Are the New Orleans Saints a logical trade partner for the Detroit Lions?

Do the Detroit Lions suddenly have a trade partner for the no. 2 overall pick?

The New Orleans Saints enter the chat.

Monday, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a considerably large exchange of draft capital for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft, plus choices in 2023 and 2024.

The first thing about this deal that jumps out at me is the timing.  We’re a few weeks away from the draft, and this deal seems like something the Saints would do as the Eagles are on the clock with the no. 16 overall pick.

For the Eagles, this is a no-brainer.

Philadelphia lands a plethora of draft capital over the next three drafts, and instead of possessing three first-round picks in 2022, they’ve not landed a pair of firsts in ’22 and in ’23 plus an additional second-round pick in ’24 plus a third-rounder in ’22.

I really don’t understand what the Saints have in mind making this move, but I assume they are hoping to pair the no. 16 and no. 19 picks to move up into the top ten.  If they don’t have any aspirations to move up again, they must like a pair of prospects and are banking on both being available when they are on the clock.

This scenario would be far too risky at this point of the game, and as I mentioned earlier, if this were the line of thinking from the Saints brass, they’d pull the trigger on this deal with the Eagles on the clock to assure they land ‘their’ guy.

I am struggling to comprehend this deal through the eyes of New Orleans.  That begs the question;

Are the New Orleans Saints angling to trade up in the NFL Draft, and would the Detroit Lions be a plausible partner?

Should Detroit Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes entertain trading the no. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to the New Orleans Saints?

This works only if the Saints have fallen in love with quarterback Malik Willis.  The Saints recently met with the Liberty product and knowing they will be starting Jameis Winston under center this upcoming season should be looking for a long-term answer at the position.

Here’s the return I feel the Detroit Lions would need for the no. 2 pick. It would take a plethora of draft capital for the Lions to even entertain the idea of trading back from no. 2 to no. 16 and no. 19.

The Detroit Lions would have an opportunity to land an abundance of draft capital BUT would miss out on either Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux.  The good news is, look at the boatload of picks coming back.

Using Draft Tek‘s 2022 NFL Trade Value Chart, the no. 2 overall pick is worth 717 points.  The four choices from New Orleans equal 739 points, so this proposal slightly favors the Lions.

Let’s not forget that the Lions already possess the no. 32 pick and no. 34 pick plus a pair of first-round picks next season.  Adding capital like this can shore up many issues throughout the roster.

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Would you accept this deal if you were Brad Holmes?