Tag: rounds

20 years later, here’s the top picks from each round of Saints drafts under Mickey Loomis

20 years later, here’s the best picks from each round of New Orleans Saints drafts under general manager Mickey Loomis:

The New Orleans Saints have the longest-tenured general manager in the NFL in Mickey Loomis, who has held his post since May 13, 2002 — a span that’s seen 20 NFL drafts come and go under his stewardship. Always eager to trade up and act aggressively on draft day, Loomis has made 24 picks in the first round alone during his run as general manager.

But which picks stand apart as the best? We’ve broken it down round-by-round to highlight the best returns New Orleans has found in the draft under Loomis:

2023 NFL draft order finalized; where the Saints will be picking in every round

The 2023 NFL draft order has been finalized; where the New Orleans Saints will be picking in every round in the upcoming event:

Finally. The NFL announced its list of compensatory picks in the 2023 NFL draft on Thursday, following up with the finalized round-by-round order of selections on Friday. And the New Orleans Saints will be making eight picks in this year’s event, including the third-from-last choice.

But the Saints are going to be without their initial picks in rounds one (traded to the Philadelphia Eagles to get another first rounder last year) and six (traded to the Houston Texans as a conditional pick for cornerback Bradley Roby). At least they got a few picks back in the later rounds. Here’s where the Saints will go on the clock in each frame — barring more moves:

Report: Saints expect to hear from Cardinals about Sean Payton

Report: Saints expect to hear from Cardinals about a potential Sean Payton trade

We’ll file this one under “as expected.” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the New Orleans Saints are expecting a call from the Arizona Cardinals concerning former head coach Sean Payton, which came in shortly before the Cardinals dismissed fourth-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Now that Kingsbury has been shown the door (along with longtime general manager Steve Keim), the Cardinals look like one of the more-attractive job opportunities around the league. Payton would have the option to bring an executive like Jeff Ireland or Khai Harley with him from New Orleans to the desert, where he would be coaching an established quarterback in Khai Harley. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell is known as a hands-off type, so Payton would probably have the same level of autonomy he’s enjoyed with the Saints.

What’s less clear is what Arizona may be willing to trade for Payton. They own the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft but almost certainly won’t put it on the table. The Cardinals also have the third pick in rounds two (No. 34) and three (No. 66), and they’re getting a couple of compensatory draft picks back for losing wide receiver Christian Kirk and pass rusher Chandler Jones. They could also dip into their 2024 draft picks to make a competitive offer.

We’ll see if the Cardinals do end up making that call or whether the Saints are left waiting by the phone. That’s just the start of a long process in interviewing Payton and selling him on what they have to offer. This is going to take some time to resolve.

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Potential WR prospects for Saints in each round of the 2022 NFL draft

There isn’t a question about New Orleans’ top draft need; it’s about when they’ll add a wide receiver. Prospects for the Saints in each round of the 2022 NFL draft:

There isn’t a question about the most pressing need for the New Orleans Saints in the 2022 NFL draft: it’s wide receiver. There are lesser needs at quarterback and left tackle, sure, but a rookie passer isn’t unseating Jameis Winston and James Hurst has shown he can hold down the left side of the line. Maybe the Saints go looking for a safety early on to replace Marcus Williams, but they should be able to wait and address that later.

Whether Michael Thomas returns to form or not, he could use a stronger supporting cast, and the Saints aren’t doing young players like Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harty any favors by asking them to compete with the best cover corners in the NFL each week. Making some upgrades to the depth chart has to be a major priority, and the Saints have done a good job preparing for it by trading with the Philadelphia Eagles for another first round pick.

But which prospects could they be targeting? There will be options in every round of this year’s draft, and it’s good to have an idea of which players could be available once New Orleans is on the clock. So here’s your round-by-round preview of the 2022 wide receivers class: