New Orleans Saints must consider drafting a first-round quarterback
With Drew Brees on his way out, the New Orleans Saints put a successor in place.
Right now it may seem unpopular, but the New Orleans Saints would be wise to think about picking a signal-caller in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Though Taysom Hill filled in nicely against the Falcons and delivered a victory, it’s clear that Drew Brees is the face of the team and will more than likely regain the starting job upon return from injury.
Furthermore, Brees will eventually leave, perhaps sooner rather than later. Hill is 30 years old and third-string quarterback Jamies Winston has a resume of his own that raises eyebrows. Thus, the Saints are in a predicament that can be solved if they simply groom a fresh, young place-caller that they draft. And it’s best they make the move in Round 1.
As has often been the case in the NFL, if a team feels that they have identified a potential franchise quarterback, they will be aggressive in an attempt to move up and secure their leader for a long period of time.
The most recent case is how Kansas City moved up to secure Patrick Mahomes and, thus, they stand where they are. Is New Orleans the same as Kansas City? No, but if they follow a similar aggressive path, it could reap benefits.
The New Orleans Saints have good weapons and a young quarterback can be beneficial.
Given the situation in the Big Easy with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas under contract, it would be wise to have a young quarterback on a rookie contract, which would allow the Saints to use whatever cap space they have to try and put other requisite pieces around him.
Who would the Saints need to target? Well, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Trey Lance are clearly not in the picture. However, there are other players such as Mac Jones, Kyle Trask and late-bloomer Zach Wilson that bear consideration. Given how head coach Sean Payton was once a quarterback himself, it would be beneficial for both sides.
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The Saints will likely take a short step back once Brees hangs up his cleats and leaves a great legacy. As for New Orleans itself, the future is approaching. To combat the future, it would be wise to have a plan in place or the battle will be lost. In this case, it’s having a signal-caller in place that can keep New Orleans in a position near the top of the NFC.