5 teams who could trade for and get Sam Darnold on the right track

3. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are all-in on 2020, in what may be Drew Brees’ last season with a broadcasting job waiting for him. The idea of Taysom Hill as Brees’ successor is flimsy at best. This year’s No. 2 quarterback Jameis Winston may move on in free agency next offseason, or he could be brought back as seemingly more of a stopgap than a long-term solution.

All of his professed confidence in Hill’s development aside, head coach Sean Payton is surely keenly aware of the need for a better plan to succeed Brees. When Brees calls it a career, it’ll be another Tom Brady-Bill Belichick “who gets the most credit for the long run of success?” situation in New Orleans.

Upon signing with the Saints, Winston reportedly turned down a more lucrative offer elsewhere to get what he called a “Harvard education” from Brees, Payton and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. Even if Brees is gone by Week 1 next year, Darnold could get the same high-level education and tutelage under Payton and Carmichael in a lower-pressure backup role.

Taking Darnold in and cultivating him into a good quarterback would prove Payton’s mettle as an offensive mind without Brees.