The New Orleans Saints are always one of the most aggressive teams during the NFL draft, and that’s how Sean Payton wants it. The Saints head coach has traded up in every draft he’s overseen (except for his first year on the job, way back in 2006; the Saints also stood pat in 2012, when he was suspended), trusting his team’s evaluations to target a prospect who easily fits what they want. That trend could continue in 2020.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported Thursday that the Saints have touched base with each team slotted to pick above them in the first round to see what it would take to move up the board. It’s more important to do that legwork this year than ever before, with technology limitations possibly slowing down negotiations once teams are on the clock. Having the framework for a potential trade already in place, primed and ready to pull the trigger, makes plenty of sense. It’s simply doing your due diligence.
However, Russini cautioned that news by adding that the Saints feel they could get good value by remaining at No. 24, with internal projections putting them in good position to improve. They won’t trade up just for the sake of it.
But other teams could force their hand. The Saints share roster needs at linebacker and wide receiver with many teams directly ahead of them, including the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 20, the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 21, and the Minnesota Vikings at No. 22 (and the New England Patriots at No. 24, who might also be eyeing Utah State quarterback Jordan Love). Possibly losing out on a highly-rated prospect like Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray or LSU’s Justin Jefferson could prompt the Saints to be proactive on Thursday night.
