Saints set to swing Trade For $57 Million Championship Star To Upgrade Offense

The New Orleans Saints have a lot of positions to address at the top of the first round in the NFL Draft, but the Saints only have one pick to draft with. Because of this, the Saints could get creative as they look to fill the holes on their roster.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert has been a trade candidate for the last few weeks, and he should receive a lot of interest during the draft. It’s unclear whether the Saints are going to try to trade for him, but they definitely should.

Moe Moton of Bleacher Report recently cited a few NFL insiders as they predicted Goedert would be traded to the Indianapolis Colts.

“Multiple reporters have discussed Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert as someone who could be on the move this offseason,” Moton wrote. “According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, the Eagles are “holding out hope for at least a 4th-round pick” in exchange for Goedert. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo also mentioned Goedert as a trade candidate to monitor nearing the draft.”

While Moton might feel like the Colts are the best fit for the Eagles tight end, the Saints could be a darkhorse in the trade sweepstakes for Goedert.

New Orleans brought Juwan Johnson back this offseason, but if it can pick up Goedert for a fifth or sixth round pick, the Saints would be foolish not to.

With Derek Carr likely out for the season, the Saints need as much firepower on offense for whichever quarterback takes over. If this includes making trades for talented wide receivers or tight ends, the Saints should at least consider it.

Top Seven Veteran Quarterback Best Option that the New Orleans Saint may Sign After Derek Carr Injury

Certainly not ideal options, but New Orleans could target one of these available veteran quarterbacks as a backup or spot-starter in wake of Derek Carr’s injury.

Friday’s news that New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr could miss most or all of the 2025-26 season with a shoulder injury has put an interesting twist into the team’s offseason.

Carr, 34, was unlikely to be with the Saints beyond this coming season. However, after a contract restructure, he was almost a sure bet to be the team’s starter for this year. At least he was, before Friday reports that an injured throwing shoulder may sideline him for the season.

Because of that news, New Orleans is a heavy favorite to select a quarterback in either the first or second round of the NFL Draft. If so, it would be the first time since Archie Manning in 1971 and only the second time in the Saints 58-year history that they’ve done so.

New Orleans also has Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round choice in the 2024 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He has an excellent arm, solid mobility, and some intriguing athletic traits but struggles to read defenses.

Rattler played in seven games last season because of injuries to Carr. In those contests, he completed 57% of his throws for 1,317 yards with 4 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and 22 sacks. While his play was uneven, at very best, he also had to do it with an injury-decimated offensive line, no backfield depth, and without his top three wide receivers.

If the Saints elect to roll with Rattler and not draft a quarterback, they may instead look to bring in a veteran with some starting experience. This wouldn’t necessarily be to start the year, but instead to provide some insurance and stability at the position.

The choices aren’t ideal, to say the least, but here are the most logical free-agent quarterbacks still available.

Bridgewater technically retired after the 2023-24 season. After coaching a championship high school football team in the fall, he returned to the Detroit Lions as a backup for their short-lived playoff run.

Following Detroit’s loss in the Divisional Round, Bridgewater never publicly stated whether he planned to re-retire or keep playing. An 11-year NFL veteran, he’s started games with five different teams

A first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and one-time Pro Bowler with the Minnesota Vikings, Bridgewater managed to revive his career following a catastrophic knee injury in 2016. After a preseason stint with the Jets in 2018, he was traded to the New Orleans Saints.

Bridgewater was with the Saints for two seasons as a backup and started five games for an injured Drew Brees in 2019. He went 5-0 in those starts, completing 67.9% of his throws for 1,384 yards with 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

Since leaving New Orleans, Bridgewater started one year each for the Panthers and Broncos before being a backup for the Dolphins, then Lions, for the last three years. Bridgewater has a career completion percentage of 66.4%, throwing for 15,120 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.

While technically not retired, Tannehill didn’t play last year following his release from the Tennessee Titans after the 2023-24 season. He played five years for the Titans, going 39-24 as a starter and taking Tennessee to the playoffs three times with two division championships.

Prior to Tennessee, Tannehill played his first six seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He was a first-round choice, eighth overall, in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. During his time with Miami, he was 42-46 as a starter with one playoff appearance.

In 11 NFL seasons, Tannehill has a 64.3% completion percentage with 34,881 yards and 216 touchdowns with 115 interceptions. He’s made one Pro Bowl, in 2019, and has taken four teams into the postseason as a starter.

Wentz was the second overall choice in the 2016 NFL Draft out of North Dakota State by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was an immediate starter as a rookie, guiding his team to a 7-9 record.

