Tag: draft picks

Which teams should Saints fans be rooting for during the Week 12 bye?

As Saints fans watch the Week 12 slate of NFL games, here is who you should root for if you want a higher draft pick or if you want potential playoff seeding:

The New Orleans Saints are in a nice little middle ground between competing for a potential playoff spot and having a strong draft pick. As they are now on a 2-0 streak under Darren Rizzi, the favor has gone towards competing for a spot in the playoffs rather than a high pick for some fans, which is completely understandable.

Both sides make sense in this equation, and ultimately it becomes personal preference over all else. With that, we can now take a look at which teams you should be rooting for in either case as we look ahead to the Week 12 bye. Here is a rundown of both options:

In the case of competition

When it comes to trying to compete, the AFC has little to no connection to where the Saints reside and their playoff chances. So, looking at the NFC schedule, the first and foremost issue resides with the other NFC South teams. The Atlanta Falcons are on a bye week as well, which makes things a little difficult as they can’t lose, but they also can’t win so it’s about net even. The two divisional games are:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants:

The decision here is easy, a New York Giants win would put the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4-7 and tied with the Saints, with one remaining matchup between the two teams later this season. In addition, a Giants win does not really put them in the picture yet as they are 2-8, and even if they enter the picture, the Saints have a chance to play them later as well and take back the momentum.

Carolina Panthers Vs. Kansas City Chiefs:

This game is not exceptionally a major issue either way, but obviously a Kansas City Chiefs win would help keep the Carolina Panthers at the bottom of the division and away from the Saints for another week. This would be the preferable outcome, despite many not being fond of the Chiefs.

This covers a divisional route for the Saints, as a wild card appearance is very unlikely at the moment given the bottom seed right now would be the Washington Commanders at 7-4. A monumental collapse from either them or the 7-3 Green Bay Packers would make things easier, but it would still be a difficult hill to climb. For a potential wild card appearance, here is the preferred outcomes:

Chicago Bears beat Minnesota Vikings

There desperately needs to be more parity in the NFC North for this scenario, and with the Minnesota Vikings holding the top wild card spot, a Chicago Bears win would help despite them also being ahead of the Saints here. The ultimate goal is dragging the wild card teams down close enough to where, if the Saints go on a win streak, a spot is attainable.

Dallas Cowboys Beat Washington Commanders

This is a similar notion to the previous game, where the Washington Commanders are the last wild card team right now, and a loss would bring them even closer to the Saints. With the Dallas Cowboys already being beaten by the Saints, they are not a threat if they are tied which they would be in this scenario. While this is certainly an unlikely outcome, it would definitely be preferred for the Cowboys to win in this matchup for the sake of a Saints playoff push.

San Francisco 49ers Beat Green Bay Packers

This matchup is a little different, as both the 5-5 San Francisco 49ers and 7-3 Green Bay Packers remain ahead of the Saints at the time being, and both have a full game lead at least. However, more parity between those teams and none pulling away leaves the Saints with a great opportunity if they continue to win. So, with a 49ers win, they would be 6-5 and the Packers would be 7-4, rather than 5-6 and 8-3 respectively.

Arizona Cardinals Beat Seattle Seahawks

This is where things get wonky, as the Arizona Cardinals lead their division, so the preferred outcome is a Seattle Seahawks loss to prevent them from competing for a wild card spot as they sit at 5-5. This game going either way is not extremely detrimental which is good, as they would just swap places if Seattle won, but Seattle losing would help just a tiny bit more given the game difference between the two.

Philadelphia Eagles Beat Los Angeles Rams

Further to that point, the Los Angeles Rams losing would help keep them lower and allow the Saints to surpass them as soon as Week 13, as a win would put the Saints at 5-7 and the Rams at 5-7, with the Saints’ head-to-head tiebreaker taking effect. Additionally, the Philadelphia Eagles winning is not particularly a big issue as they remain atop the division, and that would keep the Commanders out of division lead contention for another week at least. Somewhat of a win win here if the Rams lose.

In the case of improved draft stock

Now the case of trying to get closer to a better draft pick. There are nine teams ahead of the Saints with better picks, and two of them are also on bye in the Jacksonville Jaguars (No.1 pick currently) and the New York Jets (No.6 pick currently) so they will remain ahead regardless. As for the other teams, here is there games and the optimal outcomes:

Tennessee Titans beat Houston Texans

First up, the Tennessee Titans, who sit at 2-8 with one of the higher strength of schedule numbers of the bad teams at .514. They take on the Houston Texans, and while a Titans win does not immediately change where the Saints stand, it would prove to be a big one down the stretch if the Saints go the other direction and start losing more. This would keep things closer at the top (or the bottom perse) and keep the Saints within a game of taking their spot.

