Category: Speculation

Report: Saints may ‘want to hear’ what Deion Sanders has to say

Could Prime Time come to New Orleans? ESPN listed the Saints among NFL teams that may want to hear what Deion Sanders has to say:

Could Deion Sanders return to the NFL as head coach of the New Orleans Saints? Crazier things have happened, but Sanders leaving the Colorado Buffaloes and continuing to coach his son would be an unprecedented move. Shedeur Sanders is a top-flight quarterback prospect who has also been linked to the Saints in evened days.

But if we’re evaluating the elder Sanders’ candidacy on its own merits, there’s a lot to like. He went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player. As a college coach, he dominated the competition at Jackson State before moving to Colorado, where he’s gone 13-11 with nine wins in 2024. A jump to the NFL wouldn’t be shocking.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Saints are one of the teams that may be on his radar:

A few weeks ago, we broke down Deion Sanders’ NFL outlook. I’m bumping this again because a league source told me this about Sanders in recent days: “I think [NFL] teams will want to hear what he has to say.” So it wouldn’t shock to see the Jets or Saints or a team casting a wide net to at least reach out or do its research on him.

Now, that’s highly speculative, and it’s hardly the same as saying Sanders already plans on leaving Boulder for New Orleans. And just because there may be some interest it doesn’t mean that would be a two-way street. At this point Sanders should be busy recruiting and reloading his roster after a solid season ended with a Heisman Trophy in his protege Travis Hunter’s hands.

But the Saints need a coach after firing Dennis Allen, and they may need a quarterback if their next decision-maker doesn’t plan on staying the course with Derek Carr. The Saints could have a shot at filling both vacancies with Sanders family stars if they hold onto a top-10 draft pick. But there are three weeks left in the regular season, and things could change rapidly. Stay tuned in case the clock in New Orleans reads Prime Time.

Is now the right time for the Saints to sign Odell Beckham Jr.?

Odell Beckham Jr. has flirted with the Saints before, saying they were the right team at the wrong time. Now that he’s been waived again, should they bring him in?

Odell Beckham Jr. has flirted with the New Orleans Saints before, saying they were the right team at the wrong time for him. Now that he’s being waived by the Miami Dolphins, should his hometown team bring him in?

It’s tough to see them meeting his criteria. Beckham wants a larger role than he’s had on the Dolphins (12 targets and 9 catches for 55 yards across 9 games), which the Saints could offer him given all their injuries at the position. But if he wants to join a playoff contender, that’s not where New Orleans stands at 5-8. Teams he’s played for in the past like the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens are both in the thick of the playoff race and those reunions might be more appealing.

Here’s where it gets tricky. Beckham is going on waivers like every other veteran this time of the year. That means he won’t have his choice of teams as a free agent unless he clears the waiver wire. A team that claims him (like the Saints) would be on the hook for about $200,000 for the final four games which easily fits under the salary cap. He isn’t really in a position to protest a landing spot given his low numbers this year, especially if the reason he sought a release from Miami was more targets on another team.

Let’s keep it real: Beckham isn’t the same player he once was. He’s 32 and hasn’t averaged even 50 yards per game since 2019. But the Saints need more help at receiver and it doesn’t seem like Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed are coming back any time soon. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has had success since joining the Saints (he currently leads the team with four touchdown catches this season, in just five games), so maybe Beckham could see a resurgence, too. You just have to wonder what his other goals are and whether he has any interest ending the year on a team dealing with instability at quarterback.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

B/R bolsters Saints receiving corps with this hypothetical

If you could bring back one retired Saints player, who would it be? Bleacher Report says they’d add Marques Colston to the receiving corps:

Bleacher Report went through an interesting hypothetical scenario recently. They chose one retired player from the last 25 years of each team’s history to add to the current roster.

For the New Orleans Saints, the staff went with wide receiver Marques Colston. It was a surprising but, not unfounded, choice. The obvious selection would have been Drew Brees. Trading Derek Carr in for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time seemed like a no-brainer.

In addition to Colston, Jahri Evans and Jabari Greer are also good choices. New Orleans needs help in a lot of areas, but what made Colston the pick. With Chris Olave out with his second concussion of the year, it would be good to see Colston dropped into today’s offense headed up by Derek Carr. With Ryan Ramczyk and Michael Thomas not officially retired, Colston is the best offensive player that fit the parameters who could help.

