The New Orleans Saints entered the NFL trade deadline in seller mode but may have missed an opportunity to bolster their defense. With a 1-7 record and glaring depth issues up front when Chase Young is off the field, New Orleans needed to explore low-cost options to strengthen its pass rush. Instead, another contender made the kind of smart, inexpensive move that could’ve fit perfectly into the Saints’ rebuilding strategy.
Cheap Defensive Trade Highlights New Orleans Saints’ Missed Deadline Move
With only one win to its name, it makes perfect sense for New Orleans to acquire more draft capital, but sometimes young players are available and could be valuable to a rebuilding team. Usually, the player could be traded for cheaper draft capital.
Trade! The Patriots are sending DE Keion White to the 49ers, per sources.
New England gets a 2026 6th-round pick for a 2026 7th-rounder and White, who had five sacks last season. pic.twitter.com/xdSFnyUJFw
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 28, 2025
One of these players in particular was EDGE Keion White, who, before today, played for the New England Patriots. The former second-round pick had five sacks last year, but with the new coaching staff in town, his role was significantly minimized.
The Saints should have been interested because of their pass rush issues, and maybe they were, but the San Francisco 49ers struck first.
Why the Saints Should Have Made the Trade
Throughout this season, there have been massive issues with the Saints’ pass rush, specifically when Young is not on the field. New Orleans had a clear issue getting pressure early in the season when Young was out with an injury, and when he returned, that issue was fixed. But when Young is off the field on certain plays, the issue returns.
Depth at the pass rusher must be addressed for the Saints’ future success. Trading for White could have been an answer to this issue, and for how cheap it was, New Orleans should have easily done it.
Going a step further, this trade also removed a potential trade partner for the Saints. EDGE Carl Granderson has been the subject of trade rumors so far this season, and the 49ers were one of the possible teams that were looking for pass-rush help.
They were desperate for help since star EDGE Nick Bosa went down with an injury that knocked him out for the year. Granderson could have been the perfect player to trade for, but now that San Francisco traded for White, they don’t need to make another move to improve their pass rush.
