Shedeur Sanders has made headlines lately as he and Cam Ward have been tossed around for the past year as the potential first overall pick in the draft. Many analysts believe that Cam Ward is a lock for the Tennessee Titans, so the question shifts to how far Shedeur Sanders will fall and to whom.
Speaking on his nighttime sports talk show, “Nightcap” with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, NFL Legend Shannon Sharpe boldly claims where Shedeur may end up going based on recent events in the quarterback room of one particular NFL team.
Shedeur Sanders Would “Ideally Like To Go” to the Saints
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussed the potential path in the NFL Draft for the former Colorado QB, and Sharpe had an interesting take that piqued the interest of “Ochocinco.” That take being- the New Orleans Saints.
“I believe ideally he would like to go to New Orleans. I believe that’s where he would really like to go,” says Unc. Co-host Chad Johnson seemed taken aback at first by that thought but was a bit more convinced once Sharpe elaborated on this theory. “You look at the receiver core they got…Alvin Kamara’s still there…” Sharpe argues.
Unc has a point here. Chris Olave and Rasheed Shaheed make up the core of the receiver room, and Brandin Cooks is also back in town. Juwan Johnson and the versatile Taysom Hill are in the tight end positions, and Alvin Kamara is in the backfield. The weapons available to Sanders would undoubtedly assist in his adjustment from college to the NFL.
The other factor to consider here is that the Saints recently revealed that QB Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury, which may cause him to miss the 2025 season. Carr has two years left on his Saints contract, which he signed back in 2023 for $150 million over four years and was recently restructured last month.
MORE: Latest 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
The Saints were not necessarily looking for a quarterback in this draft, but the plans may change with Carr potentially out for the season.
Will the Saints March In for Sanders?
The New Orleans Saints struggled under center when Derek Carr missed seven games last season. Last year, rookie Spencer Rattler got most of the team’s starts filling in for Carr but went 0-6, while former 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener went 0-1.
Maybe the Saints were prepared to wait and sign a veteran backup as insurance, but Carr’s shoulder may have caused them to act earlier than anticipated for quarterback help.
Should the Saints pick Sanders as the ninth pick of the NFL Draft, the Saints would have to question whether Carr will stay in New Orleans for the final year of his deal. This scenario would depend on how Shedeur’s rookie year pans out.
If he exceeds expectations, should he end up wearing the fleur-de-lis, the Saints should consider keeping Carr as insurance. If Sanders could use a year on the bench, having him sit behind Carr would not be a bad idea. One thing is for sure: first-year Head Coach Kellen Moore has to make a significant decision early on in his Saints tenure that will impact the franchise’s future.