In 2017, Wentz was actually in the league MVP conversation as the Eagles sprinted to an 11-2 start. He had a 60% completion percentage in those games, averaging 254 passing yards per game with 33 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions. A broken ankle sidelined Wentz for the stretch run, as Nick Foles guided Philadelphia through the playoffs and a Super Bowl LII title.

Wentz returned as Philadelphia’s starter in 2018 but was slowed by ineffectiveness and more injuries. He actually averaged more passing yards (279.5) in his 11 starts, but had just a 5-6 record despite 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

Wentz remained in Philadelphia until 2020, but never regained his 2017 effectiveness. He was benched as the starter in 2020 and traded the following offseason to the Indianapolis Colts. He’d be with the Colts only one year, throwing 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while throwing for 3,563 yards but going only 9-8 as a starter.

For the last three years, Wentz has been a backup for Washington, the Rams, and Kansas City. He has a career completion percentage of 62.7% with 22,410 yards with 153 touchdowns and 67 interceptions.

An undrafted rookie out of Utah in 2020, Huntley spent his first four NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He was a backup to Lamar Jackson, but still started nine contests plus a playoff game because of injury.

Huntley wound up with the Miami Dolphins last year. He’d start five games because of injuries to starter Tua Tagovailoa. In 15 career starts, Huntley has a 5-10 record.

Huntley has a 64.6% career completion percentage. He’s thrown for 3,072 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Originally, Beathard was a third-round choice in the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers out of Iowa. He’d spend his first four seasons there as backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, starting 12 games as an injury replacement.

Beathard went 2-10 as a 49ers starter. He’d complete 58.6% of his passes while with the team, throwing for 3,469 yards with 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Beathard signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2021 offseason as a free agent.

For the last four seasons, Beathard has seen little action as backup to Trevor Lawrence. He’d see his most action in 2023, starting one contest and seeing several snaps in two others. In those outings, he’d throw for 349 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions with one win.

Succeeding Carson Wentz as the starter at North Dakota State, Stick would eventually be a fifth-round choice in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Chargers. He’s been with the Chargers for all six of his NFL seasons.

Backing up Justin Herbert, Stick has only seen action in six regular season games. One of them was during the 2020 season, when he attempted one pass. The others were the last five games of the 2023 season when he took over for an injured Herbert.

Interestingly, those games in 2023 was when Saints head coach Kellen Moore was the offensive coordinator for the Chargers. Stick completed 63.8% of his throws for 1,129 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. The Chargers lost all five games, scoring an average of 14.2 points.

As far as available free agents, these are the choices folks. No, Aaron Rodgers should not be a realistic option if Kellen Moore and the Saints possess an ounce of sanity. Along with Rodgers comes a narcissistic soap opera and a shadow of the player he used to be with likely demands of a guaranteed starting role. Good luck with whatever team (Pittsburgh) gets that mess.

Another scenario could be a trade for a veteran. If the New York Giants draft a quarterback high, they may look to part with newly signed veterans Russell Wilson or former Saint Jameis Winston. The Cleveland Browns could be in the same predicament if they use a high pick on a quarterback and may possibly move Kenny Pickett or Joe Flacco.

Again, all of these scenarios are less than ideal. If the Saints look to sign or especially trade for any of these listed names, it will probably only be as veteran insurance or competition to Spencer Rattler if they do not draft a quarterback in the first two days.

Source: Athlonsports

Saints HC Kellen Moore Adds Louisville Quarterback Tyler Shough In Pre-Draft Visit with Derek Carr out for the season

The New Orleans Saints have done extensive homework on several quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. This holds even greater importance with Friday’s news that the season of QB Derek Carr might be in jeopardy because of a shoulder injury.

New Orleans added yet another quarterback to their potential target list on Friday. Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com was the first to report that the Saints hosted Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough on a top-30 visit.

Shough began his collegiate career at Oregon in 2018. After three years as a reserve, he’d transfer to Texas Tech. He’d open the year as the starter for the Red Raiders in three consecutive seasons there. However, in all three years he’d suffer an injury (collarbone, left shoulder, broken fibula) that either caused him to miss significant time or most of the season.

Transferring to Louisville for his final collegiate campaign, Slough finally put together a full season. He’d lead the Cardinals to an 8-4 regular season record, completing 62.7% of his throws for 3,195 yards with 23 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

A Day 3 draft projection, Shough’s injury issues are likely a red flag for some teams. His age (25) could also limit his long-term upside as a prospect.