The Saints wide receiver room has been devastated by injuries. There’s no Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed. The receiving corps is being led by Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Marques Colston would give the Saints a true number one receiver. Even if Olave does come back from his concussion, Colston still gives New Orleans a bigger middle of the field target. Regardless of who’s in the lineup, Colston would have been a great addition to this team for their last five games. He would have been a great addition back in Week 1.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Opinion: If the Saints will make a coaching change, now is the time

If the Saints are going to fire Dennis Allen and make a change in-season, now is the time to do it. The post-Thursday game break is an opportunity they can’t squander:

The New Orleans Saints dug their way to new depths in Thursday night’s lopsided 33-10 loss to Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos. They lost their fifth game in a row, their second loss by 20-plus points in just five days, and head coach Dennis Allen’s defense was criticized for quitting on him. It couldn’t be more obvious that now is the time to make a change.

Even with all the injuries and adversity, the buck stops with Allen, and his 18-23 record as their head coach speaks for itself. Taken with his Raiders  tenure, Allen’s 26-51 record all-but shouts. If the Saints are going to dismiss their head coach and name an interim to replace him during the season, the time to do it has arrived. They’re 2-5 after Week 7 for the second time in three years. Last year they peaked at 3-4.

Look at the schedule. The Saints will get a few days of extra rest before preparing for a road game with the 3-2 Los Angeles Chargers. After that they’ll return home and get ready for another away game, this time visiting the 1-5 Carolina Panthers. Then they get two home games with the 4-2 Atlanta Falcons and 1-5 Cleveland Browns before their real bye week. The NFL trade deadline slots in-between those Panthers and Falcons games, too.

Timing is everything in the NFL, and this is an opportunity they can’t squander. With ten days stretching between this blowout loss to the Broncos and an away game with the Chargers, it’s one of the best chances a new voice could have to resonate in the locker room. Whether that’s special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi or someone else on staff, an interim head coach would have time on their side to make meaningful changes and set a new tone.

But will the Saints take action? Tom Benson never fired a head coach in-season and there’s little to suggest Gayle Benson would sign off on it. General manager Mickey Loomis pinned his reputation to Allen when he chose to promote him to head coach and you have to wonder if he would willingly go down with that ship. Change feels inevitable for the Saints after this disastrous turn to the season. The only question should be when it happens,  and there’s no better time than right now.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

ESPN suggests Saints could move a starter at the NFL trade deadline

If they keep losing, ESPN suggests the New Orleans Saints could move a starter at the NFL trade deadline. But would they trade Chase Young?

If they keep losing, ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler suggested the New Orleans Saints could move a starter at the NFL trade deadline. But would they trade Chase Young? That would be the clearest signal Mickey Loomis could send that his team is going in the tank, but you can’t imagine that’s something head coach Dennis Allen would sign off on.

Still, never say never. Teams like the Detroit Lions are desperate for a pass rusher after losing Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg. Here’s the case for dealing Young at the Nov. 5 trade deadline from ESPN:

Graziano: What about Chase Young? The Saints really like the guy and could be interested in signing him to a long-term deal, but if they check in and don’t feel good about their chances of doing that, could he be on the move for the second deadline in a row?

Fowler: That’s not a bad call. Young signed a one-year deal with New Orleans in hopes of parlaying it into a new contract with the team. With the Saints sitting at 2-4, perhaps the organization would listen to offers closer to the deadline. I’d be mildly surprised if anything happens. Young garnered a third-round pick in last year’s trade from Washington to San Francisco, and now that he’s fully healthy and playing productive snaps, I would surmise New Orleans wouldn’t accept anything less in a deal, if it even considers it.

It feels unlikely. While they haven’t reflected it on the weekly depth chart, Young has replaced Cameron Jordan in the starting lineup. Young has taken almost all of the snaps from the right defensive end spot, with Carl Granderson playing ahead of Jordan on the left side. He’s become a critically important player for the Saints up front.

Young may not have the sacks (1.5 in 6 games) but he generates a ton of pressure and demands attention from the offensive line. His 25 quarterback pressures at Pro Football Focus rank ninth-most at defensive end. Granderson has had 26 pressures, which are fourth-most. Jordan ranks 49th with 11.

If you read the writing on the wall and look at the salary cap sheet, it sure looks like the Saints are hoping Young can be the long-term replacement for Jordan. This could be the last year for No. 94 if he chooses to retire and start a full-time career in football media. Jordan’s cap hit next year is over $20 million but just $9 million of it is guaranteed. The math is pretty simple there.

