New Orleans Saints would be foolish to not trade for Tyler Eifert
By Jason Reed
The New Orleans Saints do not need much via the trade market but with the possibility of adding Tyler Eifert, we might see the team make a move.
At 4-1 with their backup quarterback under center the last two weeks, the New Orleans Saints are the favorites to win it all in the NFC. There is a lot of football left to play until that even becomes a reality, but the Saints are looking good this season.
Being able to win football games, two of which against playoff teams from a year ago, shows that the New Orleans Saints have a deep and talented roster. The team does not really need any external help, and for that reason, might not be active at all at the NFL Trade Deadline.
However, some situations warrant doing business and the Saints have a potential opportunity to add someone to the offense that would undoubtedly have a positive impact, and for cheap as well.
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Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert is someone who the Saints reportedly have interest in and could end up in the black and gold before the end of the month.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported that the Saints and New England Patriots are two teams that are interested in acquiring Eifert. The Bengals will be fielding all offers this month as well as the team is 0-5 with no promising signs in sight.
If the reports are true and the New Orleans Saints are indeed interested in Eifert then there should be no reason why this deal is not done. Unless the Bengals are outright stingy or the Patriots offer more and overpay, Eifert not being in New Orleans would be a disappointment.
Yes, Eifert does have an injury past and that may steer some teams away. However, when he is healthy, he is a dangerous pass-catcher that would make this Saints offense even more dangerous.
New tight end Jared Cook has not been great thus far, although he has not been bad, in his short Saints career. Adding another tight end right after acquiring Cook might not seem logical, but it never hurts to add more weapons to Sean Payton‘s gameplan.
If Eifert cost a pretty penny then it would be one thing but he doesn’t. Eifert is on the last year of his contract and is only making $1 million this season, so it would not have cap repercussions for the team.
With the Saints only getting half a season of a tight end with injury history, the team probably, at most, has to give up a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft and a seventh-round pick in a future draft.
Again, that is at most. It would not be surprising to see the Saints get Eifert for just the fourth, or a pair of sixes, or whatever low draft picks the Bengals are willing to take.
I know that draft picks are valued higher in the NFL than in other leagues but the Saints can absolutely afford to send one fourth-round pick or two later picks for Eifert. That is not a bad price for a former Pro Bowl tight end that is a pass-catching threat.
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Preferably, the Saints could this done with a sixth-round pick in 2020 and a sixth-round pick in 2021. Regardless, the price will not be high and presents a great low-risk, high-reward acquisition for the team.