Shough must show better passing mechanics. Especially in his lower body setup and release, where poor technique has affected his velocity and accuracy. He must also show more patience when going through his progressions, too often either panicking when his initial read isn’t there or locking on to a primary receiver.

In the highly structured passing systems at both Texas Tech and Louisville, Shough showed excellent results. He’s been equally effective from the shotgun or under center and has run the spread and more traditional pro-style attacks efficiently.

Shough is a terrific athlete with formidable size at 6’5″ and 219-Lbs. He has a compact arm release, can escape pressure, and shows excellent ball placement on his throws. Shough possesses natural upper body technique and arm talent that will only improve with a better throwing platform.

DEAL AGREED: New Orleans Saints are now Clear Favorites to Land Shedeur Sanders in NFL Draft

One Sportsbook names the Saints as favorites to draft Shedeur Sanders.

The New Orleans Saints are clearly in the quarterback market, and sportsbooks have taken notice

Just a few weeks ago, one national sportsbook had the Saints favored to draft a defensive player. That narrative has since shifted, with FanDuel Sportsbook now listing the Saints as favorites to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. This shift follows multiple reports of the team’s interest in potentially acquiring a quarterback, despite restructuring Derek Carr’s contract earlier this offseason.

Currently, the New Orleans Saints hold the ninth overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. After finishing the 2024 regular season with a lackluster 5-12 record and missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year, it is evident that the franchise is in need of new direction.

While the hiring of Kellen Moore has brought renewed energy to both the team and its fan base, finding Moore’s quarterback of the future could be the catalyst for a return to the postseason. A quarterback could also serve as the new face of the franchise… something the Saints have lacked since the retirement of future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees.

As the countdown to the draft continues, projections surrounding the top selections have become more clear. Miami quarterback Cam Ward looks to be favorite to be selected as the number one overall pick. However, uncertainty remains regarding which quarterback will be selected next. Many analysts believe that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be the second quarterback off the board.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the New Orleans Saints are currently the betting odds favorites to draft Sanders, with the New York Giants just behind.

Momentum linking Shedeur Sanders and the New Orleans Saints has continued to build in recent weeks, with numerous analysts now projecting the son of Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders to fall outside the top five picks in this month’s NFL Draft.

With the Saints in desperate need of both a culture changer and a quarterback capable of reenergizing the fan base, drafting Sanders, while keeping him in the same black and gold color scheme he wore during his final two collegiate seasons, could be appealing option for head coach Kellen Moore and the organization.

Sanders spent his first two collegiate seasons playing for Jackson State prior to transferring to Colorado. Over his four-year college career playing under his father, Sanders threw for 14,327 yards, 134 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions, completing 70% of his passes. He also rushed for 17 touchdowns, including four in each of his two seasons at Colorado.

At the conclusion of the 2024 college season, he was named First Team All-Big 12, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and the recipient of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Sanders is a projected top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

BREAKING NEWS: Saints Set to Acquire Shedeur Sanders as QB to lead them into the future In Blockbuster Trade With Patriots

Could the New Orleans Saints get their future franchise quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft? Part of the answer may depend on how the draft board shakes out in front of them.

It will cost the Saints a king’s ransom to trade for the number-one overall pick and select whichever quarterback they prefer. With each selection down the board, the odds become slightly more realistic, but with only two slam-dunk first-round prospects to choose from, New Orleans couldn’t afford to wait around long.

If only one quarterback (presumably Miami’s Cam Ward) goes within the first three picks, the Saints may be in the ideal position to trade up to the fourth slot with the New England Patriots, who have no need for a QB of their own. That means New Orleans would have to be convinced that Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders was the right man for the job.

On Wednesday, David Latham of Last Word On Sports suggested that if the Saints wanted Sanders with the Patriots’ pick, they would have to surrender their first- and second-round picks in this year’s draft (number nine and 40 overall) to New England.

“If there are no elite prospects left on the board, New England should seek a trade partner, and the Saints could be the ideal choice,” Latham wrote. “Head coach Kellen Moore will want to build his offense around a young quarterback, and Sanders could be the best option left on the board.

“The value of the Saints first two picks is roughly equal to New England’s fourth-overall selection, and perhaps New England could throw in a late-round pick to even the sides.”

Sanders, 23, passed for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions during his two seasons at Colorado, after transferring from Jackson State. The son of NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, Shedeur hopes to make his mark as one of the most accurate passers in the league.

If the Saints are able to draft Sanders and keep all of their future draft picks beyond 2025, they may have to pull the trigger. That is, of course, if they feel confident that he is the right starting QB to lead them into the future.