WhoDat!656

METAIRIE — Bill Polian, the man who built the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts into Super Bowl teams, believes there are only a dozen or so prospects with true first-round value.

The New Orleans Saints pick at No. 15 after the draft begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, so a draft-night deal is not out of the question, general manager Mickey Loomis said on Tuesday.

"I think that most teams would say, and certainly we would say that we do have less than 32 guys graded as first-round picks," Loomis said at a press conference at the Saints' facility. "And we probably have 45 or 50 graded as second-round talent. So when you just talk about value and where you're selecting, I think that's probably what it means."

In other words, it might not make that much of a difference to pick at No. 20 than at No. 15, so the Saints could trade down for a price if they find a taker interested in a certain player more than they are. And it could be worth it to trade up a few spots from No. 15.

"Those kinds of deals where you're trading back and picking up selections is going to happen on the clock for the most part," Loomis said. "In the next day or two, I'll talk to probably most of the teams and find out who's interested in moving. Obviously, there's a point where I'd think we'd be willing to move back, but there's a point where we don't want to move too far. And it's the same thing with moving forward.

"So there's probably a group of 10 or 12 teams on either side that I'll touch base with."

Loomis, as usual, tried to be coy at his latest NFL-ordered, pre-draft press conference.

"It's going to be predicated on who's available to us and who could we select if we move back versus just trying to get another pick," he said. "I think that (a move) is unlikely. Those circumstances don't come up very often. I would say unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out."

The Saints do not have a second-round pick this year as they lost that as punishment from the NFL for the bounty scandal. They also do not have a seventh-round pick as they traded that one away.

"This is a year that it'd be really good to have a second round pick," Loomis said, considering the glut of players with second round projected value compared to the precious few with first round projections. "It does limit us. It makes it more difficult to move forward, at least move forward significantly. But that's the way it is."

Loomis was asked what it would cost to move up to his 15 range. "If I was buying, I would tell you," he said. "But potentially, I'm selling. So I'd rather not say."

Among the players most likely to be selected by the Saints at 15 — if still out there — are Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones (6-foot-3, 241), LSUp defensive end Barkevious Mingo (6-4, 241), Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (6-2, 294) and Texas free safety Kenny Vaccaro (6-0, 214), according to NFL Draft expert Mike Detillier.

Ivory on the block?

Loomis talked both ways on the subject of the possible trade of running back Chris Ivory, who recently visited the New York Jets and has had contact with other teams.

"Look, that's clearly a position of strength for us, and we have had discussions with — the publicized team is the Jets," Loomis said. "But we've had discussions with several other teams as well. But there's no deal imminent. But we have had some discussions about it."

Among the the Saints' other running backs are Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles and Travaris Cadet. All have had their moments as has Ivory.


http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/2...nclick_check=1

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

hagan714

oh yeah lets start summing up the dream trades yet again. i awoke to a starting left tackle 2 picks in the second and a second next year. an offer on the table to trade one of the seconds involving a player to clear up cap space and get additional picks in the 3rd and 4th and a conditional next year of a 3 or 4.
i am shaking lol

lee909

In still keen on a swap with the Bengals.
Both seconds and there third for our 15th and Ivory to jets 5th.
Leaves us with 2/2/3/3/4/5/5/6

xan

This Draft is like last call at Fat Harrys on Tuesday night. Only regret and self loathing are certain outcomes.

Jamessr

The same man that said... "Screw it we don't need a capable back up to Peyton Manning.... It's Peyton Manning"

homerj07

AHHH !! Is it 8 yet??

Rugby Saint II

I love Loomis. He's not gonna' give anything away. I'm selling not buying!