New york Giants Beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Not only would this be pretty funny from the standpoint of a division rival losing to a 2-8 New York Giants team, but it would help in the case of draft stock. This is similar to the Titans, where a Giants win does not immediately move the Saints to a better pick, but it keeps things close enough until the Saints get back to playing, rather than the Giants running away with a higher pick. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers going to 4-7 would be difficult, however the Saints have the tiebreaker for now in terms of a higher pick as they lost to Tampa earlier in the year, and have a lower strength of schedule.

Las Vegas Raiders beat Denver Broncos

Another 2-8 team, another scenario that falls into the same category. A Las Vegas Raiders win helps keep things within a game at the top, and a Denver Broncos loss does not particularly hurt the Saints chances whatsoever, so this one is completely self-explanatory.

New England Patriots beat miami dolphins

This one is a little bit closer in terms of who should win, as the New England Patriots are at 3-8 and the Miami Dolphins are at 4-6. The Dolphins losing brings them to an equal record with the Saints, and since they have a lower strength of schedule, they would get the higher pick in a tiebreaker. However, they also have an easier strength of schedule than the Patriots as well, meaning they are more likely to win another game or two than New England is. With that said, a Patriots win is slightly better here, but either way is perfectly fine.

Carolina panthers beat kansas city chiefs

While in the competitive version we wanted the Panthers to lose here, a win would help the Saints as it would bring them to even in terms of record, and since they have identical strength of schedules, it would go down to conference and division records which the Saints could pull away in by losing pretty often to close the season.

dallas cowboys beat washington commanders

Finally, we have a situation that transcends the type of team you want to see, and ultimately is a win win. The Dallas Cowboys winning here would bring them to even with the Saints at 4-7, and with the Cowboys having a .525 strength of schedule to the Saints only .486, New Orleans would get the tiebreaker for a better pick. Overall, a win win with a Cowboys victory.

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This outlet says Saints, Commanders both won Marshon Lattimore trade

This outlet says both the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Commanders won Tuesday’s Marshon Lattimore trade. Do you agree?

Any time a trade goes down in the NFL, someone walks away feeling like a winner. That’s true of every deal, so which team won the New Orleans Saints’ trade with the Washington Commanders that swapped Marshon Lattimore for a grab-bag of draft picks?

According to The 33rd Team, both teams won. Washington got a four-time cornerback and a fifth-round choice in next year’s draft. That was good enough to earn an “A” grade. New Orleans was graded with an “A-minus” for acquiring picks in rounds three, four, and six. That last pick is coming back to the Saints after they traded for defensive tackle John Ridgeway III earlier this year, so you could throw him in the deal along with the  conditional seventh rounder New Orleans may or may not be getting with him.

Either way, that’s a strong return for a cornerback in today’s market. Comparable players like Jalen Ramsey and L’Jarius Sneed have been dealt for less. For the most part, Mickey Loomis and the Saints did good work here.

There’s just one more thing. Why is it an A-minus in straight of a straight-A? There are two points of criticism from the Saints’ side of this deal. For one thing, they shouldn’t have sent back a pick to Washington. Or it should have been a later-round choice. That alone tips the scales back into the Commanders’ favor. For another point of contention, the Saints received the less-valuable pick in the third round of Washington’s two selections. If current standings hold, the pick the Saints are getting will be slotted in 21 picks after the other one (which is going to the Commanders from the Miami Dolphins).

Maybe it was never on the table. Maybe Washington balked at including it in favor of throwing in those other picks later on. Either way it looks like a missed opportunity for Loomis and the Saints to get maximum value.

It’s behind us now, though. What matters is the decision-makers on both sides walked away from this trade happy with what they got. Now the Saints need to put those resources to good use in rebuilding their team after too many years spent propping up Loomis and Dennis Allen’s flawed vision.

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The Saints botched a crucial detail in trading Marshon Lattimore

The Saints botched a crucial detail in trading Marshon Lattimore. Washington owned two third-round picks, and Mickey Loomis took the worst one:

Not all third-round picks are equal. That’s something the New Orleans Saints will be learning the hard way after general manager Mickey Loomis missed a crucial detail in trade talks with the Washington Commanders.

Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore was traded to Washington in a deal that brought back multiple draft picks. But the linchpin of the Commanders’ trade package was the third-round pick. Washington owned two third-round picks, and Loomis took the worst one.

Instead of getting Washington’s third-round choice from the Miami Dolphins, projected at No. 72 overall, Loomis picked the Commanders’ own third rounder, which is projected at No. 93. Maybe the Dolphins will get healthy and go on a tear through the back half of the season, and the Commanders will fall off, which would switch their positions. But that isn’t likely, and a 21-slot swing is massive.

