3 early trades the Saints could pull off in 2025 NFL Draft

As the New Orleans Saints get set for the 2025 NFL Draft in just under a month, things are starting to get interesting toward the top of the order.

Holding the no. 9 overall pick in the draft, the Saints must be prepared for anything to happen, quite frankly. With a ho-hum quarterback class and a top-heavy first round, they could come away with a future star.

After the elite talent drops off in the first round, though, there is a lot of similar talent for the next 40 or 50 picks according to many outlets and scouts. So, maybe the Saints also make a move to try and acquire additional capital down the line.

Regardless of what we may think now, the draft will undoubtedly be full of surprise moves and trades. Could the Saints get on board with one or two of them? Let's dive into some realistic situations the Saints could be a part of early on.

The Saints should try to lure a RB-needy team into a deal in Round 2

The second round could see New Orleans take advantage of a run on running backs. Their no. 40 selection is sandwiched between the Bears' picks at 39 and 41. But, the Cowboys pick at no. 44 and, if the Bears take a running back with the first of those picks after seeing the likes of Ashton Jeanty go in the first round, then Dallas might get nervous.

Moving back just four spots, the Saints are able to net another top-150 pick in the process. It's minor, but New Orleans takes advantage while the iron was hot.

New Orleans might be able to move up for the perfect WR target

The Saints could use another wide receiver, and Iowa State's Jayden Higgins is a borderline second-round prospect who could be had at the end of the round. With a pair of picks in both the third and fourth rounds, New Orleans could use two of them to move on up and snag their guy. Washington is no stranger to making trades, so why not give them a call and take advantage of Higgins falling?

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In Higgins, New Orleans gets a 6-foot-4 prospect with a ton of raw talent who could become a go-to target in the near future. With Chris Olave's future seemingly up in the air whether it be due to injury concerns or a potential trade, at some point, Higgins brings necessary reinforcement to the wide receiver room.

The Saints could surprise and move up for a QB

The Saints are anything but set at quarterback for the future. Derek Carr is still on this team, but New Orleans has to start planning for the future. If Shedeur Sanders were to last past the top four picks, then it could be show time.

New Orleans grabs Sanders who will sit behind Carr, for now, but also has Kellen Moore there now to help in his development. The Saints are likely a much more appealing spot for Sanders, too, rather than potentially going to a team like Cleveland or Tennessee, which had been in the realm of possibilities over the last few months.

The New Orleans Saints seem to be running this back in 2025 and will try to win some games. What remaining moves could they be making? The Saints have enough cap space to make a few more moves before the 2025 NFL Draft if they wanted. The team really should have begun a rebuilding process a couple of years ago, but you can't change the past, so here we are.

With a bit over $28 million in available space, there could be a few viable moves left for this team to make before the 2025 NFL Draft. While GM Mickey Loomis and new head coach Kellen Moore might have their focus solely on the draft right now, these three moves could change their mind.

3 moves the New Orleans Saints could make with remaining cap space

Sign OG Dalton Risner

On paper, the New Orleans Saints offensive line is solid. One of their projected starting guards is Nick Saldiveri, who played in 11 games in 2024, starting six of them. New Orleans could be poised to pursue an iOL upgrade for the right price. What about Dalton Risner? Risner is a guard who has played for the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings.

He is a lot better with his pass blocking and is thoroughly an average guard. However, he's not going to cost much and might be a notable upgrade over Saldiveri. GM Mickey Loomis has spent some money this offseason and clearly isn't yet ready to tear this thing down, so an offensive line move could be on the table.

Sign WR DJ Chark

Still just 28 years old, DJ Chark was once a 1,000-yard, Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2019. Chark has struggled to stay on the field consistently, as he has played in 37 regular season games over the last four seasons.

This could be a low-cost, high-reward signing for the Saints. Kellen Moore is the team's head coach, and he does have a history of airing in out in the right situations. Chark is a big-bodied, speedster of a wide receiver who can simply outrun people. It could be a fun addition for the Saints if he's able to stay on the field.

And again, since the team has spent money this offseason, why not pursue a move like this as well?

Trade Alvin Kamara and sign JK Dobbins

This might be a bold move, but the Saints did trade a key player last year when they sent Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders. While the team is clearly still wanting to try and win, they could get a decent haul in a trade of Alvin Kamara, their long-time running back. This could be a move that ends up benefitting them in the long run, and they could turn right around and sign JK Dobbins, someone who is about four years younger and rushed for 4.6 yards per carry in 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Getting younger and building for the future is that the front office still needs to do, so making this major move should be on the table, even though it sounds a bit crazy.