Turning Attention to the Draft
 

We need help at almost every position next season, and the free agent market looks weak. If you take injuries out of the equation, the only positions where we are pretty solid is RB and maybe TE.

Who are the starters we know will be there next season?

QB Derek Carr (like it or not)
RB Alvin Kamara
MLB Demario Davis
LT Fuaga
C McCoy
WR Olave, Shaheed
DE Cam Jordan
DT Bresee

Is that it? I'm not even sure, because there are some guys who are on the edge of retirement age, like Honey badger.


Anyway, we need a lot. Here are the results from a four round mock draft I did using https://www.profootballnetwork.com/mockdraft

Each of these guys could step in right away, at least to a rotation, if not start.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

It's been said that THIS year is a good year to select the TE position. Juwan and Foster don't move the needle.

As for the #9 pick, I'd select Mason Graham if for whatever reason he slides down the draft board. I see a Day 1 starter and impact player as a rookie.

But yeah you're right, the Saints need a lot.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

With need at nearly every position, we can truly pick BPA every round.
We need lots of young talent, not just guys that fill a position need.

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Please don't trade up... please don't trade up... please don't trade up...

That's all I ask. I also would not pass up a good deal to move down.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

I told you all that Bowers was the guy last year and then I had people tell me we shouldn't because early TEs never put out. Now look at how he's doing. It kind of amazes me that we only got the 9th pick, I was expecting something a little bit lower.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Trade Recap
New Orleans Receives:
2025: Round 4, Pick 129
2026: Round 4
2026: Round 6

Jacksonville Receives:
2025: Round 4, Pick 128


New Orleans Receives:
2026: Round 5
2026: Round 7

Buffalo Receives:
2025: Round 6, Pick 183


So additional picks in R4/5/6/7 in 2026

My Selections

9
Mason Graham DL Michigan


40
Tyler Booker IOL Alabama


71
Emery Jones Jr.OT LSU

90
Kevin Winston Jr. S Penn State


111
Jared Ivey EDGE Mississippi


129
Kyren Lacy WR LSU


253
Damien Martinez RB Miami (FL)

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Luther our true #1 WR takes heat off Olave, extends his career

Deone a true space eater to shore up the middle

Emory will excel at Guard

Ollie is a poor man's Derrick Henry. Watch.

Keon with a year under Matthieu will become a solid, versatile safety

Cam. Unmatched energy. Move him to FB who can catch and run like Heath Evans.

Smael is smart + athletic and needs to refine skills but situational guy who has elite speed (4.4).

DeMonte. power, intelligence, punch. I love him opposite Deone and Breese

Barryn. New Orleans kid. In 2 years he'll be a nice situational chess piece off the edge.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

And what would we have done without Fuaga last season?

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Trade Derek Carr for Joe Milton.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

I don’t hate the idea, but I don’t think the Pats wouldn’t want Carr in exchange unless the draft pick tagged along with the deal would be high enough.
I think Milton and Rattler would make a good competition. I’m not ready to give up on Rattler yet. I’d love to see what he can do with an upgraded healthy OL and receivers. Way too many drops when he was in

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Draft possibility (no particular order)…

Kelvin Banks Jr. - TEXAS (OL)

Good foot speed & hand placement. Day 1 starter.

Late 1st & 2nd rd grades.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

I thought they had him as the first lineman off the board. I’m definitely with it.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

You are probably right but I assumed it was Will Campbell (LSU).

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Do we need to look for someone who specializes at right tackle? At the very least we need to make sure whoever we take can play either side.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Tate Ratledge - G (senior)

Georgia

Late 1st round/early 2nd rd grades.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

So defensive coach begs for def tackle or end in first round offensive coach goes for o lineman.

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Please Lord! Make sure they reload an extensions please. Amen.

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Please Lord! Make sure they reload in the trenches please. Amen.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Likely as a guard.

There's a lot of discussion about new coaches, scheme, etc, and how what that means for our draft. Regardless I hope we land either Banks or Campbell - both project as a day 1 impact GUARD

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

LG is an immediate need.

Depth is the next greatest need.

