How big of a need is tight end for the New Orleans Saints? They have expressed a desire to upgrade over Adam Trautman as their number-two tight end, but their interest in Foster Moreau as a free agent was shuttered by his unfortunate lymphoma diagnosis. If the idea with Moreau was sparked more by opportunity, it’s possible they look to other ways of improving the roster.
With the few remaining free agents going off the board to teams like the Cincinnati Bengals (who signed Irv Smith Jr.) and the Las Vegas Raiders (who brought in Austin Hooper), the Saints may be forced to look to the draft for help if this is still a priority for them.
They can get by with Trautman and Juwan Johnson at tight end, but the potential for growth is there with prospects like Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer on the board. Mayer has been a popular pick for the Saints in recent mock drafts, including the updated projection from NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, who wrote:
The Saints need a true “Y” tight end to enhance the passing game for Derek Carr. Mayer is the total package: a soft-handed pass-catcher with the size, strength and power to control the edges as a run blocker.
Mayer would address several big needs for the Saints offense. He’s one of the most-experienced blocking tight ends in the draft class as well as one of the most-reliable targets on contested catches. He’s not as athletically gifted as some of his peers, but he’s still brings above-average size and mobility for NFL standards. If he can pave the way for Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams on some big runs while converting a couple of first downs each week, he’s worth the investment, even if his arrival would mean the Saints are punting on Trautman after three years that left fans wanting more than they saw from him.
