The New Orleans Saints are poised to make their selection with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With several gaps in their roster, the anticipation surrounding their choice is rife with uncertainty.
Notably, NFL draft insider Daniel Jeremiah recently unveiled his initial mock draft for the upcoming season, and the Saints’ pick has raised eyebrows.
He has the Saints taking a future replacement for Derek Carr in Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.
“I’m a big fan of Nix’s game. I think his experience as a five-year starter is a positive for him as he heads to the next level. He would be a plug-and-play starter in New Orleans. I’m not confident the Saints view Derek Carr as the answer.”
This selection might appear perplexing for New Orleans for several reasons. Firstly, head coach Dennis Allen finds himself on the hot seat as the new season approaches. Therefore, adding a player who may not see action in 2024 raises questions about the team’s immediate needs.
Furthermore, the Saints have a laundry list of positions that require reinforcement. They are in dire need of a promising offensive tackle to boost their line, and their pass rush is in desperate need of enhancement. Their performance in the trenches fell short of expectations in the previous season.
It’s essential to consider that the Saints may alleviate their cap situation by trading a veteran player, potentially opening up another significant gap on the team. Marshon Lattimore has been a subject of trade discussions due to a contract restructuring in January.
Given these circumstances, it doesn’t seem prudent for New Orleans to force a quarterback selection in the draft if it doesn’t align with their long-term franchise goals. Derek Carr is set to lead the team in the upcoming season, and his performance improved significantly in the latter half of the previous year. He cannot be singled out as the primary cause of many of the team’s losses.
Furthermore, there’s the possibility that Dennis Allen may be replaced as head coach after the 2024 season due to inconsistent results from the Saints. A new coach may prefer to handpick their quarterback rather than being tied to a choice made before their tenure. The future of quarterback Nix might not align with the vision of a new head coach.
Speaking of Nix, he is not considered a top-tier quarterback prospect in this draft class. Three other quarterbacks, namely Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels, are projected to be chosen ahead of him. While Nix demonstrated commendable processing abilities and arm talent in his final college season, his NFL profile reveals a fair share of inconsistencies. His arm strength is good but not exceptional, and his accuracy on intermediate and deep throws doesn’t match up to the top prospects in the draft. Nevertheless, he boasts good athleticism, mobility, and the prototypical size expected in the NFL. His poise improved in his fifth college season but isn’t considered game-changing.
A comparison by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein likens Nix to Tony Romo, which is a stylistic projection. However, it’s challenging to envision Nix reaching the same heights as Romo did in his career.
In summary, given the current circumstances and the quarterback landscape in the 2024 draft, selecting Nix in the first round does not appear to be the ideal choice for the New Orleans Saints.
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