The Saints are staring at a deadline that could pull them in two very different directions, and neither path looks simple.
Last year, New Orleans was already deep into a bad start, and the front office responded the way teams do when the plan to win now has clearly gone sideways. They made two deadline moves that worked out well: Rashid Shaheed was dealt for about his value, and Trevor Penning brought back something in a move that was surprising. Those decisions gave the Saints something useful out of a season that was slipping away.
This year feels different. The Saints should be sellers again, but there’s more at stake around the building.
There is real pressure for New Orleans to produce, and if the season doesn’t turn around, the entire staff and GM Mickey Loomis could be gone. That makes selling harder to justify.
Why give up pieces that might help salvage the year if your own future depends on trying to win now?
At the same time, standing pat does not look much better. Keeping players who have not performed well enough to hold their spots can leave the team stuck with production that’s hurting its chances. If a roster spot is dragging you down, just keeping it occupied does not solve the problem.
One name that stands out as a possible move is Davon Godchaux. The Saints might not be able to find a trade partner for him, but Penning was moved last year, so the idea is not impossible.
Justin Ried and Cesar Ruiz also come up as trade candidates. The case for moving them is not that they have made the Saints worse, but that the team could move on without taking a major step backward.
Jeremiah Wright could step in for Ruiz and has already seen starting snaps, even if some of those were troubling. Jordan Howden could take over as the starting safety for the rest of the season.
It wouldn’t be ideal, but adding draft capital would be worth it for any staff.
One rumored name that does not fit, though, is Devaughn Vele. That connection does not make much sense if the Saints are counting on Tyler Shough to handle everything on offense.
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Saints Season Already Feels Like An NFL Cautionary Tale
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Saints Bye Week Mock Draft Shows Where This Roster Needs Help
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The exercise also brought a handful of prospects into the conversation, each with a different path to fitting what the Saints are trying to build. The evaluations were all based on scouting work rather than anything official from the team, but they did underline just how many spots remain in play as New Orleans heads into the next phase of roster building. [Read more 🡒]