2020 NFL mock draft: The Saints can push to win now with Patrick Queen

Perhaps no team needs the NFL season to happen more than the New Orleans Saints. Longtime quarterback Drew Brees has already picked his post-NFL employer, so he could very well have just one season left in him.

If that’s the case, the Saints need to push all-in to win Super Bowl 55. That means adding a couple more players on defense and at least one receiving option.

Chris Dunnells, representing the Saints and Canal Street Chronicles in the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft, has a decision to make. Does he go for a player who makes an impact now, or does he look toward a future replacing Brees?

In our last pick, the New England Patriots passed on the chance at taking Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. Surely this is where he goes, right? Wait, what ...

Dunnells: It was incredibly hard not to pick Herbert here after he made it past the Patriots. I fully anticipated the Pats to grab him, leaving LB Kenneth Murray out of Oklahoma to still be there when the Saints were on the clock. Instead, New England sniped the player on our big board, leaving New Orleans in a bit of a dilemma.

Do the Saints take the value play and grab a risky, but high-ceiling quarterback of the future to replace Brees — a player who some project as a top-10 talent in this year’s draft? Or do they instead reach a little for what could be the final piece to put the Saints over the top in what is likely Brees’ final Super Bowl run?

Ultimately, the questions surrounding Herbert’s accuracy made the pick too much of a risk, so the Saints pulled the trigger on local linebacker Patrick Queen out of LSU. Outside of Demario Davis, the Saints have a trio of injury concerns at linebacker in Kiko Alonso (Achilles), Alex Anzalone (shoulder), and Kaden Elliss (knee). Queen is someone who can immediately slot in at the position in 2020 with eyes on a long-term role of replacing Davis down the road.

There are still plenty of wide receivers and tight ends who will be available in the second round, so the Saints can still trade up later to grab another impact player on offense — or maybe Herbert if he keeps falling.

Analysis: Seeing the Patriots and Saints pass on Herbert is insanity. The draft is always full of unexpected events, so this scenario is not totally impossible. But wow. Could Herbert drop out of the first round of our mock draft completely? Strange times.

If the Saints don’t take a quarterback, I do actually like them going after a linebacker if either Murray or Queen is available. And waiting on a wide receiver makes sense. Speedy Penn State receiver KJ Hamler would be a lot of fun in the Saints’ offense in the second round. Van Jefferson of Florida would be nice as well.

Sorry, I can go no further. The Herbert thing has me shaken up.

We’ll be back tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET with Minnesota’s second first-round pick from Daily Norseman. Will Herbert finally come off the board? Stay tuned.

(Seriously, is Herbert not going in our mock draft?)