New Orleans Saints setting up for QB move after massive trade?

The New Orleans Saints could be setting themselves up for a move up the 2022 NFL Draft board for a QB after a blockbuster trade with the Eagles.

The New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles have come together on a blockbuster pre-draft trade involving only picks, setting up the Saints to either add multiple starters in round one or possibly move up for a quarterback.

Interestingly enough, the Eagles were involved in another trade like this last year with the Miami Dolphins after the Dolphins traded with the San Francisco 49ers. Philadelphia has been stockpiling draft picks and will now have multiple first-round picks in this year’s draft as well as the 2023 NFL Draft.

Full terms of the New Orleans Saints-Philadelphia Eagles trade

New Orleans Saints receive:

• 16th pick
• 19th pick
• 194th pick

Philadelphia Eagles receive:

• 18th pick
• 101st pick
• 237th pick
• 2023 1st-round pick
• 2024 2nd-round pick

On the surface, this trade looks like an absolute heist by Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.

When you dig deeper, you see that it is most certainly a heist by Howie Roseman.

The New Orleans Saints are often the subject of pre-draft trade rumors and they have struck their fair share of deals through the years.

They traded multiple picks back in 2018 to move up for pass rusher Marcus Davenport.

In the 2020 NFL Draft, the Saints maneuvered up and down the board and wound up with just four picks in total.

They were rumored to be interested in moving way up in the 2021 NFL Draft as well (rumor was they wanted Pat Surtain or Jaycee Horn), but they didn’t pull the trigger and ultimately stayed put.

Now, the Saints have multiple first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and no first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With no first-round pick in the QB-rich class of 2023, the New Orleans Saints are likely interested in moving up for a QB in this particular class.

But who?

The speculation should probably start with Kenny Pickett, the presumptive QB1 of this class. It could also be Liberty QB Malik Willis, who may have the highest ceiling of any QB in this class.

The Saints recently sent quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Ronald Curry to see Pickett’s pro day and Pickett also met with the Saints at the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine.

Yes, the New Orleans Saints did just recently re-sign Jameis Winston to a two-year deal worth $28 million. Ultimately, $14 million AAV for a quarterback is about average for veteran starters these days and it’s simply not a big enough commitment in Winston to think the Saints wouldn’t move up for his eventual replacement.

The pieces are falling into place for the Saints to now make another trade on Draft night with the New York Giants at pick number five overall, one selection ahead of the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have been telegraphing their love for Kenny Pickett for a while now, and they are now in serious danger of losing out on him to a division rival.