Still, Young will be a free agent in 2025, and the best compensation the Saints could hope for if he leaves is a third-round pick in 2026. It’s certainly possible things deteriorate so badly this season that they decide to trade him, get a third rounder (or better) a year sooner, and then restart the search for Jordan’s replacement. But it sure would be more convenient if that guy were already in the building making plays across from Granderson.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Teams believe the Saints are the favorites to land All-Pro wide receiver

Davante Adams wants to be traded to the Saints or Jets. ESPN reports other teams believe the Saints’ aggressive pursuit makes them the favorite to land him:

It’s been widely reported Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams would like to be traded to either the New York Jets or New Orleans Saints. His ties to Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr are clearly the driving factors behind that preference, seeing that neither team has performed particularly well so far.

It wouldn’t be the first time Adams requested a trade based on history with quarterback. The last time he requested a trade it was to play with Carr, his collegiate quarterback.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared that teams have told him they believe the Saints to be the favorites:

Teams I’ve talked to believe the Saints might just be the favorite, because they are on Adams’ short list of preferred destinations and are willing to be aggressive. Yes, the Jets are involved. But the Raiders probably will go with the best package. And because Adams seems to prefer going to the Jets or Saints, the Raiders are starting there, knowing they can expand the list if needed. As of now, those two teams appear to be in the driver’s seat.

So there are two reasons in the Saints’ favor: aggressiveness and Adams’ preference. Fowler said the Raiders will start inquiries with the Jets and Saints then fan out to other teams. Ultimately, the best package will win out.

New Orleans’ aggressive nature suggests they’re willing to go higher than New York is willing to. If trade talks progress well with the Saints, no team other than the Jets may even be get a chance.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Could Saints follow Jets’ example with an unprecedented move at head coach?

The Jets broke 25 years of precedent by firing head coach Robert Saleh midseason. Could the Saints make a similar bold move?

The New York Jets broke 25 years of precedent by firing head coach Robert Saleh midseason. Unsatisfied with his team’s 2-3 start and Saleh’s 20-36 record, team owner Woody Johnson chose to act boldly and go in a new direction just five games into the 2024 season. It remains to be seen how much input Aaron Rodgers had on the move given all of the Jets’ kowtowing to his demands over the last year, but this was big news in the NFL  either way.

Could the New Orleans Saints make a similar bold move? Gayle Benson has only hired one coach after inheriting the team from her late husband Tom Benson, who never fired a coach during the season since buying the team in 1985. But Dennis Allen’s position isn’t much different than Saleh’s was before the Jets took action.

Just like the Jets, the Saints are 2-3 right now. Allen has gone 18-21 through three seasons as head coach, which admittedly isn’t as low a winning percentage (.462) as Saleh (.357), even if it is on the wrong side of .500. But how much more losing can the Saints take? They’re coming off their third straight loss.

Every week Allen is slumping at the podium talking about how his team has gotten outplayed and outcoached, and how they’ve made too many mistakes that cost them big opportunities. There’s nothing insightful about that and it raises the question of whether Allen knows how to fix these problems. Allen is supposed to be known for the strength of his defense but they’re getting carved up by has-beens like Kareem Hunt (102 rushing yards, his most since 2020) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (130 receiving yards, his most since the 2020 Wild Card Round). Every week there’s a new tight end streaking through the secondary with a neon sign around his neck showing that he’s open.

He still hasn’t figured out how to compete with good teams. The Saints have lost so many games in the same ways these last three years that they’ve started to run together. Something needs to change, and fast. And it might need to start at the top of the organization.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Report: Jets’ loss in London may cool their pursuit of Davante Adams

Adam Schefter suggested the Jets may cool their pursuit of a Davante Adams trade after a disappointing start to their season. That might leave the Saints out in front:


Just who is going to cut a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders and go trade for Davante Adams? It seems like everyone knows what everyone wants here. Adams wants to reunite with one of his old quarterbacks, either Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets, or Derek Carr on the New Orleans Saints. The Raiders want to get at least aa second-round draft pick in exchange for him. And then the teams looking to acquire Adams want the Raiders to pay some of his salary for the rest of the season.

You’d think a gut-punch loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London would spur the Jets to take action, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter doesn’t think so. The plugged-in NFL insider sat down with Pat McAfee to share his insight to where things stand.

