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The New Orleans Saints are staring at, yet, another rebuild. A t 2\u20138 and anchored at the bottom of the NFC South, they currently hold the second overall pick in April, a position that could reset the trajectory of the franchise.<\/p>\n
Now, taking a look at things\u00a0if the season ended today,<\/em>\u00a0the team in front of them, the Tennessee Titans, already has its quarterback in Cam Ward, last year\u2019s No. 1 overall pick. And while the Giants’ future remains up in the air at head coach, New York has their guy under center in Jaxson Dart.<\/p>\n That leaves New Orleans, a franchise adrift at quarterback since the post\u2013Drew Brees era began, with an open runway to draft their next face of the franchise. They\u2019ve cycled through both Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough this fall, but neither has shown the traits of a long-term leader under center just yet, and the leash is extremely short.<\/p>\n No one will confuse Simpson with a combine superstar. He\u2019s not the flashiest or most explosive quarterback in the class, but between the white lines, Simpson has been one of college football\u2019s most consistent field generals.<\/p>\n At Alabama, Simpson has elevated an offense that\u2019s leaned heavily on timing, rhythm, and decision-making. He wins from the pocket, manipulates defenders with his eyes, and thrives attacking the middle of the field.<\/p>\n Scouts have praised his understanding of leverage, how he reads safeties, and how he maintains efficiency under pressure, along with his footwork and his ability to throw accurately in congested areas — especially in the red area.<\/p>\n Simpson\u2019s athletic profile isn\u2019t going to blow anyone away, but his subtle pocket movement and ability to extend plays just long enough to find a window are valuable. He feels like the type of quarterback who could walk into New Orleans, learn quickly, and give the franchise steady, high-floor leadership — a stylistic descendant of a Drew Brees type rather than a modern improviser.<\/p>\n The Heisman buzz around Mendoza isn\u2019t a fluke, and it only gained steam following a last minute win at Penn State in Week 11.<\/p>\n The former Cal transfer has blossomed into one of the nation\u2019s most polished and productive quarterbacks at Indiana, and he remains a headliner in a QB class currently without a consensus top guy.<\/p>\n What defines Mendoza is his ball placement, and the little things that will translate to the highest level of the game. He throws with anticipation, accuracy, and confidence to all three levels, and his mechanics are repeatable and clean.<\/p>\n Additionally, his ability to get the ball out quickly separates him from most college passers. When his back foot hits the turf, the ball is gone. It’s a high level trait on tape, and something scouts look for when evaluating.<\/p>\n For New Orleans, a team that\u2019s struggled to sustain drives and stay ahead of the sticks, Mendoza\u2019s efficiency would be transformative. He\u2019s the type of quarterback who can make the offense functional on Day 1 — and potentially special down the road with correct development and correlating surroundings.<\/p>\n The wild card of this quarterback class is Moore. The Oregon star might not declare, but if he does, he has as good a shot as anyone to go No. 1 overall.<\/p>\n From a frame perspective before you ever flip on the tape, Moore checks every physical box imaginable. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he has the size, arm strength, and confidence to make every throw on the field.<\/p>\n His arm talent stretches defenses, and his touch and ball control in the vertical game have become trademarks of Oregon\u2019s high-powered offense.<\/p>\n What makes Moore different is his poise and creativity. He\u2019s a three-level thrower who sees the field clearly, attacks coverage tendencies, and has enough athleticism to escape and deliver strikes off-platform. Against zone, he\u2019s surgical; against man, he\u2019s fearless.<\/p>\n If he declares, he\u2019d be the rare prospect that blends both high ceiling and readiness — the kind of quarterback that could completely alter the Saints\u2019 rebuild timeline and potentially accelerate it.<\/p>\n For the second consecutive offseason, the\u00a0New York Mets\u00a0appear to be competing to pry an outfielder away from their crosstown rivals.<\/p>\n According to\u00a0Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets are interested in free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, who spent the 2025 season with the Yankees. Heyman noted that the Mets have openings at center field and first base\u2014two positions Bellinger can play.<\/p>\n https:\/\/t.co\/Cj9o233gEH\u00a0Can the Mets possibly sign a star Yankee OF for the second straight winter? They are interested<\/p>\n Bellinger, 30, joined the Yankees in a salary-dump trade days after the Chicago Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker last December. It was one of multiple defining moves in the Yankees\u2019 pivot from Juan Soto, who signed a historic 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets after one season in the Bronx.<\/p>\n Over 152 regular-season games in pinstripes, Bellinger hit .272\/.334\/.480 (.813 OPS) with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. The left-handed slugger finished with 5.1 bWAR, the highest mark he has produced since his 2019 NL MVP campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers (8.7).<\/p>\n Bellinger not only excelled batting behind Aaron Judge but was also one of the best defenders in baseball. Playing all three outfield positions and first base, he accumulated eight defensive runs saved and was credited with +7 Outs Above Average by\u00a0Statcast.<\/p>\n An UNBELIEVABLE Cody Bellinger catch secures the Yankees win!\u00a0pic.twitter.com\/XdzM96Amiw<\/p>\n Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has emphasized improving run prevention since the offseason began, citing it as one of the main reasons the team fell short of expectations in 2025. Adding a player with Bellinger\u2019s defensive abilities to the starting lineup could help address that issue, though his exact role would depend on other moves.<\/p>\n When asked about the team\u2019s center field options Tuesday at MLB\u2019s GM meetings in Las Vegas,\u00a0Stearns said\u00a0Mets No. 2 prospect Carson Benge will have a chance to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. The 2024 first-rounder posted an .857 OPS with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs across three levels this past season, though he hit .178\/.272\/.311 in 24 Triple-A games.<\/p>\n If Benge starts in center, that would leave first base as a potential Pete Alonso replacement or either corner outfield spot as Bellinger\u2019s most realistic long-term fit in Queens. Both Soto and Brandon Nimmo are under contract through at least 2030, so the Mets would likely have to move one to a full-time DH role or trade Nimmo to accommodate Bellinger in the outfield.<\/p>\n At no point during Bellinger\u2019s first nine big-league seasons has he been a full-time first baseman, though he has made 350 career appearances (274 starts) at the position. His career marks of 10 DRS and -1 OAA at first are not as strong as his outfield metrics, though they are noticeably better than Alonso\u2019s defensive numbers (-9 DRS, -9 OAA) in 2025.<\/p>\n If there is one concern about Bellinger\u2019s potential fit in Queens, it is that the Mets already have an abundance of left-handed bats at the top of the lineup. That said, the two-time All-Star led all left-handed hitters in on-base percentage (.415) and slugging (.601) against lefty pitching in 2025.<\/p>\n Like Alonso, Bellinger opted out of the final year of his contract ($25 million guaranteed) in search of a longer-term agreement this offseason. Both\u00a0Spotrac\u00a0and\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Kiley McDaniel project Bellinger to secure a six-year deal in free agency\u2014one that would exceed his previous financial guarantee in average annual value.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The New Orleans Saints are staring at, yet, another rebuild. A t 2\u20138 and anchored at the bottom of the NFC South, they currently hold the second overall pick in April, a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t