According to the draft pick value chart Jimmy Johnson created, which has since been updated and is still used as the basis for NFL teams today, the difference between picks at No. 72 and 93 would be worth 97 points. That’s far more than the value in the other picks the Saints got back; the fourth rounder (projected at No. 131) and sixth-round pick (No. 181) total just 60 points. So the Commanders come out ahead even before you consider the Saints threw in a fifth rounder at No. 144, which is worth another 34 points.

Tally all that up and the Commanders traded 188 points of draft pick value to acquire Lattimore and 34 points. That’s good work by them, which shows Loomis has room for improvement. That isn’t what you want to write about the NFL’s longest-tenured general manager but he’s gotten fleeced in trades before. Loomis probably views the multiple at-bats with those later picks as being worth more than a higher choice in an earlier round, but if his track record is anything to go by, his in-house trade value chart probably needs revising.

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Broncos’ updated order of NFL draft picks after Baron Browning trade

Following the Baron Browning trade, the Broncos now hold seven picks in the 2025 NFL draft.

After agreeing to trade pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick on Monday, the Denver Broncos now hold seven picks in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Broncos have their own picks in the first four rounds for the first time since the Russell Wilson trade, and they now have three picks in the sixth round following the Browning trade.

Here’s a look at the team’s order of picks in next year’s NFL draft, with help from prosportstransactions.com.

Broncos order of picks in 2025 NFL draft

Denver does not hold a fifth-round pick after trading that pick and pass rusher Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins in 2022 in exchange for running back Chase Edmonds and first- and fourth-round draft picks. (The Broncos later used that first-round pick to acquire coach Sean Payton in 2023.)

Denver also does not hold a seventh-round pick after trading that selection and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 in exchange for a sixth-round pick.

The 2025 NFL draft will be held in Green Bay from April 24-26.

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Newly-signed Broncos practice squad WR reacts to being waived by Saints

Newly-signed Broncos practice squad wide receiver A.T. Perry reacts to being waived by Saints: ‘I was released just for them to bring another o-lineman in’

New Orleans Saints fans weren’t the only ones surprised to see A.T. Perry get waived last week. The wide receiver was blindsided, too. Perry signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad after clearing waivers, and the former sixth-round draft pick reacted with words of criticism upon being let go.

“It was kind of a shock that I was released just for them to bring another o-lineman in,” Perry told the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel.

That lineman the Saints brought in was Connor McGovern, who played 24 snaps at center on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs after Lucas Patrick suffered a collarbone injury. When Patrick returned to the lineup in the second half, he went to left guard while McGovern remained at the pivot.

And those 24 snaps McGovern played were more than Perry totaled through the first four games this season. Obviously this was a disappointing turn of events, but the writing was on the wall when rookies like Mason Tipton and Bub Means were getting on the field and Perry wasn’t.

“It was kind of confusing for me,” Perry continued, speaking with Gabriel. “Just wanting to play in that offense — (Derek Carr) was throwing the ball around and I wanted to be part of that. Unfortunately, I wasn’t. I was on the active roster but inactive (on game days) each week. They said it was my hand.”

Perry was listed with a hand injury on the injury report for the first two weeks, but minor ailments continued to trip him up after that. He was limited by an illness in Week 3 and a hamstring injury slowed him down in Week 4. Then he was let go.

So while injuries may have played a factor, the bigger issue was Perry’s poor performance at practice. He only caught one pass from Carr in team drills throughout all of training camp. When speaking about the decision to start Spencer Rattler this week while Carr is dealing with an injury, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak may have inadvertently shared some insight to Perry’s situation: “I haven’t met a lot of gamers. Usually, what people do in practice is what they do in games.”

Good luck to Perry in Denver, where he’s reunited with Pete Carmichael and some other familiar faces. If he can quickly learn their playbook he might get on the field next Thursday when Sean Payton makes his return to New Orleans. No one questions his physical gifts and athletic talents. It’s just a shame he couldn’t put them to use in an offense lacking someone with his skills at wide receiver. It’s why the Saints are working so hard to trade for Davante Adams.

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The Raiders have set their price for a potential Davante Adams trade

ESPN reports the Raiders have set their price for a potential Davante Adams trade. But should the Saints be willing to pay it? Can they even afford him?


ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Las Vegas Raiders have set their price for a potential Davante Adams trade. But should the New Orleans Saints be willing to pay it? Just what would it cost them, anyway?

