prospect with elite traits. Or else we're stuck picking through the Dart's, Levis, Mac Jones or Pickett's of the world and praying you get a Jordan Love without having the luxury of time to properly develop a Jordan Love.

 

[tyler735]

I’m going to put this as nicely as I can. The people saying there’s “no chance” we trade up for Cam Ward lack critical thinking skills. It may or may not happen, but it’s clear as day the Saints are very willing to try to trade up if they can reach a deal with the Titans.

The biggest tell was:



There’s absolutely no reason to send the entire staff to watch Ward unless there is legitimate interest in Ward. There’s also no reason to with the “hope” of Ward falling to pick #9 as that is truly the only “no chance” scenario at play here and would be a waste of time for our front office. There’s far too much smoke right now for it not to be true that the Saints are trying to work something out to trade up. May or may not happen as it takes 2 to tango, but the interest is undoubtedly there.

 

[Hedon James]

Huh? He’s done it plenty of times. It’s called speculation.

I’m not saying the saints wouldn’t throw a feeler out there to see what the cost would be, but there’s literally NO chance of it happening. Yes, this is pure speculation on my part. I don’t think the Saints were ever truly interested in trading up to 1. I don’t think if they were we hear about their interest in Ward as early as we did.

Again, pure speculation on my behalf. I could very well be wrong. Wouldn’t surprise anyone haha.

I believe Loomis inquires about the cost of moving up to the #1 EVERY YEAR. It's part of HIS due diligence process. Look it up....he does this OFTEN, and I believe it's every year. In order to assess the cost/benefit of trading up, you need to know the cost for the #1; the cost of staying put is "free". From that, you can extrapolate an approximation of cost for any draft position. Or even develop a cost/benefit analysis for moving back.

The draft chart is ONE method, but is only a GUIDELINE, and doesn't factor in strength of overall draft; or "top heavy" draft; or strong draft at premium positions, such as QB, OT, EDGE, CB, etc... Anyone who considers "moving up and down the board" (ahem....LOOMIS!) needs to know the cost of that #1 pick, relative to their current pick. Whether there's actual interest in that #1 pick is a different discussion; but there is absolutely interest in knowing the COST of that pick.

This draft is represented to be thin at the top, but stronger than usual in the middle. The chart doesn't account for that. I'm willing to bet the Saints (and other teams) look at the draft in terms of "tiers". If there are only 10 legitimate prospects with first round grades on them, rather than 32+/-, those 10 picks become more valuable than usual, and picks 11-32 become less valuable than usual, because even though those are 1st round picks, they are graded as 2nd round talents. Conversely, maybe picks 65-81 become more valuable, because even though those picks are 3rd rounders, they are graded as 2nd round talents . And so on, and so on. Whatever the Saints "tiers" look like, I'm willing to bet that Loomis has an "adjusted chart" to account for the value of those tiers, specific to this year only. That chart gets shredded immediately after the draft, because next year will almost certainly be different.

So maybe Loomis inquiring about #1 pick is smokescreen. Maybe it's sincere. But I have 100% confidence he inquired, because he needed the information. What happens beyond that will be predicated on the perceived cost of the pick, versus the perceived benefit of the player targeted, according to Loomis' MODIFIED chart based on Saints grades from scouting, and cost of moving to #1 pick from #9.

I don't think we're moving up to #1. Titans are right....the #1 overall pick should be a generational talent. When you're moving up from #9 to #1, it MUST be a generational talent. I'm not a scout, but I don't see generational talent. Add in to the mix that this draft is supposed to be strong at positions of need for the Saints; and that it's supposed to be stronger than usual in rounds 2-3, possibly even 4. The Saints are finally armed with more picks than usual, and most of them are in that sweet spot of rounds 2-4. This draft is tailor made for the Saints to "get well soon" with respect to roster holes, and bolstering depth. Add in that we still have salary cap issues to work through, and rookie contracts are cheap, so lots of picks are more apt to solve more problems than trading a boatload of picks to take a QB with question marks about his future development. All the Saints have to do is SIT STILL (or trade BACK for more of those 2-4 rounders!) and draft well...make those picks COUNT.

