Why Saints’ Derek Carr deal means team should consider trading up in the draft

We know, we know. The only thing people dislike more nowadays than drafting a running back in the first round is the idea of trading up in the first round to select one. But if anyone is bonkers enough to do it, it’s Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. And if there was a running back worth trading up for, it’s Robinson.

Robinson won’t go in the top five of the NFL Draft like Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott, and there’s doubt he’ll even go in the top 10. Mock drafts generally have the former Longhorn running back going to Dallas (27th overall) or Buffalo (28th overall). If he does fall into the 20s, he’ll be the biggest steal of the first round.

New Orleans has the 29th overall pick after trading Sean Payton to Denver and the Saints could be in a spot to trade up for Robinson, the best player at a position the organization needs to address this offseason.

Saints running back Alvin Kamara plead not guilty on March 2 to battery charges stemming from an incident in Las Vegas in February 2022. A trial date is set for July 31 and Kamara could face a suspension from the league if found guilty.

New Orleans doesn’t have much depth behind Kamara. Mark Ingram likely played his last down as a Saint and the team also relied on backs including David Johnson and Eno Benjamin as stopgap options.

Robison has a similar skillset to the Saints’ do-it-all back, with the same penchant for sliding off would-be tacklers as well as potentially being an even stronger receiver.

Before Monday, the idea of a team trading up for Robinson felt ludicrous, no matter how good he is. It still is farfetched and perhaps not the best way for a team to use its draft capital.

New Orleans could keep the 29th pick and select the best available defensive lineman and go after a running back such as Tulane’s Tyjae Spears later in the draft. While not as versatile as Robinson, Spears is a promising talent in his own right and could provide great value in a later round.

But if Robinson falls, it will be hard for any team to resist the urge to at the very least broach the subject of trading up for him. Based on how the Saints deal their draft picks, no one would be likelier to pull the trigger on a trade than New Orleans.

Carr’s decision to sign with the black and gold gives the team renewed hope for next season. Instead of using the draft to select a project, the organization should be looking for guys who can have an immediate impact.

Pursuing a running back in a first-round trade goes against conventional wisdom, but when have the Saints ever operated like anyone else?