The New Orleans Saints seem to be interested in LSU QB Jayden Daniels after meeting with him at the NFL Scouting Combine according to Ryan Fowler of the Bleacher Report. But the Heisman Trophy winner is definitely getting scouted by someone as he appears to also have meetings scheduled with the Patriots, Vikings, Giants, and Commanders.
Sources: LSU QB Jayden Daniels has formal meetings scheduled with the Giants, Vikings, Saints and Patriots this evening.
Daniels will also meet formally with the Washington Commanders on Wednesday.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) February 27, 2024
Everyone Should Want Jayden Daniels
Daniels’ 2023 college football season was a stellar performance that should have every team looking at him. With a phenomenal 3,812 passing yards that led to 40 touchdowns, he was also responsible for 1,134 rushing yards that led to 10 touchdowns of his own. Comparing him to Joe Burrow, the Heisman Trophy winner of 2019 from LSU, he had 412.2 total yards per game to Burrow’s 402.6. Also, he had a passing efficiency rating of 208.0 to Burrow’s 202.0, which is the best in FBS history.
However, CBS Sports doesn’t seem to think the Saints are even a good fit for the LSU QB. The football news source lists the Giants, Patriots, Raiders, Commanders, and Falcons as the top five best fits that will most likely pick him up before the Saints get a chance. Of course, the Saints are already committed to Derek Carr and they have Taysom Hill as a very powerful weapon to fall back on whenever they need him.
The Saints have had a problem with its quarterback position since Drew Brees left the team in 2021. When he was at the helm, it was often said that the Saints were the team to go through in the NFC South. His leaving left a huge gap that was going to be hard to fill.
Of course, Jameis Winston was already on the team and he’s a player who should be able to get the job done. But there is just something not working with him. So, the Saints have had to look in other places.
While Brees was still on the team, it seemed as if Taysom Hill was being groomed to take over. He made some dynamic plays and he was the man to call on when they needed a trick play. He made easy work of turning a yard or two into 15 or 20. So, why didn’t he take over the QB position?
As the power team of Sean Payton and Drew Brees faded into yesterday’s news, Dennis Allen stepped into Payton’s role but who would fill Brees’ shoes? The Saints have cycled through Trevor Siemian, Ian Book, and Andy Dalton but neither of them have worked out for very long until Derek Carr came along.
What Would Jayden Daniels Do For The Saints
While Jameis Winston is exploring his options as a free agent, the Saints have to look for their backup quarterback just in case. That’s not really the position that Jayden Daniels is trying to explore, but even Heisman Trophy winners have to start somewhere sometimes. In fact, Winston has his Heisman from 2013 displayed proudly on his mantel.
If the Saints were to somehow find a way to sign Daniels, Carr would have some heavy competition on his hands. If he can take the pressures of the NFL and deliver like he did in college, Daniels could be the next Drew Brees for the Saints and the fans would love to see that. Of course, there is still great faith in what Carr can do. So, a little healthy competition between a veteran quarterback and a rockstar fresh out of college might just be what the team needs.
If the Saints are serious about Daniels, they’ll have to trade up from their current #14 position in the draft order. But they’ve met with him on several occasions prior to the combine and that just might be telling us something.