'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/2gAIAQEAAAAAiL//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAABf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAB//xAAgEAABAwQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEAAUREiElYXGB/9oACAEBAAE/AJbF4fuIs4mW16GzFTIdXJjboOSlI4xtngUpVq2PXoPlsgJ+Apzj3X//xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhP/2gAIAQIBAT8Aux//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAEDAQE/AH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Now that the New Orleans Saints know Drew Brees will not be their signal-caller come autumn, the busy off-season of quarterback-speculation can finally get underway.
Taysom Hill penned a new deal just a day back, meaning the versatile Brigham Young University star looks set to continue his role as QB2/Joker/erm...FB(?) in the future (who cares!? He's great!).
Meanwhile, former Buccaneer, Jameis Winston, who spent last season on the New Orleans Saints roster as the QB3 option, has also signed a new contract, which ties him down for the team's 2021 assault on the division.
At this point, you might be thinking, well, that's that then: Winston is the new QB1; Taysom is the new QB2, and the Saints will probably draft the QB3 next month, right?
Be the GM of your favorite team, use our free Mock Draft Simulator with trades
Well, quite probably, that's right, yes. However, the mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, has already rolled out the red carpet for Wilson...
The WhoDat nation likes the idea of Big Russ operating under center: Wilson operating in a Sean Payton-led offense next to Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, I mean, what's not to like about that?
Moreover, Russell Wilson named the New Orleans Saints as one of four teams he'd like to be allowed to talk to should they want to do business on trade.
Three trade packages New Orleans Saints could offer for Russell Wilson:
There's at least a slim chance of it happening, right? Don't get me wrong, Russell Wilson to New Orleans Saints would be almost unprecedented and extremely unlikely. But maybe there's a chance of that happening if only the New Orleans Saints can dream up the right kind of trade for Pete Carrol's team.
On that note, let's take a look at three mindblowing trades the New Orleans Saints could potentially fling together to pry Wilson away from Seattle.
Trade 1: 2021 First Round Pick, 2022 Second Round Pick, plus CB Marshon Lattimore and QB Jameis Winston
Recent reports suggest that the New Orleans Saints could look to offer contract extensions to Marshon Lattimore and Ryan Ramczyk the moment they have the money available to do so.
Nevertheless, the New Orleans Saints are flirting dangerously close to the edge of their salary cap; they are having to rework several contracts and have already released several top talents to free agency during the off-season.
There's a chance that, regardless of Russell Wilson's future, the New Orleans Saints may not have the money to keep both Ramcyzk and Lattimore on the books.
Lattimore, for instance, stands to earn $11 million in 2021, which is money that the New Orleans Saints don't have right now and money they certainly cannot afford to spare with Wilson (+$30 million per year) on the roster, too, not without letting another star go.
So this trade makes some financial sense for the New Orleans Saints in the grand scheme of things, as it would free up some $11 million to put towards Wilson's wages.
It also makes sense for the Seahawks on some levels: the Seahawks cornerbacks were nothing to write home about last season; Lattimore would be an upgrade. Moreover, they'll get an experienced QB,capable of putting up big numbers, and some decent picks at the draft too.
Not convinced? Okay, how about...
Trade 2: 2021 Second-Round Pick; 2022 First-Round Pick, and Second-Round Pick, plus OT Ryan Ramczyk and QB Jameis Winston
The sweet irony of the Seahawks' offensive line being massively upgraded and the New Orleans Saints' immensely weakened in this trade is not lost on me (Wilson's main source of discontent in Seattle being the OL and the amount of hits he's taking). But Ryan Ramczyk is a player that could work in a trade.
Like Lattimore above, Ramczyk earns big money in New Orleans and is coming to the end of his contract. The OT stands to make north of $11 million in 2021 and will expect similar figures if he resigns on the dotted line for Sean Payton's team this year.
Again, the New Orleans Saints probably can't afford to have Wilson and Ramczyk on the books without letting another star player leave.
In the last year of his contract, Ramcyzk is in the driver's seat with regards to his next deal; so financially, it makes sense to use arguably the NFL's best right-tackle as a pawn in any Wilson trade.
The Seahawks would significantly improve their OL in front of their mercurial new QB, Winston and the Saints could then use their retained 2021 first-round pick to draft Ramczyk's replacement.
Still not good enough?
Okay, how about...
Trade 3: 2021 Second-Round pick and Third-Round pick; 2022 First-round pick, plus RB Alvin Kamara and QB Jameis Winston
Alvin Kamara was the NFL's best dual threat coming out of the backfield in 2020. The New Orleans Saints back amassed 1,688 yards from scrimmage and casually chipped in with 21 TDs to boot too.
Kamara signed a new dear 4-year deal to stay at the New Orleans Saints just 12 months ago. In 2021, this deal is just a $5 million cap hit for the New Orleans Saints, but from 2022 onwards, that figure will rise steeply from $14.5 million up to $25 million in 2025.
Again, as much as the fans love him, there is a chance that New Orleans Saints won't be able to afford Kamara on that kind of money. And, as we all know, running backs in the NFL -- no matter how good they are -- tend to be expendable (much to my annoyance).
The Seahawks would get a genuine world-beater in the backfield in Kamara, a gunslinger at QB capable of success in a Pete Carrol-driven offense, and the draft picks to help them strengthen the roster.
As for the Saints, by retaining their number 28 draft pick, they could look to bring in one of Najee Harris or Travis Etienne at the 2021 NFL Draft.
Etienne would be my shout. The Clemson University product amassed +3,500 yards from scrimmage in his final two seasons of college football and is a genuine dual threat in the backfield, much in the Alvin Kamara mold.
That's the best I can do, Seahawks fans. What do you think? What kind of deal could the Saints offer to persuade you to let Russell Wilson go? Sound off in the comments section below:
