The New Orleans Saints traded their first round pick in the 2023 NFL draft to the Philadelphia Eagles last April, and now we know where that pick is slotted. New Orleans locked in the tenth overall pick after their Week 18 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the same day that the Eagles secured the top NFC playoff seed, homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and a first-round bye.
Hey, it could have been worse. The Saints were projected to be in the top four or five selections for much of the season. But this is still a disappointment. New Orleans made that trade in the first place with the assumption that they’d be in the playoffs, with the pick going to Philadelphia in the 20’s. So at least it isn’t any more valuable than this.
Anyway. The Saints still own their second- and third-round picks in 2023, which should clock in at around Nos. 41 and 73 overall, but we’ll know for sure once the NFL finalizes its draft order in the weeks ahead. They’re banking on getting a first rounder (and then some) back in exchange for Sean Payton’s services once he’s found a new team, which would do a lot to help them reload.