Tag: proposal

PFF proposes trade-up scenario for Saints in Round 1 of 2024 draft

Pro Football Focus says the Saints should consider this draft-day trade in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft, making a big move to upgrade at left tackle:

Few teams are as aggressive on draft day as the New Orleans Saints have been with Mickey Loomis calling the shots for the last 20 years. They almost always trade up, never down, and the Saints are a candidate to move up the board again in the 2024 NFL draft.

Pro Football Focus analyst Brad Spielberger recently proposed six first-round trade scenarios that he would like to see happen on draft night. Of the six deals that he drew up, the New Orleans Saints were involved in a trade with the Chicago Bears.

In this scenario, Spielberger has the Saints trading up from Nos. 14 to 9 in the first round. In doing so, the Saints would give up picks Nos. 45 and 168 and receive No. 75 in return. That’s exchanging second- and fifth-round picks for a third rounder. Here’s why Spielberger said the Saints should make this deal:

“A tackle already made sense for the Saints with question marks on the left side, as 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning has not panned out thus far and veterans James Hurst and 2023 starter Andrus Peat — who is still unsigned — are not long-term starting options. Now, with news that stalwart right tackle Ryan Ramczyk has unfortunately not recovered as well as the team had hoped from knee surgery, tackle is by far the biggest need for this roster headed into 2024.

The Saints get ahead of the New York Jets at No. 10, who could still be in the market for a top tackle prospect despite adding Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses this offseason — both are signed only through 2024 — and the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 13. New Orleans has never shied away from a trade-up for a desired player, and this year could be no different, with a glaring need at one of the most important positions in the sport and with veteran quarterback Derek Carr in need of better protection.

Fashanu has great feet to cleanly kick slide and also reset against counters, and he allowed just 16 quarterback pressures and zero sacks over the past two seasons, earning an 88.4 pass-blocking grade in 2023 with an 82.0 true pass set pass-blocking grade. He appears to be sliding a bit in draft conversations, at least in the media’s eyes, even after many viewed him as the No. 1 tackle if he had been able to declare for the NFL after the 2022 college season.”

Spielberger makes a lot of great points specifically with the Saints’ offensive line struggles. With Trevor Penning and now Ryan Ramczyk each posing some level of uncertainty at the tackle spots, it makes the most sense in leaning in the direction of selecting a tackle in Round 1.

In terms of compensation, it seems a little rich for the Saints to give up that 45th pick in the draft due to the many needs that this team now has. Losing out on a potential starter at a different position doesn’t feel like a risk worth taking for this year’s Saints team, especially with the limited resources they have to play with. Getting a third rounder back is nice but there will be better prospects available earlier on, and the Saints could still get a quality offensive lineman in the first round without trading up. It’s a deep class and they need to take advantage of it.

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Saints should not accept B/R’s ridiculous Davante Adams trade proposal

The New Orleans Saints should not accept this Davante Adams trade proposal. Bleacher Report has cooked up something ridiculous | @southexclusives

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When Davante Adams was ready to leave the Green Bay Packers last year, he specifically sought out a trade to the Las Vegas Raiders to play with his collegie quarterback Derek Carr. The two kept a strong relationship off the field despite not sharing it as teammates for nearly a decade. Derek Carr’s departure from the Raiders means Adams’ initial reason for being in Las Vegas is gone. It has even made some speculate if another reunion could be in order, this time in New Orleans.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine has gone so far as to outline potential trade details:

“Raiders Receive: 2024 first-round pick, 2025 third-round pick

Saints Receive: WR Davante Adams

Davante Adams went to the Las Vegas Raiders, in part, to reunite with college teammate Derek Carr. The duo was quite successful in Vegas, with Adams posting his second career 1,500-yard season.

