The Saints have made their big move by trading up to No. 14. For their troubles, the Packers move back to No. 27, get the Saints' 147th pick, as well as their 2019 first-rounder. That's a huge haul for Green Bay, and clearly New Orleans has fallen in love with a player they didn't think would last until the bottom of the first round.
The early speculation was that it would be quarterback Lamar Jackson, but when the pick was announced, the Saints ended up taking pass rusher Marcus Davenport out of UTSA.
We're as shocked as you.
Perhaps the Saints deserve the benefit of the doubt. A year after having the NFL's best draft class -- it included Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyck, Marcus Williams and Alvin Kamara -- New Orleans knew pass rusher was a need, and they identified Davenport as their guy.
We'll all have to wait and see together whether this was the right move. From the perspective of midway through the first round, we can't get over the idea that passing on Jackson will come back to haunt them. Drew Brees is 39 and while his game doesn't appear to be slipping, he ain't playing forever.
That said, if the Saints are in win-now mode, finding a pass rusher for 2018 makes more sense than drafting Brees' eventual replacement, who might not even see the field for another couple seasons. They also have a good track record with taking defensive players in Round 1.
The Saints have drafted 3 defensive ends in the first round in the last 15 years, including Marcus Davenport. The other two (Cameron Jordan, #24 overall in 2011 & Will Smith, #18 overall in 2004) each went on to become Pro Bowlers in New Orleans.#Saints #NFLDraft
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) April 27, 2018
More (mostly) encouraging news:
Our SackSEER system loves Davenport. But based on the idea that no team is as smart drafting as they think they are, trading next year's first to move up 13 spots is... kind of nuts.
— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@FO_ASchatz) April 27, 2018
If the Saints make a deep playoff run, no one remembers that they passed on Jackson. Unless, of course, Jackson ends up in New England and wins multiple Super Bowls in a post-Tom Brady world. But that's a long shot to happen, right?
