Report: Saints Unlikely To Trade RB Chris Ivory For A Late-Round Pick

Update:

Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports the Jets are still interested in acquiring restricted free agent Chris Ivory, but are unwilling to part with the second round tender placed on him by the Saints.

Triplett believes the Jets are interested in trading for Ivory, but would like to do it at a much lower price. He believes a fifth-round selection or thereabout would satisfy the trade.

There is a possibility the Saints could combo Ivory with a late round pick to move up in the draft, but it is unknown whether they would entertain such a thought.

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Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that sources have informed him that the Jets are interested in trading for Saints RB Chris Ivory. 

• Howard Balzer reported over the weekend that Ivory visited with the Jets on Friday.
• Mehta adds that the Jets are not willing to part with a second-round pick, but would instead be willing to offer “lower draft pick compensation” in a trade for Ivory.

Ivory, a restricted free agent, received a second-round tender from the Saints, which all but eliminates the possibility of a team trying to pry him loose by signing him to an offer sheet, much like the Patriots did with WR Emmanuel Sanders.

On top of that, the Jets really can’t afford to part with a high draft pick for a running back given that they have a lot of holes on their roster to fill during the upcoming draft.

Ivory currently sites behind running backs like Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas, so it would make sense for the Saints to consider trading him for some additional draft compensation.

The move makes sense, Ivory’s role as an early down bruiser would be an ideal complement to the Jets new running back Mike Goodson. Injuries have been a bit of a concern, but he clearly has some upside and could end up being a real bargain for the Jets.