Their Sin City tenure wasn’t long, though. The Raiders’ decision to part ways with Carr marks the dawn of a new era, and Jimmy Garoppolo is slated to take over under center.
There’s already reason to believe that things could be headed toward a divorce between Adams and the Raiders, though. He hasn’t been all that supportive of the team in the media.
“I’m going to have to buy into this and try to be as optimistic as possible,” he told Mirin Fader of The Ringer. “It’s not what I expected to happen, but it’s something that’s the reality now.”

There isn’t a team in the NFL whose wide receiver room wouldn’t improve by adding Adams. He’s one of the best at his position. The Saints, however, should not pursue Adams. Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed is a solid top-three and should make you comfortable enough to not make such an aggressive move at the position. There are clear health questions, specifically with Thomas. Questions about health are not enough of a reason to send away first- and third-round picks. 

New Orleans should retain future assets as a team that is getting older on the defensive side and could have future holes along the offensive line next season. It doesn’t help that the Saints only have five picks in the 2024 draft right now while waiting on compensatory selections to be awarded next March. As talented as Adams is, New Orleans should retain their picks and bank on the talent at the top of their receiving corps.

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Bleacher Report has a gutsy trade idea sending DeAndre Hopkins to the Saints

Bleacher Report has a gutsy trade proposal that would send Cardinals star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Saints:

Are the New Orleans Saints finished making splashy offseason moves? No, not with the 2023 NFL draft ahead of them. Whether they’re looking to move up and pick a key prospect or trade picks for a marquee veteran, it shouldn’t shock anyone to see the Saints making headlines at some point in the next week.

One trade proposal comes from Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton, who likes the Saints as a destination for embattled Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Cardinals have struggled to find a trade partner for months while seeking to offload the expensive veteran, which would save them $8.15 million against the 2023 salary cap. Hiring a new general manager and head coach while taking a new organizational direction has moved Hopkins out of Arizona’s long-term plans.

An acquiring team like the Saints would be on the hook for $19.45 million in 2023 and $14.91 million in 2024, but those numbers can be manipulated. A max restructure could lower Hopkins’ 2023 cap hit to just $4.8 million. And there’s the possibility of twisting Arizona’s arm into taking on more of his salary, too. The Saints have about $11 million to work with (accounting for the money needed to sign their draft picks) so they could pull some levers and fit Hopkins under the cap.

Still, that’s a lot to invest in an experienced receiver when Michael Thomas is already on top of the depth chart. And Bleacher Report’s trade proposal has New Orleans shipping out their 2023 third-round pick at No. 71 as well as nickel corner Bradley Roby to get a deal done with the Cardinals; trading Roby would save $1.6 million against the cap, slightly easing the cost to acquire Hopkins, but then the Saints would need another corner to replace him.

We’re putting the cart before the horse here, though. Moton had this to say in making the case for a Saints-Cardinals trade centering on Hopkins:

Because of recent injuries, Thomas isn’t a reliable pass-catching target. Since 2020, he’s played in just 10 games. With Hopkins, Carr would have an accomplished playmaker opposite second-year pro Chris Olave, who had an impressive rookie campaign with 72 catches for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns.

Keep in mind that the league could suspend running back Alvin Kamara for an incident that stems from charges of conspiracy to commit battery and battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. He’s set to go on trial July 31.

Though the Saints signed running back Jamaal Williams, they may rely on their passing game with Carr under center. Hopkins, who finished 10th in receiving yards per game (79.7) this past season, would significantly upgrade New Orleans’ aerial attack and potentially elevate the Saints in a wide-open NFC South division.

In return for Hopkins, the Cardinals would receive a third-round pick and Roby, who could patch up Arizona’s secondary. This past season, he allowed a 54 percent completion rate and a 79.4 passer rating in coverage. Remember, Arizona didn’t re-sign cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. in free agency. Safety Budda Baker has requested a trade or wants a new contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Hey, it could be fun. Hopkins was limited to just nine games last year after serving a six-week suspension for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances, but he still saw 96 targets — catching 64 of them (66.7%) to gain 717 yards and convert 35 first downs, scoring 3 touchdown receptions. He averaged 7.1 receptions and 79.7 yards per game down the stretch. He’ll also turn 31 this summer.

