The New Orleans Saints are coming out of the first few weeks of free agency with a good idea of what they'll need to do in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
Wide receiver remains a big need, but cornerback couldn't hurt either. But a sneaky big need for the Saints beyond just 2026 would be the edge rusher room.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN proposed a trade idea that he deemed "realistic" in which the Saints send their first along with two other high picks to move up inside the top-three of the 2026 NFL Draft for a 14.5 sack edge rusher.
Saints trade idea lands No. 3 overall pick to take 14.5 sack edge
"Saints get: 1-3. Cardinals get: 1-8, 3-73, 2027 second-round pick," Barnwell writes. "The Jets might be open for business at No. 2, but a more realistic landing spot might be with the Cardinals at No. 3. ... but this could be a move up for Bailey."
David Bailey, the Texas Tech edge rusher who recorded 14.5 sacks this past season, along with 52 tackles and three forced fumbles, would be a great option for the Saints.
If he fell to the Saints at No. 8 overall, it would be a massive coup for the Saints. It's possible, but realistically, the Saints would need to swing a big move-up like this idea proposed by Barnwell to get Bailey.
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With Carl Granderson uncertain after 2026 thanks to no guarantees remaining on his contract, Cameron Jordan's status as a free agent, and the lack of depth outside of Chase Young, the edge rusher room needs some help.
Edge rusher is a big need for the Saints, and if Mickey Loomis wants to be aggressive in landing one of the best pass rushers to bolster the defense, this move-up could make a lot of sense.
Barnwell's idea is an aggressive one, but if the Saints could add Bailey alongside Young and Bryan Breese on the defensive line, the Saints' defense might not take as big a step back as they could without some major moves.
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