“I don’t think it expedited it, if anything, cooled it a little bit,” Schefter said. “At the end ultimately, I still think Davante wants to go play for the Jets or the Saints, and I think ultimately in the end, the Raiders figure out a way to work it out with the Jets or the Saints. It’s been those two teams. I think it will consistently be those two teams.”

And when taking the big-picture view, Schefter doesn’t see a great internal argument for pursuing an Adams trade.

“In their all-in year, they lost last week to Denver, and they lost yesterday to Minnesota. And Aaron last week hurt his knee, and yesterday hurt his ankle.  And there have to be people that say, ‘Now hold on. Do we want to know trade a second-round draft pick when we’re not playing overly well, we’re not reaching our potential? Do we think that a wide receiver is going to solve the issues that this team has been having?’ So I don’t view that game and that result as making it more likely that the Jets would trade for him.”

Sure, you could make similar points for the Saints. They’re dealing with a swath of injuries on both sides of the ball and their 2-2 record doesn’t reflect  how well they’ve played this season. But Adams would bring a physicality they lack in the passing game and open things up for downfield targets like Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. If he can help them end more drives with touchdowns than field goals or turnovers on downs, that might be worth it for a team that’s lost their last two games by margins of three and two points.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints’ surprise roster cut could may suggest a big pickup is on the way

The Saints just opened a spot in the receiving corps and made the No. 17 jersey available. Could it pave the way to a Davante Adams trade?

The New Orleans Saints stunned their fanbase by making the decision to  waive wide receiver A.T. Perry on Friday, but many fans’ firs thoughts turned to another wideout after the shock wore off: Davante Adams. The six-time Pro Bowler has requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, who this week began exploring their options.

Reports have had  the Saints near the top of Adams’ wishlist of destinations, and they could use more help at the position given their reliance on  youngsters Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. There really isn’t a veteran presence at wide receiver in New Orleans, and Adams could add a lot to the offense given his strong resume and past experience with Derek Carr.

But while it’s fun to speculate about Perry’s departure paving the way to an Adams trade, that feels more like wishful thinking than real dot-connecting. It’s not like Perry was taking up a ton of salary cap space, and if anything the Raiders may have liked to have him thrown in to the package of assets they would be getting back for Adams.

So maybe don’t rush to any conclusions based off this roster move. Perry could sign with the practiice squad after clearing waivers and the Saints needed to open a roster spot for running back Kendre Miller if he’s coming off injured reserve this week.

Still, it’s a curiously-timed roster move. And Adams would be able to pick up his favored No. 17 jersey if he does move to New Orleans. Stay tuned.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Saints front office executive reveals what he’d trade for Davante Adams

The Raiders are reportedly open to trading Davante Adams. Before he joined the Saints front office this year, Randy Mueller shared his take on Adams’ trade value:

We’re a month out from the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 5, and trade speculation is already gathering around Davante Adams. The Las Vegas Raiders are rudderless without a quarterback are open to trading the star wideout so they can load up for next year’s draft. The New Orleans Saints are a possible fit, and there’s at least one voice in their front office who sees some value in the six-time Pro Bowler.

Randy Mueller began working with the team this spring as they prepared for the 2024 draft, and he was formally hired to a role in the pro personnel department in August. He was seen palling around with Mickey Loomis and Khai Hartley on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium sideline during Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Falcons. He’s one of three former NFL general managers working under Loomis, along with Jeff Ireland and Dave Ziegler, who traded for Adams when he was running the Raiders.

And what would Mueller trade for Adams? He shared his take earlier this year with Paul “Boy Green” Esden’s YouTube show.

“If I were looking to fill a need at receiver, I would probably offer them less than people would think,” Mueller said. “I would think it would be a second-round pick that maybe could go to a first if he meets some thresholds along the way. So it would be a conditional-type, stair-stepping of the compensation. 31 years old, is what it is.”

Adams will be 32 in a few months, but Mueller’s point stands. He isn’t going to be valued to the same degree he was when Ziegler’s Raiders sent a package of first- and second-round picks to the Green Bay Packers. But they are a rebuilding team without a quarterback, so they could use the ammo. And we’ve already gone over the math involved, which may push the Saints to up the ante to facilitate a deal. Still, if Mueller’s logic is sound, there could be a ceiling to what the Raiders can demand.

“I don’t think you can get a first round pick for Davante Adams at this point, I really don’t,” Mueller added.

Will Adams get traded? Will he go to New Orleans? Wilder things have happened, but this doesn’t look like a situation that will get resolved any time soon.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]