If the Saints can’t find another receiving threat of their own in the draft during the first or second round, it might make sense to take a swing at Hopkins. Pairing him with Derek Carr could be good for both of them. Having a Pro Bowler to lean on if Thomas misses more time with injuries and take pressure off Olave and Rashid Shaheed isn’t the worst idea. The rising costs of veteran wideouts in recent years makes his contract more affordable than it at first appears. If the Cardinals would be willing to accept this offer, the Saints should try it. But only after exploring more-affordable alternatives at getting another receiver.

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Pro Football Focus has a first-round trade proposal for the Saints

Pro Football Focus has a first-round trade proposal for the Saints, targeting big-time Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy:

It sure feels like we’re playing the waiting game until the New Orleans Saints make a trade in the 2023 NFL draft. Their decision-makers are famously impatient and aggressive in the draft, always looking to move up and get the best prospects available. Sometimes that’s worked out (like with Alvin Kamara). Sometimes it hasn’t (like with Marcus Davenport). But it shouldn’t shock anyone if Mickey Loomis starts working the phones sooner rather than later.

One trade proposal comes from Pro Football Focus analyst Brad Spielberger, who has the Saints acquiring the No. 20 pick and a seventh-rounder at No. 237 from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Nos. 29, 71, and next year’s fifth-round selection. And their target in this trade is Clemson Tigers defensive end Myles Murphy. Spielberger wrote:

If there’s one thing we can expect the New Orleans Saints to do come draft time, it’s to trade up in the first round for their favorite prospect no matter the cost. The Saints acquired the No. 29 overall pick in their trade of former head coach Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos, and now it’s burning a hole in their pocket. Overall, the Saints enter the draft with eight total draft picks; they haven’t made eight selections in a class in any of the past seven years.

Murphy wasn’t able to participate in athletic testing at the NFL scouting combine or Clemson’s pro day, but he impressed teams at his individual workout on April 4; ESPN’s Jordan Reid reports that Murphy weighed in at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds, timing the 40-yard dash in a stunning 4.51 seconds (with a 10-yard split of 1.59 seconds). Reid adds that Murphy finished the three-cone drill in 7.22 seconds and the pro shuttle in 4.28 seconds. He also put up 25 reps on the bench press.

The Saints will get an opportunity to vet those numbers when he makes his own formal visit to the team facility. Those are all impressive stats, and they each beat the average of Saints defensive ends since 2018. Over the last five years, the average Saints defensive end has stood 6-foot-4 and 269 pounds while timing the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds (with a 1.67-second 10-yard split) and completing the three-cone drill in 7.31 seconds and pro shuttle in 4.45 seconds. Those are high standards to maintain even by NFL standards, and Murphy appears to have passed with flying colors.

But let’s get back to football, and that’s where Murphy really shines. He’s appeared in 35 games for Clemson over the last three years, totaling 36 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks with 5 pass breakups and 6 forced fumbles. He’s a disruptive, active force up front who knows how to throw his weight around make a play. He’d probably be a good fit in New Orleans.

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3 trade proposals for each of the teams planning to interview Sean Payton

The Broncos, Cardinals, and Texans are competing for Sean Payton’s time, and the Saints should benefit. Any of these trade proposals would reshape their offseason:

This week’s New Orleans Saints news cycle isn’t focused on the team so much as its former head coach; general manager Mickey Loomis ensured that Sean Payton would own the spotlight by taking a week off to defuse any high-strung emotions before making decisions on the coaching staff and offseason strategy.

At this point we know the big players in Payton’s sweepstakes. The Denver Broncos have scheduled an in-person interview with him as soon as NFL rules allow them to meet, and both the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans have received permission to talk with Payton about their vacancies. Other teams could emerge after this weekend’s wild-card playoff round, but those are the big three right now.

