The New Orleans Saints are in a great position to acquire
The New Orleans Saints have plenty of potential to add playmakers on both sides of the ball to assist support their new and maintained strategies, especially with the arrival of a new offensive coordinator.
The New Orleans Saints may make some major adjustments to their offensive draft plan now that a new offensive coordinator is anticipated. The Saints are expected to hire Klint Kubiak, an offensive passing game specialist for the San Francisco 49ers, in the days that follow Super Bowl 58 this year. At that point, the offense’s long-term plan will begin to come together.
There have already been some advancements made in that direction. Doug Marrone, the offensive line coach for the Saints, was let go last week. This is a sensible decision because Kubiak is anticipated to deploy a wide zone scheme a la Kyle Shanahan. One that might not have matched Marrone’s strategy well enough. With running backs and wide receivers available for position coaching staff jobs, more such moves will be forthcoming.
However, this year’s draft contains maybe the most intriguing group of players that may be recruited to support Kubiak and the Saints’ new strategy. The team’s needs will be greatly impacted by free agency, but there is a chance that more players who match the system will be discovered throughout the hiring process.are in great supply. In light of this, our Mock Draft Monday delves deep to uncover those prospects while supporting the defense with an edge rusher plan that double dips and challenges prototypes.
Tuner, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 242 pounds, is not the average Saints edge rusher. But he’s also not too far away. However, his style makes him much more unique. Why then do you choose this option? Because New Orleans needs to utilize the value of an athletic, quick pass rusher badly.
The squad could use a reliable and outstanding presence of the same kind, as demonstrated by the recent accomplishments of linebackers Kaden Elliss and Zack Baun rushing off the edge. That’s Turner. The product of Tuscaloosa, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has three seasons of experience and has amassed 22.5 sacks and 32.5 tackles for a loss. He is a dangerous player. In this year’s draft, the Saints would undoubtedly gain by adding one.
Don’t worry, though; they won’t have to compete against their prototype for the entire seven rounds.
After this season’s Super Bowl, Kubiak is expected to join the Saints, therefore one question has been the most prevalent. “Who will have the role of wide receiver Deebo Samuel in the Saints’ revamped offense?” Corley might be the addition that the Saints need both now and down the road, even though they might rely on players like offensive weapon Taysom Hill out of the backfield and try to maximize the yards of catch threat offered by wideout and All-Pro returner Rashid Shaheed.
It remains to be seen if the Saints will modify the 49ers’ offensive scheme to the point where a guy akin to Samuel is even required. However, it appears as though your franchise will target a member of the Shanahan family. At the Senior Bowl this year, Corley, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 215 pounds, shares Samuel’s stocky physique. He also possesses the strength, deception, and athleticism required for the part.
Following his trip in Mobile, Corley’s stock is rising. He might find that this is a little too early. Despite the criticism, it was worth it to take him and his skill set early because New Orleans did not have any third or fourth round picks.
Kubiak should be accompanied by more investment in the zone run strategy. This implies that from the starting lineup all the way down the depth chart, the Saints must ensure that their offensive linemen are mobile and athletic. Foster might be either even though he was selected in the fifth round.
Considering the unanswered questions surrounding the offensive line of the Saints—a group that will likely have a new position coach in 2024—it makes sense to substantially invest in depth and starter competition. Foster tied for the highest zone run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus at the end of 2023. He finished with a 91.3, as did Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, a projected first-round pick.
If Kubiak brings the zone, Foster would be a great fit as a starter or backup.
A large-framed red zone threat is essential to any attack. Johnson can assist illuminate a scoreboard in this situation. Even so, his 6-foot-6 height and 257 pounds do not diminish his athleticism. His versatility combined with that of one of the league’s top tight end coaches, Clancy Barone, and an already diversified group of tight ends might result in a lot of promise.
In mock drafts, it’s generally frowned upon to select a player from the same school as an earlier pick. However, it’s not a bad idea to double dip into the Missouri draft class given the anticipated attention that will be paid to the zone run game. Schrader, who is 5-foot-8 and 207 pounds, is a compact but powerful running back. He benefits greatly from his ability to run through contact and go low. But what really stands out in the zone run game is his field vision.
He had the most zone rush attempts (2023) of any running back eligible for the draft in the country with 184. Getting outside of the tackles allowed him to accumulate 650 of his 1,627 rushing yards, while he racked up more than 1,300 yards after making contact.
Depending on how free agency plays out, New Orleans might be able to add another pass rusher. It makes even more sense to pick one that matches their mold after venturing outside of it beforehand. Jackson’s performance as a pass rusher at Washington State increased with each passing season. At the Senior Bowl, he also touched the scales at 6 feet 4 inches and 266 pounds. smack dab in the Saints prototype’s pocket, if a little short.
Although Cohen may not be as skilled at zone runs as Foster is, his athleticism is clear. The status of the relationship between the Saints and lineman Andrus Peat is unclear, thus the team may be searching for inside reinforcements. This late in the draft, having a player who can move well and still bring respectable size at least offers you a strong starting place. Cohen fulfills all requirements, and he had several standout performances at the Senior Bowl.
This selection is unrelated to Kubiak or how his arriving system would appear. The Saints seem to need to target quarterbacks frequently in the draft. Although late-round discoveries at signal caller are rapidly turning becoming the exception rather than the rule, clubs can still find promise in players like Brock Purdy.
Although he isn’t the best passer, Bradley had one of the better performances at the Senior Bowl this year. At 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, he is of NFL stature. He can pass at three levels with his arm and displays good accuracy and anticipation. In addition, he is the son of Gus Bradley, the current offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts and a longtime NFL coach. That’s additional
A box safety is needed in New Orleans. Marcus Maye, a former New York Jet who was given a contract in 2022, hasn’t exactly played like the Saints probably anticipated. Due to injuries, he has missed two seasons of play—one of which was already curtailed by a league suspension—and has been patchy when he has been well.
Even though Maye has made a few plays, the Saints appeared to play their most competitive and spirited games during the last two games of the season when veteran safety Jonathan Abram was on the field. Maybe this offseason, New Orleans looks to re-sign Abram and move on from Maye. In that case, a choice similar to Logan—who enjoys playing in the box and close