The New Orleans Saints were able to pull off a huge home win against the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Unfortunately for them, it came at a rather major cost. Starting quarterback Jameis Winston exited the game with a knee injury early in the second quarter and didn’t return.
After the game, Saints head coach Sean Payton told reporters that the injury was significant and potentially season-ending. Talk about a downer in New Orleans after a strong performance on the field.
With Taysom Hill sidelined by a concussion, veteran journeyman Trevor Siemian replaced Winston under center. He played pretty well, completing 16-of-29 passes for 159 yards with a touchdown and zero interceptions. In no way does this mean Siemian is even a stopgap option for the 5-2 Saints.
Meanwhile, rookie mid-round pick Ian Book is not anywhere near ready to see regular-season action. With this in mind, we look at three quarterback options for the Saints heading into Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Saints sign Cam Newton
Payton got a first-hand view of this former NFL MVP when Cam Newton starred with the division-rival Carolina Panthers from 2011-19. With Newton now a free agent, there’s a chance that New Orleans sees if he has anything left in the tank.
The idea here would be for New Orleans to bring Newton in off the street to be a backup behind Hill should further tests conclude Winston is indeed out for the season. Last year with the New England Patriots, Newton recorded 20 total touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 15 starts.
Saints trade for Tua Tagovailoa
If Miami does end up trading for Houston Texans star Deshaun Watson before the deadline Tuesday afternoon, this 2020 top-five pick will end up being on the trade block. It’s been making headlines on a never-ending loop in South Beach.
For New Orleans, making a move for Tua Tagovailoa would have both short-term and long-term ramifications. He seemingly fits Payton’s offensive system to a T and could come in to be New Orleans starter out of the gate. A deal of this ilk would likely require the Saints to give up an early-round pick and a player.
Saints trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
In terms of a potential trade to get a short-term fix, Garoppolo might make the most sense for New Orleans. He could be had for a mid-round pick should San Francisco finally make the decision that rookie Trey Lance is ready to start.
Despite his limitations, Garoppolo would offer the Saints a serviceable stopgap option. He’s also coming off a strong performance in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears, completing 17-of-28 passes for 322 yards with two rushing touchdowns. Seemingly 100% healthy after an injury earlier this season, the veteran would enable New Orleans’ offense to not miss a beat.
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