On the eve of the 2026 NFL Draft, multiple reports got here out asserting that the Saints were a team to watch for a possible draft day trade up. Sitting already at No. 8 overall, rumors appeared to indicate that Latest Orleans might be trying to move up so far as the third pick within the draft, but general manager Mickey Loomis set things straight for the media (video via NewOrleans.Football) the following day.
Fully aware of the reports that had been made, Loomis told reporters, “Yeah, I never made one call to maneuver up from pick 8.” After noting some surprise within the room, he continued, “I comprehend it was reported by a pair of individuals, but that was completely unfaithful.”
The surprise was partly attributable to the prevailing reports of such interest, however it also stemmed from Loomis’ history of memorable moves up draft boards in years past. Dating back to his first draft with the Saints in 2003, Loomis has negotiated moves up for players like Johnathan Sullivan, Jammal Brown (2005), Sedrick Ellis (2008), Mark Ingram (2011), Brandin Cooks (2014), Stephone Anthony (2015), Marcus Davenport (2018), and Chris Olave (2022). Loomis did admit that the team was trying to make moves up on Day 2 of this 12 months’s draft, but in regards to the first round, he told reporters that the associated fee to maneuver up would’ve been too high while knowing a player they really liked would fall to them at No. 8.
Listed here are just a few other draft rumors coming out of the NFC:
- The Buccaneers were considered big winners on Day 1 of the draft after walking away with Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. 15 picks into the primary round. They’d no clue that Bain would find yourself slipping just that far, but someway, in keeping with Greg Auman of FOX Sports, they were in a position to come away with a player that general manager Jason Licht told reporters was a top five player on their board.
- The Cowboys ended up making a trade up one spot — from pick 12 to 11 — with the intention to ensure no one would trade in front of them for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. In accordance with Jon Machota of The Athletic, in addition they attempted to make a move up to No. 9 overall in a deal that will’ve affected their second first-round pick, as well. Per Machota, Dallas offered Cleveland pick Nos. 12 and 20 for Cleveland’s pick Nos. 9 and 24 in addition to a fifth-round pick. The Browns weren’t interested. It’s unclear if Downs still would have been the goal had the deal undergone. Machota also notes that, if the Cowboys hadn’t been in a position to move back from twentieth to twenty third, they still would’ve taken UCF’s Malachi Lawrence. If Lawrence was passed by 23, though, then they’d’ve pivoted to Georgia linebacker CJ Allen, who ended up going to the Colts at No. 53.
- In 2025, there was a holdout of second-round picks as players pushed for guaranteed money that hadn’t made it past the primary round until only recently. There was — and still is — some anticipation about where that line might get drawn on this 12 months’s draft, but just a few team’s have hurried to attract the road at their very own third-round picks. Last 12 months, increased guarantees made it during the second round with Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba being the newest pick to receive any. Even the primary pick of the third round, Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander, received only his signing bonus as guaranteed money. Thus far, only 4 third-rounders have signed deals this 12 months, and Packers defensive tackle Chris McClellan is the earliest of the 4. His deal’s only guaranteed money is his signing bonus. With Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck standing at the highest of the third round, though, it’ll be interesting to see if there’s any form of push for guarantees to begin making their way back into the third round.