Schefter says the Raiders have told other teams that serious offers would include a second-round draft pick plus “additional compensation,” which can mean different things for different suitors. Maybe a player already under contract gets the deal done. Or maybe the Raiders would settle for a late-round pick in 2025 or 2026.

Those are the details that must be hammered out in conversations between general managers. And it’s worth noting the Saints have three former GM’s advising Mickey Loomis these days. One of them, Dave Ziegler, was the last GM to trade for Adams when he sent a package of first- and second-round picks to the Green Bay Packers a few years ago. Another one, Randy Mueller, said earlier this year he wouldn’t trade a first rounder straight-up for Adams at his current age, but he’d support dealing a conditional second-round pick that could upgrade to a first if the receiver hits various incentives.

One complicating factor? The Saints’ stressful salary cap situation. They’re under the 2024 cap by about $2.7 million right now and would need $13.5 million to fit Adams on their books. They could convince the Raiders to pay part of that salary by trading a better pick than other teams, but that’s a risky strategy. And Loomis is known for taking more risks than his peers given his ironclad job security.

Either way this situation seems to be developing rapidly. Check back for more updates as more information becomes available.

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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.

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Saints swap draft picks in trade for Washington DT John Ridgeway III

The New Orleans Saints have traded for Washington Commanders DT John Ridgeway III, improving their depth after an injury to Khalen Saunders:

The New Orleans Saints recently were tasked with managing a calf injury to Khalen Saunders, and figuring out who may replace him for the few weeks he may be out. With that, they decided to add another piece to the mix in a trade with the Washington Commanders for defensive tackle John Ridgeway III, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Adam Schefter reports for ESPN that the compensation will be a pick swap. The Saints’ 2025 sixth-round pick is going to the Commanders, in return for Ridgeway and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

Ultimately, the pickup is a solid one, as Ridgeway ended up playing 31% of the Commanders’ defensive snaps his first two seasons (280 and 356 snaps per year) as well as 18% and 21% of their special teams snaps. He has immense size at the position as well, coming in at 6-foot-5 and 321 pounds, with 33 3/8″ arms.

Ridgeway was a fifth-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys, before being waived and catching on with the Commanders instead. He has started six games for them and played in 32 matchups, primarily being utilized in run-blocking packages. Pro Football Focus credited him with 29 run stops and a dozen quarterbacks pressures through his first two years.

We will see if he ends up getting much run time in the coming weeks, as Bryan Bresee, Khristian Boyd, and Nathan Shepherd all also look for additional snaps as well. The depth chart will change but at the moment the Saints also have Kendal Vickers on the 53-man roster.

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Saints waive rookie draft pick Josiah Ezirim, a prime practice squad candidate

The New Orleans Saints waived rookie draft pick Josiah Ezirim, a prime practice squad candidate. The young offensive lineman needs more reps:

One of the New Orleans Saints’ first roster cuts on Tuesday was Josiah Ezirim, who they just drafted back in April. The former Eastern Kentucky offensive lineman was selected late in the seventh round at No. 239 overall. NFL insider Josina Anderson reports that Ezirim “is being waived with the expectation to return to the team’s practice squad.”

The 23-year-old needs more reps. Ezirim only lined up on offense for a few years in college (starting two seasons at right tackle) after being recruited to EKU as a defensive tackle. When he joined the Saints, they flipped him to the left side of the line. He’s a gifted athlete and should develop well with more time.

Still, it’s never great to see a draft pick let go before they’ve taken a single snap in the regular season. This is a good reminder that there’s little difference between late-round draft picks and undrafted players. In many cases those prospects are graded the same by scouts and they’re only drafted at all because a coach or someone in the personnel department stood up on a table for them. We’ll see if Ezirim clears waivers and stays in New Orleans.

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Chiefs sign former Saints wide receiver Kyle Sheets

The Kansas City Chiefs signed a former New Orleans Saints wide receiver. Rookie free agent Kyle Sheets has already landed his next NFL opportunity:

It didn’t take long for Kyle Sheets to find his next NFL opportunity. The New Orleans Saints signed him as a rookie free agent out of Slippery Rock after April’s NFL draft, but he was let go after minicamp practices in the spring. And now he’s signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Good for him. Sheets caught a tough break after being waived so soon, but he has the physical tools to succeed at a listed 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He dominated his level of competition so it isn’t surprising to see him land with another team before training camp. We’ll see if he’s still around when the Saints visit Arrowhead Stadium for a prime-time game in October.

Sheets isn’t the only former Saints player in Kansas City. The Chiefs brought in 2021 fourth-round pick Ian Book to compete for their backup quarterback job. Book and Sheets will probably see a lot of each other early in training camp on Kansas City’s third-string offense, and they’ll need to work hard to climb the depth chart from there.

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