Who Dat Dish
Fansided

Paxton Lynch visited New Orleans Saints Thursday, report says

By Andrew Schuster

Sep 27, 2014; Oxford, MS, USA; Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) drops back to pass the ball during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi Rebels defeated the Memphis Tigers 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Oxford, MS, USA; Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) drops back to pass the ball during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mississippi Rebels defeated the Memphis Tigers 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Paxton Lynch, one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft class, had a visit with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, according to NFL Network.

The visit, which was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, comes one week after the New Orleans Saints were scouting Paxton Lynch at Memphis’ pro day.

Paxton Lynch is considered a top quarterback in the incoming rookie class, often finding himself in the conversation with California’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, who the Los Angeles Rams could be targeting after shipping away a boatload of picks to Tennessee to move up to No. 1.  While there will always be mixed opinions about who’s better, Lynch is still a top prospect in the draft and drawing interest from plenty of teams around the NFL.

But are the Saints truly interested?  They could be.  Either that or they’re firing shots at Drew Brees’ agent to get an extension finalized, or baiting other teams in need of a quarterback into trading up in the selection process, or both?  If the Saints are indeed thinking about life after Brees, Paxton Lynch could be an enticing option, despite the pick of Garrett Grayson in the third round a year ago.

At 6-foot-7, 244 pounds, Paxton Lynch possesses towering height with an athletic frame, giving him the ability to read the field over his blockers and making it easier to find the open man. It’s a luxury Saints quarterback Drew Brees (6’0) has had to live without, but that hasn’t stopped him from producing elite numbers year after year.

More from Saints News

Like Brees, Paxton Lynch is excellent in the pocket thanks to great awareness and footwork, which give him the ability to maneuver around and out of the pocket as a productive scrambler. Most importantly, he protects the football, tossing just four interceptions in 2015.  Great size and awareness to go along with leadership qualities and a strong arm make Lynch an intriguing prospect and potential franchise player.

Visits, workouts, and pro day scouting can be interpreted however you want, but the Saints have bigger holes to fill on both sides of the football. And for now, Drew Brees, who’s reportedly working on a multi-year extension (still up in the air) to stay in New Orleans and finish his career, is the man down on the bayou. Remember, the Saints will be meeting with numerous prospects in the approaching weeks — they can only draft six.

For the Saints, there are just too many other obligations at the moment. That’s no knock on Lynch — he’s an outstanding young quarterback. But bulking up on as much defensive talent, while adding a guard and maybe a receiver is the route New Orleans is expected to take.  Though, the No. 12 overall pick is certainly good trade bait for teams in need of a quarterback, especially with the Rams jumping ahead and likely taking one with the first pick.

Home/Saints News