The Saints went 7-10 last season, their first season with a losing record since 2016, and missed the playoffs for a second straight year. Dennis Allen was in his first year as head coach after taking over for Sean Payton, who stepped down following the 2021 season. Jameis Winston started the first three games at quarterback before going down with injured, forcing Andy Dalton to start the final 14 games of the year.
New Orleans’ biggest need was at quarterback and they chose to fill that void by signing Derek Carr to a four-year, $150 million contract in March. Carr, 32, was released by the Raiders after spending the first nine seasons of his career with the franchise. He will now look to lead the Saints back to the playoffs in an NFC South division which is up for grabs. In the backfield, New Orleans signed RB Jamaal Williams to a three-year deal. With the Lions, Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns last season.
Prior to last year’s draft, the Saints made a trade with the Eagles which saw New Orleans send its 2023 first round pick to Philadelphia. That pick would have been the 10th overall selection this year, but that now belongs to the Eagles. The Saints’ first pick of this year’s draft will now be the 29th pick of the first round, which they acquired from Denver in the deal which saw Sean Payton become head coach of the Broncos this offseason.
New Orleans had two first round picks last year, selecting WR Chris Olave (11th overall) and OT Trevor Penning (19th overall). Olave made an immediate impact, leading the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards (1,042). Penning played just six games in an injury-riddled rookie season and is now coming off a second foot surgery.
Click here for the entire 2023 NFL Draft order and keep reading to see who the Saints will take in the 2023 NFL Draft. Coverage of the latest news from around the NFL is available all year round from Pro Football Talk on Peacock and the NFL on NBC YouTube Channel.
New Orleans Saints 2023 NFL Draft picks:
Round 1: No. 29 (from SF through MIA and DEN) - Bryan Breese, DT, Clemson
Round 2: No. 40 - Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame
Round 3: No. 71 - Kendre Miller, RB, TCU
Round 4: No. 103 (from CHI) - Nick Saldiveri, G, Old Dominion
Round 4: No. 127 (from JAX) - Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State
Round 5: No. 146 - Jordan Howden, S, Minnesota
Round 6: No. 195 (from PIT through DEN) - A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest
Check out draft picks from the other NFC South teams:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2023 draft picks