During the offseason, the New Orleans Saints will work to strengthen their roster and solve their cap issues. Even if it’s difficult to achieve both at the same time, the Saints should be driven to overcome their lackluster season by whatever means, given that they were one victory away from winning the NFC South.
These tactics might entail conducting business with the adversary. A list of all 32 teams’ offseason trade guidelines was just published by Bleacher Report. Each team’s trade targets and prospects were included in the handbook, along with a fictitious trade. The bold recommendation from the BR staff was that the Saints send their 2024 first-round selection (14th overall) to the Carolina Panthers for
Should Saints trade their first-round pick to Panthers?
As Bleacher Report highlighted, deals with division rivals are rare. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. Carolina desperately needs a first-round pick in this year’s draft, so it’s fair to assume that it’ll be willing to do business. The question is if this is something New Orleans should consider.
At 14, the Saints aren’t in position to select the top quarterbacks or offensive linemen in the draft. They could still land an elite prospect at 14, but trading back is definitely a conversation worth having; especially if they could land a second-round pick, two third-round picks, and Jaycee Horn.
Horn was the eighth-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and he’s an immensely talented corner. Unfortunately, he has struggled with injuries throughout his young NFL career. In three seasons, he has missed a ton of time because of a fractured foot, a broken wrist, and a hamstring injury. Playing in 20 total games over three seasons, his future is unclear.
Even with the injury history, Horn would be an intriguing player for the Saints to acquire. If the Panthers are interested in offering Horn along with that many early picks, New Orleans should get on the phone with its rival.
