Two weeks ago the New Orleans Saints (5-8) were on the verge securing a top 10 pick (8th) in the 2017 NFL Draft. They turned around an 0-3 start to winning four of their next five, finding themselves 4-4 at the halfway mark of 2016 season. Then the bottom fell out, losing four of the next five games and in terms of the postseason, while not officially eliminated until Washington won in Week 16, for all intents and purposes, the season was over.
So what do the Saints do? Instead of seeing if Garrett Grayson has any potential, and locking up, what could’ve been as high as the 7th pick in the draft, the Saints (7-8) win two in a row and as of the Monday morning after Christmas, have the 14th pick. Yippee.
The Saints are stuck in muck of mediocrity of not being good enough to make the playoffs, but due to a future Hall of Fame quarterback, not bad enough for a high draft pick to have an immediate impact. I’ll be the first to admit, the draft is more crapshoot than science, but I’m willing to sacrifice short terms losses for potential long term wins with a higher pick.
Since they have reeled off a pair of wins, they mind as well go into the off-season on a high note of winning three straight and knock off Atlanta to wrap up the season. The Falcons will be playing for a 1st Round bye and probably won’t be sitting any starters, so it won’t be easy.
Of course the Saints will be thrilled with a strong finish, with talk of taking that momentum into the 2017 season. Meanwhile, I’ll have a knot in my stomach come the end of April. Knowing full well, the three wins at the end of the season didn’t mean ‘jack squat’ except losing draft position. Keep that in mind when Commissioner Roger Goddell steps to the podium and announces ‘With the 18th pick in the draft, the New Orleans Saints select…’