Saints need franchise changing quarterback

as the Detroit Lions, the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers odds clearly reflect that the oddsmakers believe that Aaron Rodgers is moving on from Green Bay in the offseason.

So, as the Saints visited with Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (a solid quarterback, but not a franchise changer), last week, here’s a stat to consider.

Six of the last nine Super Bowl championships belong to either Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes.

A game manager at quarterback can win a Super Bowl title, but Nick Foles, who was the starter for the Eagles late in their 2017 championship run, will be an exception rather than the rule.

So, what do the Saints do?

They are clearly a proud franchise, a franchise that won at a very high level for most of the 15 seasons of Drew Brees.

A total rebuild, a situation where the Saints had to get real bad, and then draft a franchise quarterback in the first round, is a total anathema to general manager Mickey Loomis.

And, head coach Dennis Allen, coming off a seven-win season, can’t likely afford another season like 2022.

The dips in the Saints win loss record their last 30 years sync up with the club’s ability or inability to have a talented veteran quarterback.

The year 1992 was the last season for Bobby Hebert in New Orleans.

When Hebert departed a year later for Atlanta, so did winning.

The Saints did not have a winning record till 2000.

That’s when, in the first minutes of unrestricted free agency, then general manager Randy Mueller agreed to terms with quarterback Jeff Blake.

The Saints were instantly better.

That summer, Mueller pulled off a trade for Green Bay quarterback Aaron Brooks for a modest price.

When Blake went down with injury, Brooks led the Saints to their first ever playoff win against the Rams.

The Saints still could draft a quarterback in the first or second round this spring.

In 2020, the Eagles picked Jalen Hurts in the second round.

Hurts blossomed this past year into an MVP candidate.

Last year, at this time, the Eagles were 40-1 choices to win Super Bowl XLVII.

So, the Saints could be only an answer at quarterback away.

If only it were that simple. BC