So what would a trade with them look like? New Orleans will get some compensation back once Payton has chosen his next team, and they reportedly want a first round pick and additional draft assets as part of that deal (remember, players can’t be involved in coach trades). That’s led to plenty of speculation and daydreaming about the Saints getting a king’s ransom in return, so here’s a proposal for each team.

With apologies to fans thinking big about a Jon Gruden-style return (two first round picks, two second round picks, and his $8 million in remaining salary), this situation is different, and even though Payton should be valued at the same level, New Orleans shouldn’t anticipate something that lofty. There hasn’t been a comparable trade in 20 years, and it’s not like the Saints have a lot of leverage here. If Payton only okays one team, they’ll have to take that offer.

That also takes the second- and third-overall picks in the 2023 draft off the board. Crazy things have happened before in the NFL, but it would be wild to see either of those picks (owned by Houston and Arizona, respectively) go to New Orleans. For one thing, Payton is going to want to have those picks in his own pocket once he’s hired as head coach. Sorry if that feels like being dunked in cold water, but it’s better to keep expectations grounded in hopes of being surprised than to set them too high and end up being disappointed.

Okay, enough of that disclaimer. Here are three trade proposals for sending Payton to the Broncos, Texans, or Cardinals:

Derek Carr goes to the Saints in a too-rich trade proposal from the Athletic

Derek Carr landed with the Saints in a too-rich trade proposal from the Athletic. If this is what it would cost to acquire him, New Orleans should stay away:

The New Orleans Saints are already being mentioned as a potential landing-spot for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who was benched this week to protect the team from jeopardizing lucrative guarantees for injury written into his contract. And it’s easy to see why: New Orleans doesn’t have a viable franchise quarterback after sending Jameis Winston to the shadow realm and riding out their season with Andy Dalton.

More important than that, though, is that Saints head coach Dennis Allen drafted Carr back in 2014 when he was the Raiders head coach. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe is one national writer seeing that link, but his trade proposal bringing Carr to New Orleans is too much to pay for a mediocre quarterback — even one with Carr’s extensive starting experience. Howe writes:

“I’d offer the Saints’ second-round pick, which is currently projected to be 41st overall. And quite frankly, because the Saints are short on options and can’t continue spinning the QB roulette wheel, I’d add two or three Day 3 picks — let’s say fourth- and fifth-rounders — to get it done in case anyone else is offering something comparable to No. 41.”

So that would be the Saints’ top selection in 2023 plus a couple of mid-rounders, which New Orleans does own plenty of. In addition to their own  picks in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds, the Saints will be getting a fifth rounder in 2023 and a sixth rounder in 2024 back from Philadelphia. But that’s still a lot to fork over for a quarterback who has never won a playoff game, and who has had nine years to show he’s something special.

Yes, veteran quarterbacks are moved at a premium these days. Draft bust Carson Wentz was traded for a package of second- and third-round picks. Past-his-prime Matt Ryan was traded for a third rounder. Even mediocre passers are valued highly; the Saints themselves forfeited a third-round comp pick they would have gotten for losing Terron Armstead or Marcus Williams by signing Andy Dalton this offseason. This is probably a realistic offer for Carr’s services.

But what reason is there to believe he’s a real upgrade over what the Saints have in the building already? There’s no questioning whether they need a new quarterback. The question is whether paying what it would cost to trade for Carr would be worth it, or else that ends up feeling like a lateral move once the bill is due.

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What could a C.J. Gardner-Johnson contract extension look like?

C.J. Gardner-Johnson wants a contract extension before the end of his four-year rookie deal, but what could he and the New Orleans Saints agree to?

