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Saints Taking A Look At Potential Long-Term QB Prospect

Originally posted on NFL Analysis Network
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated 3/30/23

The New Orleans Saints made a huge splash this offseason when they filled their quarterback void with the signing of Derek Carr. Carr will provide some stability at the position that they have been seeking since Drew Brees retired at the conclusion of the 2020 season.

New Orleans has used a combination of veterans since then, giving Jameis Winston the first shot before he got hurt in 2021. He got a chance to start in 2022 again but was replaced by Andy Dalton. With Dalton moving on, Winston is now the backup to Carr.

But, that isn’t going to deter the Saints from looking into some younger options. They are certainly hoping that Carr is their quarterback for a long time to come, but will certainly do their due diligence when it comes to prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Saints are one of the teams that will be hosting Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell for a private workout in the coming weeks. He already had one this week with the Dallas Cowboys, and has more workouts set up with the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears, in addition to Zoom meetings with 10 teams.

Purdue QB Aidan O’Connell has a private workout today with the #Cowboys, per source.

O’Connell also has private visits and workouts set up with the #Jets, #Raiders, #Saints, #Bengals, #Colts and #Bears, and has Zoomed with 10 other teams. Busy month for the Shrine Bowl standout.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 28, 2023

O’Connell had a very strong showing at the Shrine Bowl, which is likely what put him on the radar of so many teams. Currently projected to be a sixth-round pick, good private workouts could move him closer to the middle or earlier portion of Day 3.

Given his high football IQ, O’Connell has a great chance of developing into at the very least a strong backup at the next level. His arm strength isn’t elite and wanes when he is forced off of his spot, which also decreases his accuracy on throws.

But, for the teams who rely heavily on statistics collegiately in draft projections, O’Connell is a solid target. He is the only Purdue quarterback other than Brees to throw for 500+ yards multiple times in the same season and for his career completed 66.7 percent of his passes.

This article first appeared on NFL Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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