The New Orleans Saints will keep Derek Carr for the 2025 season, but a recent report suggests the team plans on selecting a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft. New Orleans has been effectively streaming the quarterback position since Drew Brees called it a career following the 2020 season. Continuously restructuring deals, the team has been unable to reach the postseason with guys like Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Carr leading the offense. With first-year head coach Kellen Moore running the team, the organization could look for a new face of the franchise.
Or at least, that’s what NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport believes. During a recent appearance on NFL Network, the league insider said the Saints could select a quarterback early in the draft. While this is anything but official, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as Carr’s recent contract restructure heavily suggests he won’t return in 2026. However, who will they select, and will they need to trade up to land their potential franchise savior?
Rapoport: Saints Draft Plans Could Include An Early Quarterback
The New Orleans Saints may be considering a quarterback in the NFL Draft but plans change as we get closer and closer to the big day. This is a weak quarterback class, especially since Miami’s Cam Ward will likely go to the Tennessee Titans with the first-overall pick. This leaves New Orleans fighting with teams like the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and New York Jets for Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart. Sanders’ draft stock was reportedly slipping, but he may have saved himself with a strong performance at his Pro Day. Maybe he won’t be a top-three pick, but he should go off the board early.
Dart, meanwhile, could make it to the ninth overall selection. The quarterback put up remarkable numbers at Ole Miss and has decent enough traits that could lead to NFL success. However, Ole Miss had one of the most quarterback-friendly schemes in football, and he’d likely need some time on the bench to develop into an NFL-caliber passer. This could make him a perfect fit for New Orleans, as Derek Carr can start in 2025 before handing the reigns over to Dart in 2026.
Possible Trade Up?
As mentioned above, the Saints probably won’t need to trade up for Jaxson Dart. However, if their eyes are set on Sanders, they might need to make an aggressive move. General Manager Mickey Loomis has never shied away from aggressive decisions, but it takes two to tango. It’s safe to assume the Browns and Giants would never trade back, as doing so would erase their chances of getting a franchise quarterback or an elite prospect in Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. This leaves the New England Patriots as the most likely trade partner.
Assuming the Browns and Giants select Carter and Hunter, New England will have no clear choice for the fourth-overall pick. The next tier of prospects is mostly interchangeable, and New England should be willing to trade back and accumulate draft picks for their flawed roster. With Drake Maye looking like the future, New England and the Saints could strike a deal for the fourth-overall pick. This would give the Patriots the ninth-overall selection, where one of Will Campbell, Tet McMillian, or Armand Membou will likely still be on the board.