 

[Tapxe]

the FO would be smart to realize the fan base echo’s that sentiment. Getting Ward would be a PR boom in New Orleans…lord knows we need it.

I am not impressed by a head coach drafting to fulfill PR desires of a fan base.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I am not impressed by a head coach drafting to fulfill PR desires of a fan base.

I'm not impressed when someone confuses recogniznig an opportunity for a PR boom with that being the primary reason you make the move....no offense. Though I am impressed w/ how easily you misinterpreted that

 

[jboss]

I am not impressed by a head coach drafting to fulfill PR desires of a fan base.

Especially fan base in this case being a message board as far as we know.

 

[St. Widge]

I’m going to put this as nicely as I can. The people saying there’s “no chance” we trade up for Cam Ward lack critical thinking skills. It may or may not happen, but it’s clear as day the Saints are very willing to try to trade up if they can reach a deal with the Titans.

The biggest tell was:



There’s absolutely no reason to send the entire staff to watch Ward unless there is legitimate interest in Ward. There’s also no reason to with the “hope” of Ward falling to pick #9 as that is truly the only “no chance” scenario at play here and would be a waste of time for our front office. There’s far too much smoke right now for it not to be true that the Saints are trying to work something out to trade up. May or may not happen as it takes 2 to tango, but the interest is undoubtedly there.

I love how Sigler used a picture of Lauscha, Loomis, and Ireland that isn't from the Miami Pro Day to try to legitimize his article.

At any rate, there is no doubt the Saints are exploring moving up to #1. Underhill reported weeks ago that the Saints called the Titans so see what the cost would be to move up to #1, but at the time the cost was considered too high. That could change in that the Saints may decide they are willing to pay that price or the Titans could lower their demand. And, maybe it never gets done, but the Saints are clearly considering it.

 

[AdamWest]

Lance had over 300 atts in college alone, exaggerate much? and in his biggest yr he threw for 28TD and NO Ints. AND he had 1100yds rushing in 2019
This is not a comparison of Ward to Lance it's evidence that trading up for a QB does not work out way more times than it does. You could insert Zach Wilson in in place of Lance or RG3 or any number of QB that were traded up to get and were either busts or had very underwhelming careers and were not worth the trade up

You could literally make this argument for literally every player/prospect ever taken in the draft.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Not a fan of this. I don't think Ward is quite that level of prospect, and I don't think we need to give into urgency.

Next year, there will be several QBs comparable to Ward that are more attainable without selling the franchise. This team needs a lot of young talent. We can't give away two first rounds, two second rounders, and a good player (what it cost last time to go that high) for a 50/50 shot on a QB.

 

[AdamWest]

It doesn't set the franchise back a decade. You have 4 years to figure out if he's right and depending on how the trade up is structured you get a full compliments of picks back after a year or two. If he's a bust then chances are you have a top 5 pick in the next few years to try again.

In 2021 Bears traded up for Fields giving up a future first. In 2024 they ended up with the first overall pick and drafted what was billed as a generational talent at QB.

We've been non-aggressive at finding a franchise QB for 8 years and it still hasn't happened and chances are it doesn't happen this year. If we end up with another middle of the pack pick next year we'll be in the same situation. At some point we're going to have to trade up if you want a shot at a QB prospect with elite traits. Or else we're stuck picking through the Dart's, Levis, Mac Jones or Pickett's of the world and praying you get a Jordan Love without having the luxury of time to properly develop a Jordan Love.

Man is spitting. For fun (and I ain't gonna entertain the "oh this player should be this thing), this is how the Saints have drafted recently - I'd much rather them swing for the fences for a QB they are in love with than continue the same path over and over. "Build in the trenches, there are holes everywhere!" Yeah, they've tried that route. It hasn't worked.

So now they want to fix the most important position on the team (WHICH IS VERY RISKY) and it's like "nope don't do it, no way". It's baffling.