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The New Orleans Saints need to get unstuck.
The Saints are an aging team that hasn't completely gotten its salary cap issues in order. It's a team with a low ceiling but is incapable of admitting that. They're striving for mediocrity, and have become one of the NFL's dullest franchises. Something needs to change.
And that change could be Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
At one point months ago, it looked like Sanders could be the first pick of the NFL Draft. That won't happen, as Cam Ward has taken over the top spot. It appears the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, who have the second and third picks, aren't interested in Sanders either.
But the Saints at No. 9 should be.
If Sanders falls to that ninth pick, a team that badly needs some juice could get an interesting and buzzy quarterback who needs to find a home. Seems like a good fit.
The Saints have taken over as the betting favorite to pick Sanders at BetMGM. They have +220 odds (bet $100 to win $220) to take Sanders, the next team on the board is +400.
Sanders has been one of the mysteries of the NFL Draft for weeks. Teams have wildly differing grades on him. It has seemed at times like Sanders could go as high as second overall or late in the first round, or if everything went against him maybe even after the first round. Nobody seems to know.
But the Saints are a team that makes sense for Sanders. Derek Carr is there but it's clear by now he's not the long-term answer. But he could be a good bridge quarterback who allows the Saints to bring Sanders along slowly. And while it makes sense that the Browns and Giants wouldn't want to pass on an elite prospect like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, it's not a draft that is flush with blue-chip players. The Saints would be passing on a good player at No. 9 to take Sanders, but not a Hunter or Carter level prospect. The opportunity cost to take a shot on Sanders at No. 9 isn't that high.
Sanders isn't a perfect prospect. He holds the ball too long, he doesn't have an exceptional arm, size or athleticism. But he's the consensus No. 2 quarterback in the class for a reason. He has lifted two college programs, Jackson State and Colorado, was very productive and is an accurate passer.
He'd offer some hope to the Saints. They need it.
Where will Shedeur Sanders land in the NFL Draft? (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Saints would benefit from having a Sanders come aboard, and Sanders should see the positives in New Orleans as well.
The Saints just hired a new coach, Kellen Moore, who was one of the best college quarterbacks of his era at Boise State. He presumably wants a quarterback to build his program around, and it's unlikely to be Carr. Moore has had a successful run as an offensive coordinator and might be the type of coach to mold Sanders into a franchise quarterback.
New Orleans also isn't a bad destination. Sanders was a well known star in college, partially because the Colorado program under Deion Sanders has embraced social media attention, and sticking him in a market like New York would lead to intense scrutiny. New Orleans isn't a huge market. He could mostly just be a football player there, not a sideshow.
There are many things that line up. The Saints wouldn't need to mortgage the franchise to take Sanders. They'd get a quarterback that would at least put them in a new and exciting direction. Sanders would land with a coach who knows about quarterbacking and can devise a successful offense. He also wouldn't be under any undue pressure in New Orleans.
The biggest story of the NFL Draft will likely be where Sanders lands. He's one of the few players in the class who are famous before their first NFL snap, and nobody seems to know how high he'll go in the draft. Sanders landing with the Saints wouldn't be the splashiest possible story, but it might end up being the right fit.
Continue reading...
The Saints are an aging team that hasn't completely gotten its salary cap issues in order. It's a team with a low ceiling but is incapable of admitting that. They're striving for mediocrity, and have become one of the NFL's dullest franchises. Something needs to change.
And that change could be Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
At one point months ago, it looked like Sanders could be the first pick of the NFL Draft. That won't happen, as Cam Ward has taken over the top spot. It appears the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, who have the second and third picks, aren't interested in Sanders either.
But the Saints at No. 9 should be.
If Sanders falls to that ninth pick, a team that badly needs some juice could get an interesting and buzzy quarterback who needs to find a home. Seems like a good fit.
Shedeur Sanders would be a good pick for the Saints
The Saints have taken over as the betting favorite to pick Sanders at BetMGM. They have +220 odds (bet $100 to win $220) to take Sanders, the next team on the board is +400.
Sanders has been one of the mysteries of the NFL Draft for weeks. Teams have wildly differing grades on him. It has seemed at times like Sanders could go as high as second overall or late in the first round, or if everything went against him maybe even after the first round. Nobody seems to know.
But the Saints are a team that makes sense for Sanders. Derek Carr is there but it's clear by now he's not the long-term answer. But he could be a good bridge quarterback who allows the Saints to bring Sanders along slowly. And while it makes sense that the Browns and Giants wouldn't want to pass on an elite prospect like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, it's not a draft that is flush with blue-chip players. The Saints would be passing on a good player at No. 9 to take Sanders, but not a Hunter or Carter level prospect. The opportunity cost to take a shot on Sanders at No. 9 isn't that high.
Sanders isn't a perfect prospect. He holds the ball too long, he doesn't have an exceptional arm, size or athleticism. But he's the consensus No. 2 quarterback in the class for a reason. He has lifted two college programs, Jackson State and Colorado, was very productive and is an accurate passer.
He'd offer some hope to the Saints. They need it.
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Where will Shedeur Sanders land in the NFL Draft? (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Saints would be a good landing spot for Sanders
The Saints would benefit from having a Sanders come aboard, and Sanders should see the positives in New Orleans as well.
The Saints just hired a new coach, Kellen Moore, who was one of the best college quarterbacks of his era at Boise State. He presumably wants a quarterback to build his program around, and it's unlikely to be Carr. Moore has had a successful run as an offensive coordinator and might be the type of coach to mold Sanders into a franchise quarterback.
New Orleans also isn't a bad destination. Sanders was a well known star in college, partially because the Colorado program under Deion Sanders has embraced social media attention, and sticking him in a market like New York would lead to intense scrutiny. New Orleans isn't a huge market. He could mostly just be a football player there, not a sideshow.
There are many things that line up. The Saints wouldn't need to mortgage the franchise to take Sanders. They'd get a quarterback that would at least put them in a new and exciting direction. Sanders would land with a coach who knows about quarterbacking and can devise a successful offense. He also wouldn't be under any undue pressure in New Orleans.
The biggest story of the NFL Draft will likely be where Sanders lands. He's one of the few players in the class who are famous before their first NFL snap, and nobody seems to know how high he'll go in the draft. Sanders landing with the Saints wouldn't be the splashiest possible story, but it might end up being the right fit.
Continue reading...
