Gumbo
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- Mar 19, 2019
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The Saints didn’t have a first-round pick last week, the result of last year’s trade up to get pass-rusher Marcus Davenport.
That didn’t deter them, however, as they continued their trend of being willing to move up in the order.
According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, the Saints have traded up 17 times in the last 13 drafts, including nine deals that involved picks in future annual selection meetings. In that time, they have traded down exactly zero times.
“Well, it’s calculated, right? So when you have the opportunity to go get somebody, to go get a player that you covet, you go get ’em,” Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis said. “I’m not saying it’s 100 percent, but it’s a successful formula for us — and I think for other teams.
“If you like the player, go get ’em. That’s our philosophy.”
This year, they did it with second-round center Erik McCoy (giving up their 2020 second-rounder as part of the package) and fourth-round safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (just their fifth-rounder to move up 11 spots in the fourth).
It’s easy to justify the strategy based on the Alvin Kamara deal alone (giving up their 2018 second-rounder and a seventh to move into the third). But they’ve found value there, and combined with a stable roster (which doesn’t need bulk) and good results (meaning they’re usually picking late in each round), it’s something they’re clearly not shy about.