With the 2025 NFL Draft inching closer, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers know they will have plenty of options in the first round.
Owning the no. 19 overall pick in this year's draft, the Bucs will likely be able to go a variety of avenues. Many agree that, outside of the top 15 or so prospects, things start to even out. This could either leave the Bucs with tremendous value somehow falling to them or a potential trade-down scenario to work with if all goes according to plan.
One NFC South foe, however, could see their fortunes changing for the better. The New Orleans Saints have been somewhat of a punchline in recent years due to the fact that they've been unable to reasonably manage finances.
The quarterback position is also in question, there, as Derek Carr doesnt' look like a long-term option. But, if the latest betting odds lead to a factual outcome, New Orleans might just have their franchise passer.
As of today, both DraftKings and FanDuel have the Saints leading the charge as the betting favorites to land Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
New Orleans is currently set at +350 to land Sanders via both outlets.
Shedeur Sanders could give the Buccaneers one less team to worry about in the NFC South
While many believe Sanders has a bright future ahead of him, there are also those experts who think he's got a ways to go. Sanders is going to come into the league fairly raw. He has some glaring areas to work on, including the mental awareness to stand in the pocket before sensing pressure.
Sanders' offensive line wasn't top-tier with the Buffaloes, thus he has developed a bad habit of trying to escape the pocket early. Instead of waiting until there is in fact pressure, Sanders will many times start to navigate outside and throw patience out the window.
Related Buccaneers news:
At the NFL level, that type of skittish behavior can get you into serious trouble. And, for a team like the Bucs who were tied for fifth in sacks last year, this is a defense which could feast on bad rookie habits.
Now, the Saints wouldn't be guaranteed to start Sanders just yet. He'd surely benefit from sitting behind Carr for a year. But, if the pressure mounted and New Orleans ultimately opened the door for the rookie to start, NFL teams could tee off on Sanders' bad habits.
This would likely leave the Saints out of contention for 2025 and pave the way for the Buccaneers to secure yet another division title.