The New Orleans Saints invested a third-round pick into Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson last year. Grayson, who enjoyed an impressive two-year run as a starter in college, was considered more of a long-term developmental project as New Orleans' No. 3 QB behind Drew Brees and Luke McCown (re-signed in free agency last month). Still, it was believed that the Saints were set under center with the trio.
That no longer may be the case.
New Orleans is reportedly meeting with several quarterbacks in advance of this month's 2016 NFL Draft. The team already met with Memphis passer Paxton Lynch on Wednesday for lunch and is planning meetings with Michigan State's Connor Cook and Indiana's Nate Sudfeld for the coming weeks.
Lynch is a guy who very well could be available when New Orleans is on the clock at No. 12 overall. He is considered the third-best QB prospect in this draft behind North Dakota State's Carson Wentz and Cal's Jared Goff, both of whom are expected to be selected within the first five or ten picks. Cook is projected to be taken off the board somewhere between Rounds 2-4 while Sudfeld is expected to last until Rounds 5-7.
Lynch may be the most unrealistic option of those three prospects. Though he will likely be available when the Saints pick first, the team's glaring defensive needs may take precedent in the first-round. New Orleans finished the 2015 allowing the second-most yards per game (413.8) and the most points per game (29.8) in the NFL. The same may apply to Cook if the Saints catch wind that he's being targeted in the second-round. But Sudfield remains a late round prospect who could find his way to New Orleans' practice squad if given the chance. He completed 60 percent of his passes last year while throwing for 3,573 yards with 27 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. In 38 career games at Indiana, Sudfeld threw just 20 total picks.
While the Saints and Brees continue to work on a contract negotiation that would reduce his mammoth $30 million salary cap hit, the team appears to be considering bringing in another young arm just in case.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
