New Orleans Saints: Here’s why there’s no chance Joe Burrow is a Saint

The value of the picks hurt the Saints’ chances

The next note to that is the Saints’ success.

The Saints are winners. Barring tremendous disaster, this team will be a winner for years to come. Were the Saints to give away first-round draft picks to Cincinnati for maybe 2 more seasons, those picks are likely to only be 20 and lower.

Yes, that’s still two first-round picks if you’re Cincinnati. But why wouldn’t I take the same deal from Miami or Carolina whose picks will likely fall higher in the draft order?

So the reality is that the Saints would have to offer a ton to get that spot.

It would take several years’ worth of picks to be in the conversation. And to be honest, because this year’s pick is at 24, the Saints would only have two choices to make this work – pull a third team into the deal or deal players directly to Cincinnati.

Pulling a third team in doesn’t work because you’d still have to give players up, likely to both teams, to make this deal happen.

The players to deal would also be an issue. You can’t move that far up and simply give up solid role players; you’d have to move a star. Sign and trades aren’t as prevalent these days, particularly not in the NFL.

Brees likely would have a no-trade clause in any contract he signs. You can’t move Michael Thomas at this point not only because of his value to you but also due to his contract. And the Bengals have an A-grade receiver in A.J. Green, so there isn’t the same need for Thomas.