A new subplot kicked off at New Orleans Saints training camp this week with news of C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s quasi-hold-in in pursuit of a new contract before the end of his four-year rookie deal. So what would an extension look like? To make a good guess, we did some research. It’s Aug. 4. Let’s compare some recent summertime Saints contract extensions and their guarantees:

  • RT Ryan Ramczyk: signed on July 1, receiving $60 million of $96 million in guarantees (62.5%)
  • WR Michael Thomas: signed on July 31, receiving $35.64 million of $96.25 million in guarantees (37.0%)
  • RB Alvin Kamara: signed on Sept. 12, receiving $33.83 million of $75 million in guarantees (45.1%)
  • LB Demario Davis: signed on Sept. 12, receiving $14.75 million of $27 million in guarantees (54.6%)
  • CB Marshon Lattimore: signed on Sept. 13, receiving $44.34 million of $97 million in guarantees (45.75%)

That’s an average of 48.9% in guarantees, which lines up well with the 51.7% average that top slot defenders around the league are seeing. Here are the five defensive backs who have, like Gardner-Johnson, logged 400-plus slot snaps last season and are playing on multiyear, double-digit deals:

  • Kenny Moore: signed for four years, $33.3 million ($8.33 million per year) with $13.25 million guaranteed (39.8%)
  • Taron Johnson: signed for three years, $24 million ($8 million per year), with $13.95 million guaranteed (58.1%)
  • Avonte Maddox: signed for three years, $22.5 million ($7.5 million per year), with $14.17 million guaranteed (63.0%)
  • Mike Hilton: signed for four years, $24 million ($6 million per year), with $6 million guaranteed (25.0%)
  • Jourdan Lewis: signed for three years, $13.5 million ($4.5 million per year), with $7.75 million guaranteed (57.4%)

So there are some clear outliers here, like the small guarantees Hilton received and the low per-year value in Lewis’ deal. Take those two out of the equation and you’ll get this proposal: three years, $26.6 million ($7.94 million per year) with $15.46 million guaranteed (58.6%). That’s heavier in guarantees than the Saints typically like to agree to, but the length and per-year salary may be to their liking. It leaves room for flexibility with a couple of void years to be tacked onto the end for accounting purposes, future roster bonuses that could be restructured, and actual negotiations would go more in-depth for how those guarantees are distributed (for example, Moore received just $9 million in guarantees at signing with injury vesting guarantees conveying later on).

So let’s say that Harley, Loomis and the Saints work down to lower guarantees in exchange for a slightly higher per-year salary, which resets the market for slot specialists while giving the team opportunities to restructure in a year or two and retain cap flexibility. Our revised proposal: four years, $34 million ($8.5 million per year) with $16.8 million in guarantees (49.4%). That gives Gardner-Johnson what he’s earned, as well as some bragging rights with the NFL’s highest per-year salary for a slot defender (ranking 24th among all cornerbacks and 20th among safeties), while the Saints can navigate the salary cap as needed and maybe get out of this contract after about two years without much penalty if need be. But Gardner-Johnson has only seen his star rise with New Orleans so there’s a real chance he sees every penny in this deal.

Things will no doubt be more complicated once Gardner-Johnson’s representatives sit down with the Saints’ brass. This is just a starting point from the outside looking in. But it feels like fair compensation for what Gardner-Johnson brings to the team and how he compares to his peers across the league. With the salary cap about to go to the moon once new broadcasting rights contracts inject higher revenue to the NFL’s coffers, players like Gardner-Johnson are well-positioned to cash in.

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Chiefs likely to support Colts’ proposal to change NFL overtime rules

The #Chiefs tried to get overtime rules changed after the 2018 playoffs to no avail. The #Colts will try again with a new proposal which K.C. should support.

Another NFL team is proposing that the league changes its overtime rules and the Kansas City Chiefs should be fervent supporters.

The Indianapolis Colts are the latest team to try and get overtime rules changed, submitting a proposal to the competition committee that would guarantee at least one possession in overtime during both regular season and postseason games.

