The New Orleans Saints like Florida Gators quarterback Kyle Trask as their potential long-term replacement for recently-retired quarterback Drew Brees, according to ESPN’s Fowler.
That’s huge news, with Trask likely to slip to New Orleans’ first-round pick at 28 — and maybe even to 60th overall, the Saints’ second-rounder. It’s such big news that everyone on Twitter was skeptical.
Why did this information leak?
After all, with a few weeks left until the NFL draft, it’s the perfect time for teams to spread misinformation about which prospects they do and do not like. That way, other teams cannot anticipate their moves.
Trask had a statistically impressive 2020 season with 4,283 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and eight interceptions. But he stands at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and is, frankly, unathletic. For a point of comparison, the knock on Alabama QB Mac Jones, a potential top 10 pick, is that he’s not mobile enough. Jones ran a 4.68-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. Trask, meanwhile, ran a 4.98. He’s not exactly fleet of foot.
He’s just not an obvious quarterback for any team to consider their franchise player. And so NFL fans and media members suggested the news might be a bit of gamesmanship from Saints coach Sean Payton.
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It’s worth noting that Payton has made strange decisions at quarterback in the recent past. He started Taysom Hill at quarterback over Jameis Winston when Brees missed time with an injury in 2020. Payton went so far as to give Hill a two-year, $21 million deal. None of these decisions made sense. So perhaps, as usual, Payton is operating with a contrarian perspective. And perhaps he released the news because he knew no one would believe it, which would clear the path to drafting Trask.
*mind blown*
Either way, it’s clear we’re in Speculation Town with rumors swirling about the NFL draft.
