Three potential trade packages for the Saints in the NFL Draft

One trade up, and two trade down packages for the Saints in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Nobody likes being more aggressive in the NFL Draft than Mickey Loomis. The New Orleans Saints are notorious for trading in the draft, and more specifically trading up to get a guy they like.

Historically, it hasn’t always worked out for them. In 2022, the Saints traded the 18th pick, a 2023 first rounder (pick No. 10) and a 2022 sixth rounder for picks 16 and 19 from the Eagles. They then packaged picks 16, 98 and 120 to move up and select Chris Olave, but used the other one to draft Trevor Penning. Then, in 2018, the Saints traded pick 27, 147 and their 2019 first rounder to the Packers to move up to pick 14 to select Marcus Davenport. Out of their three first rounders they traded for, only one has panned out.

With this year’s draft just under a week away, I thought we could go through and look at some potential trade packages involving the Saints first round pick this year.

Saints trade pick 14, 2025 second to Tennessee for picks 7, 2025 sixth and draft Joe Alt

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

In this scenario, the Saints have their eye on drafting the best offensive tackle in this year’s draft, Joe Alt. With QB’s going 1-2-3 and the Chargers passing on Alt in favor of Malik Nabers at No. 5, the Saints make a move for the top tackle on the board.

It’s hard to see a world where Joe Alt makes it outside of the top-seven with the Chargers, Giants and Titans all in play for the Notre Dame tackle, but if he can make it past New York and LA, the Saints might pull the trigger.

Saints trade pick 14 to the Steelers for picks 20, 51, 178 and draft Troy Fautanu

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

Personally, I think if the Saints make a trade, it should be down to acquire some extra draft capital, and that’s exactly what they do here with the Steelers.

By trading down, the Saints stay in the top-20 while also acquiring the 51st and 178th overall picks and they still get one of the top tackles on the board in Troy Fautanu (or any of the other guys such as Taliese Fuaga, Amarius Mims, etc.).

Being able to add another day two pick to the mix would be huge for the Saints as they look to fill quite a few needs in this draft.

Saints trade pick 14 to the Chiefs for picks 32, 131, 2025 first and draft Jer’Zhan Newton

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

To me, this would be the less ideal trade back scenario since the Saints don’t add another day two pick, but they would get themselves a second first round pick in next year’s draft while adding a fourth to the mix for a potential third round trade up.

Obviously, taking a tackle in the first round is likely to happen, but if they can get Newton, who’s one of the best defensive linemen in the draft, and then take a quality tackle such as Kingsley Suamataia or Jordan Morgan with their second rounder, it could be a nice haul for the Saints.