Three position groups Saints must address in 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is on the horizon, and it's a big one for the New Orleans Saints. Here are the top three position groups the Saints have to try to upgrade.

The 2023 NFL Draft is a big one for the New Orleans Saints. If they can hit on this draft, and not even to 2017 levels, they can really separate themselves in a weak NFC, as one of the few contenders. It's a long shot, but hey, such is life in the NFL.

So how can they potentially accomplish this? Well, there's main big position groups the Saints should put their emphasis on in their war room. It's due to a mixture of both need, and to the fact that an argument can be made that these three positions should be drafted every year. So without further ado, let's get into it, starting with the most crucial.

Saints position group number one: Offensive and Defensive Line

Perhaps we're cheating a little bit by putting the offensive and defensive line in one group. The thing is though, they are both equally as crucial, if not the MOST crucial in the entire NFL, and they both live their lives in the trenches, just on opposite sides of the ball. After all, it's where games are won and lost, in all levels of football.

On the defensive side, the Saints were essentially gutted by free agency, despite being able to add a piece here and there while re-signing a couple of their own.

As for the offense, the future of essentially the entire interior of the offensive line almost has a cloud over it, and it would be very wise for the Saints to retool and reload for both the present and the future. The Saints should absolutely use their first-round pick to address the trenches, if not more than that.

Saints position group number two: Running Back

We know what you're thinking, and we agree. You should never draft a running back... in the first round. We certainly are not suggesting the Saints draft one that high, because they shouldn't, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't draft one at all.

Jamaal Williams was a fantastic signing, as the Saints have always been great at utilizing the change-of-pace/power runner to compliment Alvin Kamara. Therein lies the problem though.

We don't know what the future of Kamara holds as it pertains to both life, and football. If he never plays another down for the Saints it wouldn't be that much of a shock. Even if he does, the Saints still need some form of insurance at the position.

The shelf-life of an NFL running back is microscopic, and Williams is no spring chicken age-wise. Yes, he's only 28, but that's basically 38 in NFL years. The Saints would be wise to sure-up their backfield a bit more, at it can only help Derek Carr. Speaking of...

Saints position group number three: Quarterback

It's the hope of both the Saints franchise and their fans that Carr is the quarterack of both the present, and near future. That doesn't mean you can't still address the quarterback room either.

Yes, it's a room that has Carr, a returning Jameis Winston, and whatever we're calling Taysom Hill this year, but there's room for youth. The Saints rarely ever draft a quarterback to bring in-house with the goal of molding and developing.

There should be plenty of options in the later rounds to do this, and the Saints should be doing their homework. Drafting a quarterback in the middle of the draft or late is a low-risk/high-reward option that all teams should always explore, not just the Saints.

The 2023 NFL Draft is so close we can almost smell it. If the New Orleans Saints address these three position groups, and do it well, then the 2023 NFL season may start to smell a bit like Gumbo.