There is no more important position in professional sports than quarterback. And the New Orleans Saints face an uncertain position at that position.
Two years ago, the Saints signed veteran Derek Carr to a four-year, $150 million deal. Though Carr hasn't been terrible, he's been part of two losing seasons, and now that he's entering his mid-30s, the Saints can and should start looking elsewhere.
Whether it's as soon as the 2025 season or perhaps in a year, the Saints have to find a young quarterback they can build a roster around. And the NFL Draft is typically the place teams go to find their QB messiah.
This year, the Saints hold the ninth pick in the draft, and the class of quarterbacks entering the league isn't full of sure things. That's why one NFL writer proposed a somewhat risky solution for New Orleans.
On Thursday, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski suggested that the Saints could use their initial first-rounder on a different position, but trade back into the first round to draft a quarterback later on.
"The Saints should jump back into the first round with the intention of drafting whichever quarterback they believe can be their long-term starter. Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Ohio State's Will Howard are the likeliest options," Sobleski wrote.
"First, it's a way to outmaneuver any other squad still desperate for a quarterback that may have failed to land one earlier. Second, first-round status grants a fifth-year rookie option on the prospect's original contract, thus creating more financial and roster flexibility."
If there's anything the Saints need, it's financial flexibility. They're projected to come in over $80 million above the salary cap threshold for the 2025 season, necessitating another offseason of contract restructuring and low-cost free-agent signings.
All quarterback prospects come with risk, but the later in the draft they're taken, the less sure anyone can be about how well they'll pan out. Lamar Jackson was drafted at the end of the first round in 2018. Two years later, Jordan Love was as well.
Whether the Saints can find a Jackson or a Love remains to be seen. But it would certainly be an intriguing strategy for them to deploy.
