One Player The Saints Could Move Before The NFL Trade Deadline

If the Saints are active before the trade deadline, here is one player who could logically move.

Detailed view of the New Orleans Saints helmets on the team bench / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

This year's NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November 5. At 2-6 and with little salary cap space, the New Orleans Saints are not going to be ''buyers'' on the trade market this season.

Nor will the Saints have a fire sale and gut the team, like some fans want, and some of the national media seems to hope. There is a chance that the Saints are involved in some activity before the deadline, albeit an extremely slim one.

There are still several valuable players on the roster, despite the team's performance. However, several of the veterans have contracts that make them nearly impossible to move.

Marshon Lattimore has been the tenured New Orleans player most often mentioned in trade scenarios. This is extremely unlikely to happen. Lattimore has had a strong season, one of the only consistent defensive standouts for this team, and is still among the top corners in the NFL.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) intercepts a pass against the Tennessee Titans / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Prior restructures to his contract would mean that Lattimore would still count for over $23 million in dead cap money for the Saints if traded. Unless New Orleans gets a first-round draft choice along with a later conditional pick in return, it's not likely that they'd be willing to take that cap hit.

Veterans like Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan have contracts similar to Lattimore because of prior restructured deals. Therefore, it seems highly improbable either of these beloved Saints are moved.

It feels just as unlikely that New Orleans moves on from any of their younger core. The Saints have not drafted really well in a few years. Arguably, they've not had a good draft since 2017. However, they've still netted at least a few pieces to rebuild the team.

Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Taliese Fuaga, Alontae Taylor, Bryan Bresee, and even Trevor Penning may not be elite. However, they are all good young players still on their rookie contracts and will be vital to building back to a consistent playoff contender. Carl Granderson and Pete Werner can also be included in that youthful group.

With all that said, there is one player that the Saints could dangle in a potential trade. He's also been the topic of several recent rumors.

Chase Young, DE

New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) lined up against the San Francisco 49ers / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Probably the biggest offseason signing for the Saints was Young, the second overall choice in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He's certainly flashed why he was drafted highly at different points in his career, but has never been able to sustain success.

As a rookie with Washington, Young had 7.5 sacks, 24 pressures, 10 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles. He played well enough to earn the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year award and his only Pro Bowl selection to date.

Injuries and inconsistent play limited him to only two sacks and three tackles for loss in 11 games over 2021 and 2022. Washington would ultimately trade Young to San Francisco midway through last season, but he had a good year with 7.5 sacks and 25 pressures between the two teams.

New Orleans inked Young to a one-year deal over the offseason. They were expecting that he'd inject some life into their disappointing pass rush, while Young was hoping a good year would set him up for a big money contract after the season.

Neck surgery delayed Young's start to training camp. It was just the latest in a series of different injuries that's caused him to miss time in his career. Once he got on the field, however, it was easy to see why the Saints were thinking he'd be a difference maker for the defense. He's also played in every game, appearing in 69% of the defensive snaps.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) rushes against the San Francisco 49ers / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Young has only two sacks for the Saints this season. That doesn't mean he hasn't had an impact or hasn't played well in spurts. He leads the team by a wide margin with 12 QB hits, with his 15 QB pressures trailing only Carl Granderson on the squad.

Young also played well against the run early in the year. He has four tackles for loss but has gotten consistent backfield penetration against the pass and run to affect plays, especially early on. Lately, along with the rest of his defensive teammates, Young has struggled to make much of an impact.

Throughout most of a six-game losing streak by New Orleans, a once formidable defense has been among the worst in the league. Young and the entire unit showed some signs of turning things around in last week's loss to the Chargers. They've still struggled to make plays though, especially in the biggest moments that could turn a game around.

Why Trading Chase Young Makes Sense

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles away from New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

At only 25 with an impressive combination of power and athleticism at 6'5" and 265-Lbs., Young is an attractive addition to any defense. The Saints themselves wouldn't be unwise to look into pursuing a long-term extension for Young. With Cam Jordan at 35 and draft failures like Marcus Davenport, Payton Turner, and Isaiah Foskey, a good complement to Carl Granderson is a big team need.

The reality is that New Orleans may not be able to meet Young's probable contract expectations after the season. With a strong finish to the year Young's production would closer match his potential, thus driving up the price tag to sign him.

With the Saints unlikely to be in the playoff chase down the stretch, dealing Young would make some sense. He'd basically be a rental for the rest of the season for another team, but would bring New Orleans much-needed draft capital to rebuild in several areas.

There are several teams who may be interested in trading for Young. At the top of the list is the Detroit Lions, who lost star DE Aiden Hutchinson for the rest of the year. Green Bay, Philadelphia, or even back to Washington might also be options among the NFC contenders.

Baltimore, Denver, or the Chargers may be AFC teams to watch if Young is available for trade. All are positioning themselves for a playoff push, and Young would be an attractive addition to any pash rush that would have to face Patrick Mahomes in a possible playoff game.

At the end of the day, it's highly possible that the Saints don't make a move at all by the end of the trade deadline. If they do, Chase Young is the most likely player to be on the move. His one-year contract doesn't affect the team in future dead cap money and he's still attractive enough to other teams to bring much-needed draft picks to the Saints in return.