After Patrick Mahomes never touched the football during the overtime period in the 2018 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, the Chiefs led the charge on a proposal to get overtime rules changed. They proposed a change to the NFL competition committee, one which sought to remove preseason overtime, the overtime coin toss and called for each team to get the ball on offense at least once. That proposal was eventually tabled until May and failed to come to a vote at the next owner’s meeting after receiving support from only the Dallas Cowboys.

The new support for overtime rules changes stems from another game during the AFC playoffs involving Kansas City. This time it’s the AFC divisional-round game between the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills that was subject to scrutiny. After a thrilling game in regulation, Kansas City won the coin toss and marched down the field to score and advance to the AFC title game. It was basically the exact opposite of what happened to them back in 2018. Bills QB Josh Allen had to stand idly by with no chance to touch the football in overtime.

Speaking after the game, Chiefs HC Andy Reid said he’d still support change even with things falling in their favor this time around.

“I don’t know, but I’m glad we didn’t change them as of last night,” Reid said following the game. “I had a chance to talk to Sean (McDermott) afterwards, and that’s I’m sure something they’re going to look at again, too, and I wouldn’t be opposed to it. That’s a hard thing, it was great for us last night, but is it great for the game, which is the most important thing that we should all be looking out for. To make things equal, it probably needs to be able to hit both offenses and both defenses.”

If Reid’s words ring true, you can expect the team to support the new proposal from the Colts. Will other teams come out in support of a change to the rules, though? That remains to be seen.

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Saints have every reason to explore trade for Patriots WR N’Keal Harry

Saints have every reason to explore Patriots WR N’Keal Harry trade

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The New Orleans Saints haven’t exactly made the most of some of their first round picks, but at least no one in the Sean Payton era has requested a trade as publicly as New England Patriots first rounder N’Keal Harry. The third-year wideout’s agent filed a statement to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Tuesday doing just that.

And the New Orleans Saints should be interested in acquiring him. They’ve got no reason not to be. New Orleans has not replaced Emmanuel Sanders after cutting him earlier this offseason, leaving 82 targets up for grabs (plus 60 targets following Jared Cook’s release. Those passes need to go somewhere, and Adam Trautman won’t fill that vacuum on his own). Sean Payton has said his annual bit about liking the guys the team has already, but the Saints are another Michael Thomas injury away from putting Tre’Quan Smith on top of the rotation again.

Behind Smith are Deonte Harris and Marquez Callaway, who have combined for just 47 catches and 381 yards in 34 career games. Harry has outproduced both of them put together with 45 receptions for 414 yards in only 21 games. There’s reason for optimism that the entire receiving corps will benefit from a bigger-armed Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston filling in for Drew Brees, but at this point the Saints aren’t in a position to be complacent.

Maybe one of their fringe options like Juwan Johnson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, or seventh round draft pick Kawaan Baker impresses in training camp and earns snaps early this season. Other dark horse candidates at the bottom of the depth chart include Jalen McCleskey, Easop Winston, and Jake Lampman. But Harry is either bigger, faster, or better accomplished than any of them. He wouldn’t be the first player to agitate under “The Patriot Way;” as is often around the NFL, some guys just need a change of scenery to find their potential.

The Saints didn’t own a first round selection after trading it to go get Marcus Davenport the year before, but Harry was on their radar ahead of the 2019 draft having visited New Orleans on one of their 30 official private meetings. He was an impressive combatant on contested catches and a run-after-catch threat at Arizona State but those skills haven’t translated to the NFL so far.

Still, the Saints owe it to themselves to see if Harry is available for the right price considering the thin depth of their receiving room. A comparable recent trade to look at would be last offseason’s move that sent tight end Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons — Atlanta picked up the Baltimore Ravens’ 2018 first rounder in exchange for a package of second- and fifth-round picks, receiving a fourth round selection to boot. Hurst had similar numbers in Baltimore to what Harry has put up in New England (43 catches for 512 yards in 28 games), so it’s a solid comparison, though Hurst averaged slightly fewer yards per game with the Ravens.

