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.
Since the selection of Michael Thomas, who went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, New Orleans has mostly relied on the veteran player market or undrafted free agents to population the receiver room. This year, there’s reason to expect that to change and for a new focus to be granted to the position, including new wide receivers coach Kodi Burns.
With that said, the Saints could look to add a top wideout talent in the first year this year’s NFL draft, such as Ohio State receiver Chris Olave. Olave stole the show, even if only briefly at the combine after running an unofficial 4.26 40-yard dash. His time has since been adjusted to a 4.39, only .06 seconds behind Brandin Cooks’s 4.33. And Olave’s teammate Garrett Wilson clocked in just barely ahead of him with an official 4.38. If the Saints have shown that they are willing to make a move for anything, it’s top-tier speed and athleticism.
And if the Saints were interested in moving up for either Ohio State Buckeye, the team to get ahead of may be the in-state Cleveland Browns, who also have a big need at receiver, and who select 13th overall. For the Saints, there is a familiar draft-day trade partner in the Minnesota Vikings at 12th overall, a team that loves to stockpile picks (the Saints traded four picks with Minnesota in a bold move just a few years ago). A trade for the Saints’ 18th overall selection and either their compensatory third or one of their two expected fourth round picks could possibly help New Orleans get up ahead of the Browns and have their pick of the litter at wideout.
If the Saints pulled that off, it would still leave them four selections in the top 140 to continue to retool their offense. With needs at offensive line, tight end, and possibly even quarterback, they’d have enough fodder to continue to be aggressive in the trade market and make the moves necessary to maximize the fresh talent they can bring in this April.
