The 2020 NFL Draft is less than a week away, and trade talks are expected to heat up as the event inches closer to kickoff. While most conversations will center on swapping draft picks, veteran players on the outs with their old teams will also be on the trading block.
That presents opportunities for other teams to improve. The New Orleans Saints should obviously be involved with some of those negotiations, maybe as sellers — one outlet recently floated the idea of trading away underperforming right guard Larry Warford — but there are other situations the Saints would be wise to stay out of.
Here are four NFL trade candidates to consider:
Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars
On paper, the Saints making a trade for Fournette would do a lot to get fans excited. He’s a hometown hero born and raised in New Orleans, who starred in high school and set the college football world on fire at LSU. He’s obviously been a victim of circumstances with the Jaguars, too; Jacksonville had one of the worst run-blocking offensive lines last year per Football Outsiders. Of his 4.3 rushing yards gained per carry in 2019, a whopping 3.0 came after contact per Pro Football Reference. New Orleans boasts one of the NFL’s best run-blocking offensive lines, which would give Fournette much more to work with than he ever saw in Jacksonville.
But the cost isn’t worth it. Fournette would not start over Alvin Kamara this season, they are both free agents next year. He caught a career-high 76 passes last year, which trails the 81 passes Kamara has reeled in during each of his first three seasons. The Saints wouldn’t be buying any time or hoping to smoothly transition from Kamara to Fournette as their top running back.
As far as that goes, his efficiency as-is projects so similarly to backup Latavius Murray (who broke just six fewer tackles on 119 fewer carries) that you could make the argument Fournette might be a downgrade. Their contract situations should also discourage New Orleans from taking a swing here — Murray has three years remaining on his deal, whereas both Fournette and Kamara will be free agents in 2021.
One long-shot gamble that might make sense is swapping a late-round pick now for Fournette, then giving him ample opportunities to shine in a better situation before letting him leave in free agency. If Fournette really impresses and can command Le’Veon Bell-esque money on the open market, the Saints might be able to flip a current-year pick for a higher selection as a compensatory pick in 2022. But is that really a gamble worth making?
The verdict: Saints should stay away from Fournette