This isn’t great. The Denver Broncos have won four games in a row, improving their record to 5-5 in Sean Payton’s first year on the job — powered by five Wil Lutz field goals in a Sunday night win against the Minnesota Vikings.
All of their success has a ripple effect on the New Orleans Saints, who are receiving Denver’s second- and seventh-round 2024 draft picks after trading Payton and Lutz to them earlier this year. Where are the Saints projected to be picking now that the Broncos have turned things around?
Here’s the Saints’ updated draft order from Tankathon, based off the latest standings after Week 11:
- Round 1, pick 19
- Round 2, pick 47 (via Denver Broncos)
- Round 4, pick 136 (compensatory)
- Round 5, pick 155
- Round 5, pick 171 (compensatory)
- Round 5, pick 174 (compensatory)
- Round 6, pick 196
- Round 6, pick 209 (via Philadelphia Eagles)
- Round 7, pick 235 (via Denver Broncos)
Remember, those compensatory draft picks for 2023 free agents David Onyemata, Marcus Davenport, and Kaden Elliss will not be awarded until March, and it’s possible the expert predictions miss the mark. We’ll have to wait and see.
For now, it’s looking like there will be a sizeable gap between the Saints’ second-round choice (coming from Denver) and their next pick, whether it’s a compensatory fourth rounder or their own pick in the fifth round. Trading so many early-round picks away like Mickey Loomis has done will do that. Philadelphia controls the Saints’ second-round selection, while Denver has New Orleans’ third-round choice, and the Saints’ fourth-round pick is going to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hopefully those compensatory picks transfer as expected.
