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

[SAINTSFAN]

Not only that, but if people are going to start bringing up situations about teams being disappointed by "trading up" for QB's the reverse is also very true in several situations:

Chiefs are thrilled with trading up for Patrick Mahomes
Ravens are thrilled with trading up for Lamar Jackson
Buffalo are thrilled with trading up for Josh Allen
Houston was (initially) thrilled with trading up for Deshaun Watson until he became a sexual predator
Rams traded up for Goff who went to multiple Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl with the Rams and is now playing great for the Lions
Ravens traded up for Joe Flacco who helped them win a Super Bowl
Giants traded up for Eli Manning who helped them win 2 Super Bowls
Falcons traded up for Mike Vick who went to 3 Pro Bowls and finished top 4 in MVP voting twice for them. Had he not been an idiot with the dog fighting stuff his career with Atlanta likely would have been viewed much more positively

Sure there are some "differing" costs for some of these trades, but each of these trades featured a front office that saw a guy at QB they thought they could win with and they took a chance trading away high draft picks to acquire them. If our front office thinks Ward is "that guy" then I'm all for it. This franchise hasn't even made an attempt to draft a QB high in the draft since way before I was born. If they finally feel it's time to take a swing at the most important position in football, then why not at this point.

But there are also many examples of teams who traded up and made huge mistakes.

 

[Saint Spud]

But there are also many examples of teams who traded up and made huge mistakes.

Lots of examples of teams who stayed put and took a QB and made mistakes, too.

 

[SAINTSFAN]

Lots of examples of teams who stayed put and took a QB and made mistakes, too.

Certainly

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

We have a historic reference point of what It would cost to move from 9 to 1. The true value is subjective because how the other team feels about the player is a piece to the compensation puzzle. The Bills for instance didn't have Mahomes valued highly so the cost for the Chiefs to move up nearly 17 spots was minimal. Two 1st and a 3rd. Looking back that pick was worth infinitely more.

Panthers receive:

• 2023 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Bears receive:

• WR D.J. Moore
• 2023 first-round pick (No. 9 overall)
• 2023 second-round pick (No. 61 overall)
• 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
• 2025 second-round pick

From the Saints persepctive you're looking at

• WR Chris Olave
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2025 2nd round pick
• 2026 1st round pick
• 2027 2nd round pick.

The value for 61 vs our 40th pick, if we send it to them would likely result in us getting say a 4th or 5th rounder back, and if not I'm sure they'd figure out how to make that value correlate. Regardless, the trade didn't handicap the Panthers and it wouldn't handicap the Saints. Teams tend to overvalue early round picks and undervalue late rounders.

We'd still have enough ammo to add depth this year (it's not like we have many starting spots open...LG, CB, maybe WR after trade) and some money in FA to sign a Veteran late.

You could also recoup a pick or two if you trade Carr at some point. Likely get a 2nd for him, especially if you lower his cap hit like you did this year.

 

[JackDiesel]

We have a historic reference point of what It would cost to move from 9 to 1. The true value is subjective because how the other team feels about the player is a piece to the compensati prize.

Panthers receive:

• 2023 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Bears receive:

• WR D.J. Moore
• 2023 first-round pick (No. 9 overall)
• 2023 second-round pick (No. 61 overall)
• 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
• 2025 second-round pick

From the Saints persepctive you're looking at

• WR Chris Olave
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2025 2nd round pick
• 2026 1st round pick
• 2027 2nd round pick.

The value for 61 vs our 40th pick, if we send it to them would likely result in us getting say a 4th or 5th rounder back, and if not I'm sure they'd figure out how to make that value correlate. Regardless, the trade didn't handicap the Panthers and it wouldn't handicap the Saints. Teams tend to overvalue early round picks and undervalue late rounders.

We'd still have enough ammo to add depth this year (it's not like we have many starting spots open...LG, CB, maybe WR after trade) and some money in FA to sign a Veteran late.

You could also recoup a pick or two if you trade Carr at some point. Likely get a 2nd for him, especially if you lower his cap hit like you did this year.

We know what's happened in the past and from that point of view a trade makes sense, the big question is what are the Titans asking for now? And is there a chance the asking price comes down as the draft gets closer. They're trying to hype him up after his Pro Day to drive up the price but the reality is he didn't do anything that teams already didn't know.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

We know what's happened in the past and from that point of view a trade makes sense, the big question is what are the Titans asking for now? And is there a chance the asking price comes down as the draft gets closer. They're trying to hype him up after his Pro Day to drive up the price but the reality is he didn't do anything that teams already didn't know.

They'll come down if they genuinely don't want the pick, and there's quotes of them discussing trading the pick as early as February.

That and logically, how can you up the price when you didn't accept the 1st offer? If you weren't satisfied w/ my original offer - telling me I need to go higher than you already suggested I go doesnt help you w/ negotiations. It makes the chances I offer something you like unrealistic...but if your goal is to come off the pick, eventually you'll have to take a realistic offer.

