Look, the New Orleans Saints didn’t quite see this one coming. When they agreed to trade their 2023 first round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles, they had no expectation that it might end up being the tenth overall selection after a hard-to-watch season. They expected to be in the thick of the playoffs and playing meaningful football in January, not reflecting back on a lost season.
But Saints general manager Mickey Loomis wants it known that he doesn’t regret the decision to send that pick off as part of a blockbuster trade. He pushed back on the narrative that the Saints don’t have a first rounder during his end-of-season press conference; he views wide receiver Chris Olave and left tackle Trevor Penning through the same lens as he’d evaluate a draft prospect taken with this year’s first-round pick, considering New Orleans wouldn’t have gotten either of them without making that deal with Philadelphia.
“It’s a little misleading, I think, to say we don’t have a number one (draft pick in 2023). We traded that and we had two number ones this year (in 2022). I’m really happy with those two guys,” Loomis said Friday, “Not happy that Trevor was injured and that slowed his progress, but I think we’re really excited about Trevor and Chris as being part of our team. … I liked what we did, I liked the players we ended up with in this last draft, and today I wouldn’t change that.”
Loomis has used this logic in the past, turning to it to justify the decision to trade up for Marcus Davenport back in the 2018 draft or in selling a future pick so the team could get another selection to add Alvin Kamara in 2017. And it does make sense to a degree. But as Loomis conceded, it helps that arithmetic smooth out when players are on the field and improving.
While Olave was one of the most explosive rookies of the 2022 season across the league, Penning’s first year as a pro began and ended with (thankfully unrelated) foot injuries. A preseason turf toe injury required surgery, and a Lisfranc fracture in the season finale will keep him out of action through summer workouts. When the Saints did have Penning on the field, he performed about as expected: thrillingly physical as a run blocker; at times too aggressive for his own good, leading to penalties; and inconsistent in pass protection. More reps are critical to easing his learning curve, so it’s a good thing he’s expected to be ready for training camp at the end of July.
As for whether the Saints made that Eagles trade banking on Sean Payton returning to coach in the NFL in 2023, bringing a first rounder back to New Orleans after sending off his coaching rights?
“No, I never counted on getting anything for Sean. He might decide to do the media deal for five years. Who knows? So that’s not something,” Loomis paused to consider his words, “I know I have a history of spending cap going forward, but we weren’t spending draft capital going forward anticipating what we might get if he’d decide to coach again.”
Obviously the Saints would rather he get back in the saddle sooner than later and help them reload with draft assets, but Loomis acknowledged that it’s no sure thing Payton accepts one of the jobs being offered to him. That process will play out in the days and weeks ahead. Whether the Saints ultimately benefit from it remains to be seen.
