The New Orleans Saints walked out of Week 14 with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - a much-needed boost for a team trying to find its identity in a transitional season. The victory brought more than just a morale lift.
It gave the Saints a chance to play spoiler in the NFC South, validated the progress of their rookie quarterback, and showed flashes of promise from a young core. But as is often the case in the NFL, every win comes with a ripple effect - especially when it comes to draft position.
Heading into Week 14, the Saints were in line for the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That’s premium territory - the kind of spot that can reshape a franchise.
But after Sunday’s slate of games, New Orleans slid down to fifth overall. Not exactly a free fall, but certainly a shift that changes the draft-day dynamics.
So what’s driving the movement? Strength of schedule is still working in the Saints’ favor - their opponents haven’t exactly been world-beaters - which is helping keep them in the top five.
But the real shake-up came from the rest of the league. Several teams near the bottom of the standings also lost, tightening the race for those coveted top picks.
Here’s how the top 10 currently stacks up, according to the latest projections:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) (4-9)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
The top of the board has been reshuffled in a big way. The Giants still sit at No. 1, and they appear to be committed to their rookie quarterback - which could open the door for a team to trade up for a top QB prospect.
That’s where things get interesting. The Raiders, now holding the second pick, are firmly in the quarterback market.
And if a team like the Jets - also desperate for a long-term answer under center - wants to make a move for someone like Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, they’ll have to pay a steep price to climb the board.
Earlier in the season, the Saints were in prime position to be that trade partner. Sitting at No. 3, they could’ve fielded offers from QB-needy teams looking to leapfrog the competition. That scenario isn’t off the table yet, but with their draft slot slipping, the leverage isn’t quite the same.
Still, there’s a lot of football left to play. Four games remain, and the draft order is far from set in stone.
For New Orleans, the ideal scenario might be threading the needle - winning enough to build confidence and momentum with young players like Tyler Shough and Devin Neal, while still holding onto a top-five pick. That’s a tough balance, but not impossible.
In the end, Week 14 gave the Saints a win in the standings - and a small setback in the draft. But if this team can continue developing its young core while staying in range for a premium pick, it might just come out ahead in both the short and long term.