When the Saints traded their 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-round pick to the Eagles in a deal that got New Orleans a second first-round pick in 2022, there was immediate talk that it was the Saints’ first step toward moving up and drafting a quarterback. But Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis says that wasn’t the case.
In fact, Loomis said it was Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman who contacted him to see if the Saints were interested in a trade, and not the Saints calling around trying to get an extra first-round pick this year.
“I think that was Howie,” Loomis said when asked who initiated the trade talks. “He had three first-round picks and he was looking to shift one to next year.”
So why did the Saints go along with it?
“It’s an opportunity to get another good player a year ahead of time for a value that we like,” Loomis said. “I liked the value of what we gave up vs. what we got.”
It’s true that the Saints will get a good player a year early, but they’ll also miss out on two good players down the road by giving up both a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round pick in 2024. This looks like a trade that the Saints will enjoy when they use those two first-round picks tonight, but may not be so happy about a year or two from now.