That entire logic is based on them not wanting to select Ward. If they truly do...it's all moot...but if they did they'd already have shut shop on any offers.

If we're going to do this, I just need the unflinching Loomis in negotiations, not the desperate one who signed Carr. The cost isn't crippling, the Falcons once sent (2)1st, a 2nd, and (2) 4th rounders for Julio Jones.

 

[sammymvpknight]

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 don’t think it gets done…and nobody should. But Mickey Loomis isn’t traveling unless there’s a good reason. Are are less costly/easier ways to smokescreen

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I don’t think it gets done…and nobody should. But Mickey Loomis isn’t traveling unless there’s a good reason. Are are less costly/easier ways to smokescreen

I think it gets done simply because if Loomis nails Ward/Moore the franchise is set for him to walk away in a few years. Loomis admitted he's an optimist, suggesting he thinks this team can win the division this year. Putting them at say pick 20 in 2026 making it even harder to move up if they wanted a specific player next year. It's making it a bit easier that no other team is having the same conviction for Ward that they do. The narrative about the QB class helps a lot, because lets say they wait next year....how many teams are they competing w/ for the same player?

As of right now, I get the impression the Saints are the only team that enamored w/ Ward that are within striking distance.

 

[SAINTSFAN]

We have a historic reference point of what It would cost to move from 9 to 1. The true value is subjective because how the other team feels about the player is a piece to the compensation puzzle. The Bills for instance didn't have Mahomes valued highly so the cost for the Chiefs to move up nearly 17 spots was minimal. Two 1st and a 3rd. Looking back that pick was worth infinitely more.

Panthers receive:

• 2023 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Bears receive:

• WR D.J. Moore
• 2023 first-round pick (No. 9 overall)
• 2023 second-round pick (No. 61 overall)
• 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
• 2025 second-round pick

From the Saints persepctive you're looking at

• WR Chris Olave
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2025 2nd round pick
• 2026 1st round pick
• 2027 2nd round pick.

The value for 61 vs our 40th pick, if we send it to them would likely result in us getting say a 4th or 5th rounder back, and if not I'm sure they'd figure out how to make that value correlate. Regardless, the trade didn't handicap the Panthers and it wouldn't handicap the Saints. Teams tend to overvalue early round picks and undervalue late rounders.

We'd still have enough ammo to add depth this year (it's not like we have many starting spots open...LG, CB, maybe WR after trade) and some money in FA to sign a Veteran late.

You could also recoup a pick or two if you trade Carr at some point. Likely get a 2nd for him, especially if you lower his cap hit like you did this year.

There is no chance whatsoever that we would get a 2nd for Carr. Teams will wait for him to be released.

 

[sammymvpknight]

You will not have to go to #1 to get a prospect on the level of Ward next year. You might not have to trade at all.

This is a historically awful year for QBs in the draft.

I disagree with this statement…strongly. Manning is the only QB prospect currently on par with Ward, but there is no guarantee he even comes out and he still needs to stay healthy and prove it.

 

[St. Geezy]

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.

I don't believe there is anything here to be baffled about. It's just a disagreement on opinion of how aggressive we need to be for this particular year and this particular player.

To tell you the truth, if you told me I absolutely must get the QB of the future now, I'd rather stay put and take the risk on Shaddeur being there at 9 or Dart/Milroe/whoever being there at 40 (worst case scenario, we roll with Carr as planned and get the young QB next year) than throw all of our premium asset eggs into Ward's basket. Use the premium assets retained to surround the alternative QB pick with better talent.

This to me looks like a reckless trade, with a much larger extra layer of consequences if it falters.

I think some people are speaking from a place of absolute desperation to get rid of Carr on this one rather than fully assessing the situation. You yourself even seem to be rooting for this just as much if not more so than you're reporting on it, and getting annoyed that some don’t like the idea or won’t just roll with what you’re saying. People are giddy about the prospect of a new toy at QB, which I get, however I don't believe I am of the mindset that I want to completely mortgage our draft future for him.

If we happened to be picking in the top 2 or 3 and could get Ward, great, but the price for us not being up there is just too large IMO. You're talking about sacrificing possibly 4 or 5 starters on a team that could use more talent for a maybe at QB.

We'll see though. If the team decides the kid is worth it, I will defer to their opinion and support the decision, however looking at it from my current set of lenses, it's a no-go for me. This prospect doesn't move the needle enough for me to sacrifice that much, and a part of me even likes Shaddeur a tad bit more due to his superior accuracy displayed.

The draft results you posted doesn’t move the needle for me. No team goes into a draft day trade thinking “Oh these picks are probably going to bust anyway.” No, when talking first and second round picks, those are viewed as premium assets likely to become starters, always. Busts happen, but you’re not assessing the picks that high as potential busts.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Ross says they’re wanting three 1’s.

 

[Saint Spud]

Ross says they’re wanting three 1’s.

Then give them 3.

 

[St. Widge]

Ross says they’re wanting three 1’s.

Just three 1's or three 1's and more?