The New Orleans Saints have a long offseason ahead of them with plenty of questions to be answered.
They are not only looking for a new head coach, but any sort of direction for the future. That likely means a rebuild is on the way and now could be the time to move on from a couple of veterans.
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker recently put together a list of 15 trade candidates for this offseason and three Saints players made the cut. Locker listed quarterback Derek Carr, offensive tackle Trevor Penning and safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Carr could be a hard sell (especially given his no-trade clause), but there are going to be a handful of teams desperate for a passer next season. If they could convince anyone to take him off of their hands for any amount, they could save some money. Opening up for snaps for Spencer Rattler should probably be their biggest priority for next year anyway, giving him a real shot to perform with a healthier offense.
Penning is also a case of, New Orleans should probably move on if they can get someone to trade for him. He was the starting right tackle last year, but still has a long way before he should be considered a solid player. Perhaps someone could value him as a guard, allowing the Saints to pick up anything back for him rather than him leaving as a free agent after the year.
Mathieu makes the most sense. He is still at least an average safety at this point of his career and could start for a handful of playoff teams already. Trading him away and allowing him to compete for another Super Bowl ring could be a win-win.
