The New Orleans Saints are going to have a different starting quarterback entering the 2021 season for the first time in a long time. Longstanding future Hall of Fame quarterback, Drew Brees, is widely expected to retire and the Saints will need to fill that vacancy.
With how well the Saints performed this year, they are picking in the bottom portion of the draft, so they will be out of reach for the truly elite quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence out of Clemson, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, and former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson will likely be off the board well before New Orleans is on the clock.
That is why the Saints should be targeting Alabama’s Mac Jones heavily before the draft.
Jones is not considered to be in the same field as the three quarterbacks mentioned, but that does not mean he doesn’t have the talent to make it in the NFL. There are two options that the Saints could pursue when looking at their future.
One is to re-sign Jameis Winston or a different veteran on a one-year deal with the expectation that they lead the team and then move over when Jones is ready. The other option is to go all-in on Jones from day one and have him be the leader of the team.
Mac Jones could step in from day one and be effective for the Saints. Jones is an accurate passer that rarely makes the wrong decision. That is perfect for a team that has the pieces in place to win now.
If they can get a quarterback who just finds ways to win games, they will be in a great position. Between Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara, Jones would have plenty of weapons to be able to use.
If Jones is available, the Saints should consider trading up to make sure that their future is protected. A stop-gap performance from Winston is not the long-term answer, and would hurt their chances of winning a Super Bowl because he is more likely to lose a game than Jones.
Jones may not make the difference in as many games as Winston, but the Saints can win now. All they need is a facilitator to get the job done, which is exactly the kind of player that Mac Jones will be.
