Peter King On Butler, Saints, Mixon, Giants

Someone familiar with the Saints‘ thinking believes they are leaning towards keeping their first three picks rather than using them to acquire Malcolm Butler from the Patriots, Peter King of The MMQB writes. The team remains interested in the cornerback, but they believe that there are a number of players ranked between No. 25 and 75 on their board that can contribute immediately. The thought of trading one or more picks for Butler in addition to giving him a high-priced deal is not as attractive as it once was for New Orleans. The Saints presently own five picks in the first three rounds: Nos. 11, 32, 42, 76, and 103.

Here’s more from King:

  • Joe Mixon has garnered the most interest from the Bengals, Vikings, Packers, and Jaguars, King hears. King personally wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bengals take the controversial running back with the No. 41 overall pick given the team’s past willingness to gamble on a checkered history.
  • King wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants move up from No. 23 or if the Texans move up from No. 25 to get a pick in the teens. The Giants are looking for a tackle and the Texans are in need of a quarterback. The Ravens (No. 16) and Titans (No. 18) “would be happy to move down,” King writes.
  • Many of the top players in this year’s draft come with serious medical concerns. One GM told King that he has never ‘been part of a draft with so many medical red flags.”
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