4 trade targets for the Saints ahead of NFL roster cuts
It'll be tough for the New Orleans Saints to tackle their biggest vulnerabilities at NFL roster cuts when other teams are letting players go, but there are opportunities to find upgrades and improve some deficiencies. Finding a starting right tackle is unlikely. That's not to say they can't get better at running back, wide receiver, or safety, or double down somewhere else.
And the Saints will be picking fourteenth in waiver priority, which isn't ideal. Almost half the league will get a chance to add new players before them. One way to circumvent that is to make a last-minute trade. We've seen the Saints do this before, both dealing their own players and acquiring new ones at the roster cuts deadline, so here are four names that stand out with trade rumors swirling:
RB Samaje Perine
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that "a number of trade conversations" are centering on Perine. He's is a reliable do-it-all running back with experience on passing downs, though he doesn't have the game-breaking speed you'd like to see the Saints add at the position. He's had success in similar offenses to the one Klint Kubiak has installed, though, and he's probably a better option to round out the depth chart than someone like Jordan Mims or James Robinson. One interesting note? He led the league in passing targets during two-minute drills last season, suggesting he's earned a lot of trust in clutch situations.
WR Tim Patrick
9NEWS Denver's Mike Klis reports that the Broncos "are currently exploring trade possibilities for Patrick," a fan-favorite wideout who has missed the last two years with injuries. But he was one of the NFL's more-underrated receivers before getting banged up. Patrick posted back-to-back seasons with 50-plus catches and 700-plus receiving yards in 2020 and 2021, totaling 11 touchdown receptions during that span. He could bring some much-needed experience and playmaking ability to New Orleans.
Lewis Cine
This could be a good buy-low opportunity for a talented athlete who has been dealt a bad hand with injuries. Jordan Howden had some rough moments this summer and neither Johnathan Abram nor Will Harris have been able to hold down a starting job in the NFL before. The Saints could do worse than bringing Cine in for a look at the cost of a late-round draft pick.
John Metchie III
Metchie is buried on Houston's depth chart and he could be a better option for the Saints than someone like Equanimeous St. Brown or Bub Means. He would've been drafted much higher had he not been dealing with a knee injury at the time, and a leukemia diagnosis cost him his rookie year. Now he's a good player stuck in a loaded position group.
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This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 4 trade targets for the Saints ahead of NFL roster cuts