But you would expect a wide receiver to outproduce a tight end just based off their basic positional responsibilities. New Orleans shouldn’t give up a second rounder, much less multiple picks (though they do have the ammo: the Saints are projected to own nine selections in next year’s draft). Remember, the Saints will have at least two third rounders next year as compensation for Terry Fontenot taking the Falcons general manager job. They may even have three picks at the end of round three if Trey Hendrickson ends up qualifying, though for now he’s expected to return a fourth rounder.

Here’s a mock trade: the Saints acquire Harry and a 2022 fourth rounder (projected No. 130) in exchange for a 2022 third round compensatory pick (projected No. 105). This way neither team loses a selection, though it would mean the Saints fall out of the top 100-ish picks while New England gets a more valuable draft choice. Still, sliding down 15 to 30 slots (depending on how both teams perform this year, of course) is worth taking a shot on a first round receiver who never hit his stride when paired with an end-of-days Tom Brady, injured and inconsistent Cam Newton, and Jarrett Stidham.

Depending on how reciprocal the Patriots are to unloading Harry, they could let him go for an even simpler pick exchange like, say, a fifth rounder (which they currently don’t have after reacquiring Trent Brown in a previous trade). But it’s tough for me to see them bailing on a first round pick this quickly for such a low return. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong.

Would you sign off on that trade? Let us know in the poll below:

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What could a blockbuster Saints-Chiefs trade for Terron Armstead look like?

The New Orleans Saints need cheap talent, and the Kansas City Chiefs need a left tackle. What would a trade for Terron Armstead look like?

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So here’s a fun exercise. The Kansas City Chiefs felt this year’s painful salary cap crunch and released both of their starting offensive tackles, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, putting them in a real bind. It makes sense for them to turn over every stone in search of better protection after Patrick Mahomes was overwhelmed by the Buccaneers pass rush in Super Bowl LV, which brings them to the New Orleans Saints.

Well, it brings Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman to my inbox. Charles and I teamed up for mock trade talks to see what it would take to make both sides happy, and whether we could reach a deal at all. Here’s how it played out:

Charles Goldman: Would the Saints ever trade Terron Armstead in a cap-clearing move? I know he’d free about $11.6 million in cap space if he were traded and only has one year left on his deal?

John Sigler: I don’t think that has legs. He’s a cornerstone player for New Orleans and a big selling point to any free agent quarterbacks they’re looking at. They’re only about $12 to $15 million over the salary cap right now, and he could sign an extension soon to reduce his $16 million cap figure and remain with the team.

If he were moved, it would take a return comparable to the Laremy Tunsil trade, which brought in multiple draft picks and a couple of role players. It’s not like the Trent Williams situation where the player was holding out and demanding a trade, though Armstead’s age and injury history better compare to Williams than Tunsil.

CG: Do you think they would take a player on their rookie deal in return too? Maybe someone like WR Mecole Hardman? Could be a good replacement for WR Emmanuel Sanders.

JS: Yeah I could see it. Their projected No. 2 wide receiver, Tre’Quan Smith, is entering a contract year and never been a consistent receiving threat. Hardman would be a nice addition along with a high draft pick or two. He’s an ascendant player who’s just 23 (happy birthday to him, by the way) with 4.33 speed, and he’s still improving after playing quarterback and corner before switching positions a few years ago. Make me an offer.

CG: Let’s consult one of those nifty trade value charts. You would get our Round 2 Pick No. 63, our Round 4 Pick No. 144, and WR Mecole Hardman in exchange for LT Terron Armstead and a future Round 5 pick.

JS: Multiple picks are enticing but I need a first rounder to justify moving Armstead. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro quality left tackle. We are so close to reaching cap compliance that we don’t have to move him if we don’t want to. No. 31 has to be on the table.

Additionally, we have more receivers under contract than almost any other position. Hardman would be a nice upgrade but it’s not as critical a hole to fill as, say, cornerback. L’Jarius Snead made a great impression in his game against us and his overall tape is solid for a rookie. We need a new corner after cutting Janoris Jenkins.

