Do Saints have their eye on specific QB in NFL Draft?
Dec 19, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen serves as head coach as Sean Payton has Covid-19 during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The New Orleans Saints re-signed Jameis Winston this offseason to a hefty deal that signals they plan on him being their starting quarterback. That does not mean they will ignore the position in the draft, however.
Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com wrote recently that he believes the Saints have legitimate interest in former Pitt star Kenny Pickett. If New Orleans selects a quarterback, Duncan predicts it will be Pickett.
The Saints have done quite a bit of pre-draft work on Pickett. They also traded up a couple of spots in the first round as part of a recent pick swap with the Philadelphia Eagles. They currently have the 16th and 18th overall picks. If they want Pickett, they may have to move even further up the board.
Even if the Saints believe in Winston as their starter, Duncan said he has no doubt they would be willing to trade up for Pickett or any other QB if they have one graded highly enough.
The 2022 quarterback class is not viewed as particularly deep. There is really no player at the position who is considered a can’t-miss prospect. One recent report claimed Pickett is at the top of an NFC team’s draft board, but there is very little consensus among analysts. Perhaps the Saints will swoop in with a surprise move on draft day.
