The New Orleans Saints have traded up at some point in the NFL draft every season since Jeff Ireland joined the staff as director of college scouting assistant general manager. The pattern of aggressive mobility in the draft hasn’t been isolated to Ireland’s time, but he’s the connective tissue that binds the team’s most successful drafts of recent years. In 2022, with Sean Payton no longer with the team, Ireland’s draft habits shouldn’t be expected to change and neither should the front office’s willingness to go get the players they want.
With the Saints heading into the new league year as one of the NFL’s wide receiver-neediest team, there are ample opportunities to address the position with a talented rookie group in this year’s draft. However, after some impressive NFL scouting combine performances, prospects like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and even Jameson Williams could possibly require the Saints to trade up from pick 18. Could this be the first year in Jeff Ireland’s tenure that the Saints trade up for a wide receiver?
Of the positions the Saints have moved up for since his hiring in 2015, wide receiver is not one of them. In fact, it’s the only non-special teams position the Saints haven’t traded up for with Ireland on staff. The last time the Saints did make a jump for a wideout was in 2014 when New Orleans selected Brandin Cooks. Since then the team has only drafted three wide receivers: Michael Thomas in 2016’s second round, Tre’Quan Smith in 2018’s third round, and Kawaan Baker in 2021’s seventh round.
