As Drew Brees enters the twilight of his stellar NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, it’s not surprising to hear the franchise was looking into how much it would cost to move up to No. 1 this year to snag a quarterback, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Finding the price tag to be too steep, general manager Mickey Loomis obviously backed off and let the Los Angeles Rams take the leap of faith instead.
That said, Loomis and the Saints aren’t out of the game for one of the top quarterbacks this year, per Rapoport. He’s reporting a move into the top 10 is still on the table, with Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch as the potential target.
If head coach Sean Payton and his staff are in love with the traits Lynch brings to the table, this might not be a bad move.
Obviously it depends on how much it would cost in draft currency to make the deal. But the Saints are in a perfect situation to develop a raw quarterback like Lynch for a few seasons while Brees plays out his final years in the league.
And quite honestly, given Lynch’s raw abilities, there might not be a better landing spot for the lanky Joe Flacco clone who has wheels to boot.
Much like Carson Wentz, Lynch is in danger of becoming an instant bust if he’s drafted on a perennial loser that is looking for a spark. These two quarterbacks aren’t prepared for the speed of the NFL game, and both would benefit greatly from landing in spots where they can hold the clipboard for at least two years.
For the Saints, perhaps a move up could be viewed as a risky, frivolous move, given the team’s many needs on the defensive side of the ball. That said, if the team has no legitimate backup plan for life after Brees, then no amount of defense is going to keep them as playoff contenders once the legendary gunslinger does hang up his pads and helmet for good.