SmashMouth

The Saints have an interest in Marcus Mariota, if you believe several reports out there.

The New York Jets seem to be in a win-now mode with their recent signings of 30-year-old plus players like Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Brandon Marshall. So the Jets could be in the market for a proven veteran quarterback like say the San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers or the Saints Drew Brees, New York Daily News columnist Gary Myers says.

There has been no credible evidence the Saints are shopping Brees, who recently turned 36. But the remake of the Saints roster, the belief Brees is on the decline and the fact that Brees is about to be due cap unfriendly payments of $18.75 million this year and $19.75 has many speculating the Saints could have to move their quarterback sooner or later.

There is a belief the Saints are interesting in moving up in next month's NFL Draft to take Mariota. They would have to combine their two first round picks (13 and 31) or add in some other assets to move up to where Mariota would go.

As the generally accepted second-best quarterback in this draft class, Mariota will likely go between the No.2 and No.6 overall picks. The Jets own the sixth pick in the first round. But the safest bet to land Mariota, if he is indeed the intended target of the Saints, is No.2 where Tennessee is drafting.

The Jets seem unlikely for that reason and the fact that Rivers, who replaced Brees in San Diego, Rivers is a better gamble because of his age and the potential to stay in New York longer, according to this ESPN.com article by Rich Cimini.

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