There's a long way still to go in the 2023 season, but the reality for the Saints after Week 13: If the season ended today, they'd land the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft.
There are a lot of negatives to draw from that in terms of performance and results, but it would potentially land the Saints in an area where they could land a young, potential franchise quarterback. That's where Pro Football Focus has the Saints going in their latest mock, with the selection being LSU star and dual-threat machine Jayden Daniels.
"The Saints are still just one game back from the NFC South lead and hosting a playoff game, but they are far too inconsistent (and far too frustrating) to feel confident about them beyond this season. They need a complete and total reset, and that means picking a quarterback," reads the PFF breakdown.
A quarterback pick would be a popular move among a fanbase that has been vocal about its frustrating regarding the current direction of the team. That was made clear in a Week 13 loss to the Lions, with loud cheers when Taysom Hill would come back onto the field for QB reps, followed by loud boos when Derek Carr re-entered. The boos dissipated as Carr completed 16 of his final 17 passes for 220 yard and a touchdown before leaving with an injury in what was ultimately a failed comeback and 33-28 loss. Still, the sentiment was made clear.
With Daniels, the Saints would be adding as elite a dual-threat option as you'll see, with the Tigers star putting on a Heisman-caliber campaign this past season and being among the highest risers in terms of draft stock of any player this season. His stats were ballooned by the fact that he was often trying to keep pace with a flailing Tigers defense, but are nonetheless eye-popping with a 72.3% completion rate, 3,812 passing yards and 40 passing TDs against just four interceptions, but he also added 1,134 yards and another 10 touchdowns on the ground.
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Daniels was named a Heisman finalist this week and is the current betting favorite to win the award. Such a pick would also mark the first time since 2018 (Will Clapp, No. 245 overall) that the Saints drafted an LSU player, and the first time ever the Saints picked a former Tiger in the first round. The current highest draft selection of an LSU player by the Saints came with Dalton Hilliard in 1986 at No. 31 overall. The Saints also selected WR Devery Henderson out of LSU at No. 50 overall in 2012.
Whether it's Daniels or any other first-round quarterback drafted by the Saints, it'd be a landmark decision. New Orleans hasn't selected a quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft since Archie Manning in 1971, the longest stretch of any NFL team. This also happens to be a draft class with several intriguing options, considering even at No. 9, that's projecting Daniels as the third passer off the board behind USC's Caleb Williams (No. 1) and UNC's Drake Maye (No. 2). Oregon's Bo Nix (No. 21) is also a projected first-rounder in this mock.
In the end the biggest roadblock between the Saints and one of the top QBs could be themselves, with five games remaining and all of them against teams with losing records. The Saints currently sit with the No. 9 pick, but picks 5-17 are currently spread between teams with records spanning between 4-8 and 6-6. The Saints sit right in the middle at 5-7, along with the Bucs, Raiders and Chargers.
A QB for the Saints would also be a bit of a sea change for a team that made a splash signing of Carr to a 4-year, $150 million contract this past offseason. While likely tied to the veteran QB for at least one more season, that could present a favorable scenario in terms of developing a young, top-end quarterback without a need to start right away, though that can be an awkward scenario to sell to a veteran QB who would likely prefer that investment to be made at a position that could help the team right away. That strategy has been executed in recent years by the Chiefs, who drafted Pat Mahomes while still planning to start Alex Smith, and the Packers with Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers.
In the end the Saints' options in the draft will come down to how they fare over the final five games of the season, with that stretch beginning at the Caesars Superdome in Week 14 against the 1-11 Panthers, the team that currently holds the top pick, but one that will be shipped to the Bears regardless of where it lands as a product of the trade up to select QB Bryce Young at No. 1 overall in last year's draft.