Contract expirations. Worth noting the only player who will be 30 at the end of their contract is McCoy

LT Fuaga 2028
LG Saldiveri (?) 2026
C McCoy 2027
RG Ruiz 2027
RT Penning 2026

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Middle round prospect …

Tyler Booker (G) Alabama

”He has earned a PFF pass-blocking grade above 70.0 in three straight seasons in college and has a PFF run-blocking grade above 65.0 in each of the past two”.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Just throwing this out there. Years ago when I lived two hours from Charlotte, I heard an interview with then Panthers QB Jake Delhomme. At one point he admitted that when he first got to the NFL "I didn't have a clue" on how an NFL QB was supposed to play until he met "Coach McCarthy" We all know how he did as Panthers QB. There is a QB named Rattler that could use some good coaching. Just a thought.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

I thought McCarthy did a good job with Aaron Brooks though I wish Jeff Blake stayed healthy when he was in New Orleans.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Agreed on both parts. That offense had really started to gel when Blake went down.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Completely forgot he was OC for Brooks/Blake. Although Blake shoulda got his job back after the injury.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

I've been a big supporter of Brooks and was involved in quite a few debates regarding his abilities twenty years ago when he played for the Saints. That said, IIRC, when he came in for Blake, against the Raiders I think, his first pass was intercepted. :dunce:

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

When Brooks first came in and was, for lack of better term, just letting it rip, he did well.

Maybe Mccarthy leaving is what hurt.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

I thought the offense was incredibly predictable under McCarthy back in those days. I'd say the same thing about the Cowboys offense the past few years. In Green Bay, there were good years that the offense rolled, but I wonder now if that was Aaron Rogers making audibles to change the calls McCarthy had sent in.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Nick Emmanwori - S

South Carolina

Big (6’3, 225) freakish guy with speed, has a nose for the football. Elite tackle radius & closing burst.

Projected — Day 2 (high 2nd rd grades). Immediate impact player prospect.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Very good chance lacy never sees the field in the NFL. Rumor has it they have very good evidence against him. Even if it is negligent homicide he’s going away for awhile. Anyone who wastes a pick on him is stupid. There’s a kid from UNLV and Horton from Colorado state will be fine pickups

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Savion Williams, WR, TCU

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Edge Rusher - James Pearce Jr

Tennessee

POSITIVES

— Good height, looks like he has long arms and room for growth on his frame.

— Impressive athlete who has good movement skills to develop as a pass-rusher.

— Accelerates off the line of scrimmage well to win with speed around the edge paired with a solid rip move and good bend to turn a tight corner at the top of the rush.

— Can win by turning speed to power as a pass-rusher.

— Has the agility and change of direction to be an effective looper on line games, he doesn't have to lose ground to move laterally.


Pro comparison - > Brian Burns

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Doesn't Carr have a No Trade clause or something restrictive in his contract?

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Draft a qb if not a reach, or move up if there is a near certain solid one. Pickup Rodgers for a year

The one time you should have sold the farm to move up you let KC get QB of the future....to be fair you have the worst gm in football

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Full no-trade clause.

"A no-trade clause is a feature of contracts that enables players to veto any proposed trades involving them. Players with full no-trade clauses can deny a move to any team, while other versions offer a specific number of teams players can reject."

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

So a trade can happen if Derek is in favour of it? Is that correct?

I only ask (and I can't say how credible the source is) but I'm seeing chatter on twitter about "The Saints are set to decide on Derek Carrs future with the team in the coming weeks."

It certainly at this moment sounds like Kellen has a deal written up that'll get announced after the SB, I hope they can facilitate a way to get us out of this Carr debacle.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

SO WHO'S YOUR EDGE GUY?

Watching the SB and seeing how pressure with the front four is killer, Edge looks like the best pick with number 9, barring some crazy scenarios.

Who ya got? Abdul Carter likely gone, the clear number one.

I'm mixed on a few that should be there.

James Pearce - best first step in college football. Gets to the ball with momentum. Needs to show effort more percentage of plays.

https://youtu.be/e2bMVK5R1BE?si=vuKVnDTIZ2TpQzAJ

JT Tuimoloau - what a stud! People aren't talking about him, but I think it's because they're all scared someone else will pick him if they talk about him. He's likely going much higher than all these mock drafts have him.

https://youtu.be/oHokgCIOzuM?si=VcShTTp7Fg6salhJ

Mike Green - Led college football in sacks, balled out senior bowl week. I still say we stay away from smaller school prospects in round one. We haven't had much success there.

https://youtu.be/gwhsbaWP9ec?si=nE6fjb1eoU81ZLyA

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

If we can somehow manage to trade Derek Carr, we should sign Justin Fields to a short term contract. He would be very interesting here under Moore.

Re: Turning Attention to the Draft
 

How does Carr agree to be traded away from what most of us see to be a great offensive upgrade in Kellen Moore? If I was him I would do exactly what he did with the Raiders. Refuse a trade and force the team to either keep him or cut him. If cut he could go directly where he wants with the Saints having no say.