ESPN's Saints trade deadline target just went on injured reserve - Saints Wire
So much for that idea. With the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline one week away, ESPN gathered its beat writers from around the country to highlight possible trade candidates for every team -- and targets for those teams to pursue. But there's just one problem for their New Orleans Saints pick. Washington Commanders defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw landed on season-ending injured reserve after undergoing knee surgery.
It's easy to see why Kinlaw would have appealed to New Orleans. While he doesn't offer as much on passing downs, Kinlaw is an underrated run stopper at defensive tackle. ESPN's Aaron Schatz wrote that "The Saints are last in the NFL in run defense DVOA, and the veteran Kinlaw ranks 22nd among interior defensive linemen with a 34.4% run stop win rate."
Could the Saints still trade for him, wait out the recovery, and see if Kinlaw can return to form in 2027 (as they tried with New England Patriots draft bust Ja'Lynn Polk)? Maybe, but the finances involved don't make that a good decision. Kinlaw will count against the 2026 salary cap by roughly $6.34 million while on injured reserve for the rest of the year. That number goes up to $13.6 million in 2027, when he'll be 30 years old and returning from a serious knee injury, but none of that money would be guaranteed. So the Saints could get creative to lower the number, if they chose to bring him in. But we aren't even getting into the trade compensation. It would probably take a fifth-round pick to get Kinlaw, but if the Commanders view him as a big part of next year's team, they'd look for more.
New Orleans should be looking for help at defensive tackle. Colby Wooden, who they claimed off of waivers after the Indianapolis Colts cut him in the preseason, has led the unit in snaps played in their last three games. Past-their-prime veterans like Nathan Shepherd and Davon Godchaux are going to be free agents in the spring, and we don't know if Bryan Bresee will have lost a step when he gets back from his own knee injury. Kinlaw would have been a good get if he were healthy. The way things stand now, the Saints are probably better off looking elsewhere for help in the middle of their defense.
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