dberce1

SAINTS POTENTIAL L.A. MOVE INFLUENCING DRAFT PLANS?

We reluctantly (not really) interrupt the current love-fest unfolding between Louisiana and the Saints to remind the citizens of New Orleans that your NFL team remains a prime candidate to move to Los Angeles.

As we've said several times over the past couple of weeks, someone is moving to L.A. Whether it's the Saints, Bills, Jags, Vikings, or Chargers, an NFL franchise will be in L.A., likely by the end of the decade.

If it's the Saints, owner Tom Benson would sell the franchise to a new owner in California, walking away with a cool billion or more.

And we've heard chatter that a move could come as soon as 2007, possibly in conjunction with a Cleveland-style commitment from the Commish that New Orleans would have dibs on an expansion team -- once the area is fully rebuilt to the point that it can support a franchise, and if the NFL ever chooses to disrupt its current 32-team format.

Another possibility would be the future movement of a team like the Bills or the Jaguars to the Bayou.

Regardless of what happens, the possibility of a sale come 2007 likely is influencing the Saints' approach to the 2006 draft, in which the franchise holds the No. 2 overall pick. After the Saints signed quarterback Drew Brees, there were reports that the franchise intended to trade down. The Saints have been a bit more coy of late, but we continue to hear that the Saints desperately want out of the two hole, since Benson doesn't want to pay out the enormous bonus money that goes along with such a high position in the draft.

There's a growing belief that the Saints hope to land defensive end Mario Williams, but not with the No. 2 pick. If, in the end, the Saints can't move out of that spot, there's a chance that they'll end up taking quarterback Matt Leinart, which only would enhance the value of the franchise in advance of the potential move to Los Angeles.

Remember this -- Brees has a $12 million option bonus due in 2007. We initially presumed that the eight-figure payment was intended to protect the Saints in the event that Brees' shoulder is shot. But it also could be that Benson wants to be able to walk away from making a bigger financial commitment to Brees, in the event that Benson knows before March 2007 that he'll be cashing out.

Our guess is that, in the end, the Saints will find a way to trade down. If they don't, don't be surprised to hear Leinart's name called out at No.2, regardless of who gets drafted at No. 1.

Grain of salt:
http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

Tobias-Reiper

ahh... "The way we make it up"...

... in any case, if that were true, the Saints would be drafting Leinart, and will NOT be looking to trade down, because the would absolutely need Leinart to gain some interest in L.A.

VikingSaint

PFT for years has been about as reliable as day old bread as for sources ... Move to L.A. ??? I don't think so any more ...

Halo

Either this guy is a fly with wings, or Tom Benson is running around telling people "I want out of the #2 spot because I don't want to pay enourmous bonus money." I'm sure old Tom is telling everyone in the "inner-circle" about this, and one of his inner circle is really a KGB spy! He leaked this to Russia who told Saddam Hussein who told one of his prison guards, who just happens to be the brother-in-law of the guy who runs the Circle-K down the street.

Can somebody please remind the person who wrote this that it's time for his medication.