So here’s a counter offer: we get Round 1 Pick 31, WR Mecole Hardman, and CB L’Jarius Snead in exchange for LT Terron Armstead and a future Round 5 pick.

CG: Sneed is untouchable for now. But I think we could offer pick No. 31. I see you just released DT Malcolm Brown. We’ve got a surplus of DT talent. How about this for a counteroffer: Round Pick 31, Round 4 Pick 144, and DT Khalen Saunders for LT Terron Armstead and a future 5th round pick.

JS: Saunders is interesting but we have several young defensive tackles we like to help replace Brown. We really need a corner in this deal worse than an interior lineman. What about Charvarius Ward? He’s worked with our new secondary coach Kris Richard in Dallas; Richard probably helped recruit him as an undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee. Let’s get them back together.

And let’s not take Hardman off the table so quickly. In my mind, we’re swapping that 2022 fifth rounder for him. Giving up a pick along with Armstead for just another pick and a player isn’t tenable. We’re totally fine with extending his contract and not making a move at all.

So how’s this: Round 1 Pick 31, CB Charvarius Ward, plus WR Mecole Hardman for LT Terron Armstead and a 2022 Round 5 pick.

CG: If you can bump the future pick to a fourth rounder, we’ve got a deal. With Charvarius Ward, he’s a restricted free agent — we could do a sign-and-trade or tender him and trade him and let you handle the details.

JS: Let’s make it conditional based on playing time. If Armstead plays 75% or more of offensive snaps in 2021, it becomes a fourth rounder. If he doesn’t meet that threshold, it remains a fifth rounder.

And let’s tender Ward at the lowest level ($2.133 million) to facilitate the trade. He’ll have an opportunity to earn a long-term extension starting opposite Marshon Lattimore, who we also hope to extend in the days ahead.

CG: Groovy.

JS: Good doing business with you.

So let’s review the deal, what the Saints lost, and what they’ve gotten out of it.

Trading Armstead in the final year of his contract yields $6,612,500 in salary cap savings but opens a huge hole in the offensive line. The immediate replacement plan is to shift Ryan Ramczyk back to left tackle, where he played in college at Wisconsin (which is timely, because he’s due a long-term contract extension this year or next). Right tackles are undervalued and the Saints should be able to find a good one with one of their first-round picks.

I would have liked to get more draft picks out of this but given the Saints’ struggles to find high-impact players lately, well, I’d rather take more proven quantities in Ward and Hardman. Additionally, Armstead has only played 80% and 88% of snaps the last two years; he’s only met that 75% conditional threshold once before, back in 2015. There’s a good chance we keep our fourth rounder next year, but even if it’s lost we still have the fifth round pick.

As for the players: we added speed, youth, and most importantly affordable talent at two positions of need. Hardman is under contract through 2022. He also leads the NFL in touchdown catches of 20-plus yards out of the slot since 2019, and ranks second-best in the league in yards gained after the catch per reception (8.8) in that span. He’s a cost-effective, big-play threat every time he touches the ball, which is what the Saints need at receiver.

I wanted someone with a lighter injury history and a longer contract than Ward, but he’s a good fit. He flirted with Pro Bowl status in 2019 but missed time in 2020 with a fractured hand. Still, he’ll have started in 38 of his 51 NFL game appearances (including 8 playoff games and two Super Bowls) before his 25th birthday. He’s got plenty of pro experience and is in a great spot to cash in next summer while replacing Jackrabbit Jenkins. Reuniting him with Richard could pay off in a big way.

So what do you think? Was the view worth the climb here? The Saints may have plugged some holes on their roster while creating a new one, but it might take creative (and sometimes difficult) solutions like this to compete again in 2021. There’s a ton of uncertainty surrounding the post-Drew Brees era, and it’s anyone’s guess where the Saints might be a year from now.

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