New Orleans Saints Rumors: Paxton Lynch Becomes First-Round Target For Saints
New Orleans Saints rumors suddenly link the team to quarterback Paxton Lynch. These Saints rumors suggest that Lynch could become a first-round target of the team during the 2016 NFL Draft. A report from the Washington Post states that at one point the Saints were trying to make a trade with the Tennessee Titans for the first overall selection. That pick would have been used on a quarterback, likely dictating that the team is starting to make plans for what the franchise will look like after Drew Brees.
One problem for the Saints, is that there are now four or five franchises ahead of them in the NFL Draft order that need a quarterback. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the Los Angeles Rams plan to take quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick, and the Philadelphia Eagles plan to take quarterback Carson Wentz with the No. 2 pick. The other teams potentially interested in a quarterback are the Dallas Cowboys (No.4), the San Francisco 49ers (No. 7), and the Cleveland Browns (No. 8).
In a brand new mock draft from NFL.com, the experts have the Cowboys selecting running back Ezekiel Elliott, the 49ers selecting defensive end DeForest Buckner, and the Browns selecting defensive end Joey Bosa. That would leave Paxton Lynch still available at the No. 12 pick. Possibly putting some cold water on the recent New Orleans Saints rumors, NFL.com then has the franchise selecting Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins with that first-round pick.
There are a number of interesting predictions in this new NFL.com mock draft, beginning with UCLA outside linebacker Myles Jack slipping all the way to the Oakland Raiders at No. 14. Then the New York Jets are predicted to go with Paxton Lynch at the No. 20 pick. The Jets do need a quarterback, so it would make sense for the franchise to select Lynch if he is still on the draft board. Would the Saints really let him fall all the way to the Jets though?
The NFL Nation reporters on ESPN.com also conducted a mock draft, with the reporters for each team selecting the first-round picks they felt best fit those team’s needs. The Los Angeles Rams still got Jared Goff and the Philadelphia Eagles still selected Carson Wentz, but quite a few picks shifted after that point. Within this mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the San Francisco 49ers selected offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, and the Cleveland Browns selected running back Ezekiel Elliott.
So who did NFL Nation give to the New Orleans Saints? Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins became the No. 12 overall selection. Once again, Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch fell to the New York Jets, giving that franchise a new hope at quarterback for the 2016 NFL season and beyond. While this is another mock draft that doesn’t give Lynch to the Saints, it does point out that there is a growing chance he could still be on the board at No. 12. At that point, the Saints might not be able to pass on the shot at getting a young quarterback.
Now if the front office in New Orleans is intent on signing quarterback Drew Brees to a new long-term contract, then the team might have no interest in going after a quarterback in the first round. There are likely to be other options available in later rounds to use as a backup option on the roster, with Connor Cook from Michigan State, Christian Hackenberg from Penn State, Dak Prescott from Mississippi State, Vernon Adams from Oregon, Kevin Hogan from Stanford, and Cody Kessler from USC expected to be drafted as well. These fresh New Orleans Saints rumors should at least make things interesting until that No. 12 selection is made.
[Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images]
