New Orleans Saints will work out Lane Johnson

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton is reportedly fretting over the Saints left tackle situation, and he has a great reason to be worried. Calling what the Saints have on the blindside “uncertain” would be an understatement, and Jermon Bushrod has left a huge void there for the Saints. You can say that he is overrated and received far too much in free agency, and those are fair points to make. However, none of that matters to the Saints- what matters is finding a replacement.

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According to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times, the New Orleans Saints will work out Oklahoma Sooners star left tackle Lane Johnson today. Johnson has risen high ever since he had an incredible 2013 NFL Combine performance, and he has tantalizing upside, athleticism, speed, and size. He might not make it outside of the top ten picks in the 2013 NFL Draft, and I find it impossible to think he’ll last until the Saints pick with the 15th selection in the draft. The San Diego Chargers will almost certainly be the ones to snap up Johnson with the 11th pick.

So if the Saints really want to get Johnson, then they will have to trade up. That’s probably not the best idea for this organization, no matter how much they want a new left tackle. If the Saints really do want a tackle, then they would have to trade down and try and nab a less heralded (but still talented) left tackle. They could also hope that Terron Armstead falls to them in the second-round, because he is just as athletic as Johnson (even if he isn’t nearly as good on tape). But the Saints might want to play it safe and trade down from the first round (or even up from the second) to try and secure Armstead (or another LT type).

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