Saints are looking at impact wide receivers for 2022 draft

The New Orleans Saints need another wide receiver. This isn’t a hot take.

The Saints are currently banking on a returning Michael Thomas who hasn’t been healthy for two seasons, a third round pick in Tre’Quan Smith who has never lived up to expectations, an underwhelming UDFA in Marquez Callaway, and 5’6 Deonte Harty to fill out their receiving corps. New Orleans has seen the free agent market continue to dwindle with the likes of Allen Robinson, Christian Kirk, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jamison Crowder, and Juju Smith-Schuster all finding new homes. The trade market has similarly done the Saints few favors with players like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, DeVante Parker, and Robert Woods all landing elsewhere.

Aside from the second tier of free agents whose most productive years are behind them like Julio Jones, Odell Beckham Jr., and Jarvis Landry, the Saints now must turn to the 2022 NFL Draft to potentially address the need. And by all accounts, the Saints have recognized this issue and are looking to address the problem in the first round.

Both Williams and Burks are projected to be first round picks, so for the Saints to be checking in on both means it is clear that New Orleans is willing to spend a first round pick on an elite receiver if one is available. After a recent blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Saints now have picks 16 and 19 in the first round, meaning the Saints are almost guaranteed to grab at least one wide receiver with one of their first two picks.

Whether the Saints grab a wide receiver and a quarterback or a wide receiver and a tackle remains to be seen, but assuming the Saints don’t trade up again to grab a player like Liberty QB Malik Willis, it is essentially a lock at this point that the Saints end with a wide receiver like Williams, Burks, or Chris Olave with the 16th overall pick.