Analyst Bill Barnwell proposes a blockbuster 2026 NFL Draft trade, sending Saints picks and a coveted cornerback to the Giants.
The New Orleans Saints changed the course of their franchise last offseason with a huge first two rounds of the NFL draft. One NFL analyst is predicting they could do it again with a massive trade up for a better first round pick.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN made an interesting trade prediction for the Saints. He has the team adding the Giants' No. 5 overall pick and cornerback Deonte Banks in exchange for their first, third and fifth round pick.
"The Giants could be in the mix for Love or Tate, but their ideal addition would be Styles, who should still be available at No. 8. They traded away their 2026 third-round pick as part of the move up for Jaxson Dart a year ago, and while Love would be their long-term replacement for Saquon Barkley, getting that third-round pick back might not cost the Giants very much given their potential range of non-Love additions in Round 1.
Mickey Loomis and the Saints, of course, are never shy about moving up if there's a player who fits their roster. They would likely need to leap the Browns and Commanders to jump the queue for Tate, who would slot in alongside Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele as the starting wide receivers for Tyler Shough. New Orleans would also take a flier on a 2023 first-round pick at cornerback in Banks, who has prototypical size for an NFL cornerback at 6-foot-2 but hasn't lived up to expectations through three years in New York. Banks would figure in as the likely kick returner for the Saints in 2026, too."
New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks (2) returns a punt for a touchdown in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesTo be clear, Banks is not a throw in for this particular trade. The Saints would be adding a cornerback who had 24 tackles and five pass breakups in 2025 with additional value as a punt returner for the team. Banks housed a punt return late last season to cap his 2025 campaign.
The Giants cornerback may not fully address the huge loss of star defensive back Alontae Taylor in free agency, but it would go a long way in improving the Saints' secondary as it stands. In addition, New Orleans would move to the No. 5 pick and have its choice of who they want to draft outside the Top 4.
Whether or not the Saints need to trade up to get that guy is to be seen. It's possible who New Orleans wants to draft could fall to No. 8. Even so, keep an eye on the potential for a trade up when the draft kicks off at the end of April.