New Orleans Saints: Why they didn’t draft a quarterback
Before the draft, rumors flew about the New Orleans Saints drafting a quarterback. With the draft weekend in the books and no QB, the message is clear.
With defense being the focus and a huge need for the New Orleans Saints, offense went on the back burner in the 2017 NFL Draft. They filled some defensive needs and a few offensive needs but failed to draft a quarterback. With a few decent ones left, the team has made their stance clear. This is Drew Brees’ time to shine and turn the team around.
Drafting a quarterback wasn’t a huge need for the team. With Brees almost 40 years old, it’s hard to gauge how much playing time he wants to have and how much he will have. An aging body could be a problem in a year or two, but not now. Looking at Brees’ stats from last season, he completed 70 percent of his passes and threw for over 5,000 yards. Even if his body is aging, but the strength of his arm certainly isn’t.
Brees has also been the backbone of the team for years. He’s become a beloved figure in the New Orleans Saints and a sign of hope after Hurricane Katrina. He’s also been heavily involved in philanthropy in the community as well. Brees isn’t just a quarterback, he’s a jack of all trades for the city and their football team.
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Finding a replacement for that isn’t easy. Obviously, no rookie can really match up with Brees’ elite play or echo leadership and hope like he has. Looking at this year’s draft class, there were a few good quarterbacks such as Deshaun Watson who went to the Texans and Mitchell Trubisky who went to the Bears. Picking a quarterback in the first round was never a possibility for the Saints who desperately needed defensive help.
In the later rounds, they could have found someone. Maybe pick up Josh Dobbs or Nate Peterman but the team opted to beef up other areas. Yet, they know they have a chance to still win with Brees and he’s going to be their guy for at least another year or two. He brought a championship to them once, why can’t he do it again?
Obviously, the team isn’t all about Brees but they did a great job of picking up some talent to help strengthen their roster. Maybe next year, the Saints will look at a quarterback. Personally, I think the team will go with a Farve-Rodgers dynamic. The rookie will sit behind Brees, learning from him and becoming his prodigy until his time comes.
Next: 2018 Mock Draft: What's next for Saints?
Until then, it’s all about Drew Brees. For better or worse, the Saints have their guy and aren’t looking to get rid of him anytime soon.