2010 is a year – the year – that will go down in fame for the New Orleans Saints. Winning the Lombardi Trophy this time around (and without Drew Brees) may seem like an impossible task, and honestly, it really is. Nearly impossible, anyway.
2021 breeds unpredictability in New Orleans. Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston could both be big busts. Michael Thomas is running a one-man show out wide, and Alvin Kamara will have hordes of defensive linemen breathing down his neck. The Saints have more than a few faults and holes heading into the season, and their current roster depth poses more questions than answers.
Why not go after proven talent?
The obvious reason is the Saints financially can’t afford to. This offseason, they’ve already had to release Emmanuel Sanders, Sheldon Rankins, Kwon Alexander, and others to fix their salary cap situation, and they still have ongoing contract negotiations with the players they’re keener on keeping (Terron Armstead, for one).
But the trade targets on this list also have good reason to leave their current team, whether it’s player drama or coaching conflicts or just any ounce of bad blood in general.
If the Saints can find a way to bring these players onto the team, they will have all but secured another run to the championship.
Here are three trade targets who would dramatically increase the Saints’ Super Bowl chances.
Players who would make Saints Super Bowl-ready – No. 3: Zach Ertz
End the drama already, Philly.
Zach Ertz has made it clear he doesn’t want to be an Eagle anymore given multiple offseason reports, his personal trade request, and his absence from voluntary OTAs with the team. The feeling seems mutual since the Eagles already have his heir in Dallas Goedert and don’t want to spend $12.7 million in cap on a player who will be gone after this season (Ertz is a free agent in March of 2022).
Zach Ertz, understandably, wasn’t one of the #Eagles veterans to report today for the start of the voluntary Phase 2, a source said. He isn’t expected to report for the remainder of the offseason program or until his situation is resolved (read: he’s traded or released). https://t.co/ZxeVP5JzTD
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) May 17, 2021
It’s an easy-peasy cut or trade deal for Philly that could save them millions. So what’s the hold-up?
Money, as always. Philadelphia likely wants a better offer for their premier tight end and won’t let him go scot-free. Ertz remains one of the top ten tight ends in the league despite a statistical poor showing last season.
An ankle injury limited him to 11 games for the Eagles, but he still recorded 36 receptions, 335 yards, and a touchdown. In his three Pro Bowl seasons before 2020, he averaged 93 receptions, 968 yards, and seven touchdowns per year. Yeah, he could give ex-Saints man Jared Cook a run for his money.
At 30, Ertz is on the decline, and he won’t be as efficient as he was before his injury. Still, he’s a valuable pass target who’s got steady numbers (and hands) to back him up. Compared to Trautman and Vannett, who are better at blocking than catching, Ertz would be a welcome addition to a Saints offense that’s going to need dependable pass catchers to complement the newly initiated Hill or Winston.
The Saints aren’t as desperate to buy a new tight end as other teams are (Bills, Chargers), but the ones they have may become huge disappointments this season. Picking up Ertz would be a nice bow on top of their messy tight end issue and keep the Saints in the running for the Super Bowl.
Players who would make Saints Super Bowl-ready – No. 2: Xavien Howard
The Richard Sherman train left the station long ago, but another could be due. Jump on the Xavien Howard bandwagon, Saints fans. Or at the very least, entertain the idea. This blockbuster move could demolish the offseason.
Ever since losing Janoris Jenkins, the Saints have been on the prowl for a veteran cornerback to play alongside Marshon Lattimore. They thought they saw something in Sherman and Dre Kirkpatrick, but recent news of Xavien Howard’s potential market availability changes everything. If Howard ends up falling out with the Dolphins, New Orleans can be there to catch him and offer Miami the best trade package they can muster.
Howard’s five-year career on the Dolphins has elevated his stock as one of the best ball-hawks around. Over 56 NFL games, Howard has 22 interceptions, 55 passes defended, two forced fumbles, 191 combined tackles, and one touchdown. Last season, Howard’s 10 interceptions led the league and had many fans clamoring for the X-man to win Defensive Player of the Year.
This offseason, Howard joins veteran Patriot corner Stephon Gilmore in the “unhappy camper” group, as both have expressed discontent about their current contracts. The Saints can barely fit Howard’s $12 million dollar contract thanks to freed up cap space from Ryan Ramczyk’s new extension, but remember, Howard wants an entirely new contract along with a pay raise.
This is where New Orleans will have to get creative in restructuring deals with Howard and the Dolphins. It’s likely Miami will want at least a first-round pick in return, and the Saints need to ask themselves if this is really worth it.
For winning the Super Bowl in 2021? Absolutely.
A blistering corner duo of Lattimore and Howard would squash any deep threat offense, and on top of that, the Saints can groom rookie Paulson Adebo to replace the streaky Lattimore in 2022. A plan and a backup plan. You can’t ask for much else when it comes to positional depth.
With training camp quickly approaching, expect decisions to be made about Howard’s future with Miami. The Saints should be ready to pounce.
Players who would make Saints Super Bowl-ready – No.1: Michael Gallup
This list simply wouldn’t have been complete without a wide receiver.
Enter Michael No. 2.
Michael Gallup wasted no time breaking into the league on the Dallas Cowboys. As a rookie, he recorded 507 yards and two touchdowns on 33 catches, and the following year he exploded for twice as many yards, three times as many touchdowns, and twice as many catches. So what’s the “catch”?
Well, the Cowboys drafted Oklahoma wide receiver prospect CeeDee Lamb in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, which doesn’t bode well for their trust in Gallup. In fact, the addition ruined Gallup’s upward trajectory, or in modern lingo, “killed his vibe.” In 2020, Gallup saw a dip in his targets and ended the season with just 843 yards.
Looking ahead, the wideout trio of Amari Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb may end up being too costly for Dallas. Given Cooper’s star status and Lamb’s promising potential, Gallup will most likely be on the chopping block.
Gallup played third fiddle to Cooper and Lamb last season, but on the Saints, he would be indisputably No. 2, behind only Michael Thomas. The rest of New Orleans’ depleted receiving corps – Tre’Quan Smith, Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harris – don’t offer the safe hands and security that Gallup does. They had their chances. It’s time Gallup gets his.
The 25-year-old will be entering the final year of his rookie contract with a base salary of $2.4 million. He’s a low-risk, high-reward commodity and a dynamic deep threat with no injury history that could turn the Saints’ Super Bowl dreams into a reality. New Orleans just needs to invest in the right players at the right time, and it could all begin with Gallup.