Just a week ago, my mindset was that the New Orleans Saints could make some big moves to add high-level talent on the defense, but starting 1-3 and losing horribly on Monday Night Football has changed that. The NFL Trade Deadline is still more than a month away, so a lot can change and the Saints can start winning games. This is why I am going to talk about a trade the Saints can make as buyers, but the first two will be all about getting draft capital. 

Here are some trades the Saints could make before the deadline:

The first clear trade the Saints can make is for Cesar Ruiz. Already last season, Ruiz was a trade target for teams, and it seemed like the Saints were willing to make it happen. This deal never actually occurred, but GM Mickey Loomis even commented at the end of the season that pointed toward the staff needing to see more from Ruiz. When the Saints selected Jeremiah Wright, a player this staff loved, the entire draft process, the pressure started to rise for Ruiz, and Wright's steady improvement during preseason didn't help.

Now, with the Saints' offensive line still struggling in both pass protection and run blocking, a change should be made soon. If it's just to see what they have in Wright, fine, but the way it has to happen is with a trade. 

If the Saints are able to turn this season around, they must upgrade the pass rush. It has been nowhere near good enough, and with the struggles trying to defend opposing pass catchers, upgrading at EDGE will help everyone. A name that stands out among potential available pass rushers is New York Jets EDGE Will McDonald IV. He has fallen out of favor in New York after the Jets made more additions at EDGE, but he is still a talented pass rusher who is on a good contract. This wouldn't fix the Saints' pass rush issues, but it would improve it and could add a long-term option. 

This one would be a surprise, but could happen for a couple of reasons. Reid is a captain for this team, and his leadership has been good, but so far, the signing has not been worth it for New Orleans. Reid is still a good player, but if the Saints are not winning games, a team that is winning could really want his help. Also, this may be a hot take, but the Saints seem to be doing something to Jonas Sanker that is very reminiscent of what happened with Alontae Taylor. 

Moving Taylor to slot stunted his growth even after impressing at outside corner. It was the wrong decision, and it feels like the Saints are doing the same with Sanker. Moving him back to safety is better for his career, so trading Reid could open that up.