I have concocted a conspiracy theory that I think makes sense, but kind of goes against the Saints' drafting philosophy (maybe not, though) and would take a certain level of competence that most of you think Mickey does not possess. Still, here goes:

--Hurst's retirement announcement could not have come at a worse time for the Saints if we are looking to take an OT at 14 (or higher). Makes us look even more desperate than we already did (which was pretty damn desperate). Why would he do that? The Saints picked him up off the trash heap and resurrected his career. Why would he hose us like that? Unless, perhaps we asked him to.

--Along with the Hurst announcement, now we've got Daniel Jeremiah reporting we're looking at trading up for an OT. Why let that leak?

--This draft is full of "good to really good" OLs, but not "elite." Unless you think Alt is elite, and there's no real consensus on that. There's Alt, a gap, then a group of 4 or so (the 3 "F"s and Latham). Then another gap, then the next group (Mims from UGA, dudes from Oklahoma, BYU, and a couple more I'm forgetting). If you bunch both groups together, it's like 8-10 guys after Alt before a huge drop off. Maybe the Saints like the 8th guy as much as the 2nd.

--rumors starting to get louder about us trading Latt. But due to cap reasons, it has to be after June 1st (I think). Regardless of exactly when it is, it can't be for picks in this draft, it will have to be for picks in '25.

--it appears Adebo will be a free agent after the '24 season as there have been no rumors of an extension. Either we offered one and he didn't take it and is betting on himself or we want to see him string together a 2nd good year in a row before making that commitment. Another good to great season, and he probably prices himself out of New Orleans, leaving a decent chance we go into the '25 season without either Latt or Adebo.

The conspiracy:

We got Hurst to announce his retirement the day before the draft and leaked to DJ we're making calls to trade up in order for teams looking for OTs to have to jump us at 14. But we don't like the value of any OT at 14. So we're trying to get more OT picks before 14 in hopes that the top CB on our board will still be there. Or maybe we like a couple the same (guy from Toledo, the 2 Bama guys, and the Clemson guy) and are willing to--gasp!!--even trade back a couple of spots to get a little more draft capital in order to trade back in to the late 1st or early 2nd and take our OT there, where we think the value is much better and can still get a guy we have ranked about the same as anybody that we could have taken at 14. And, loathe as we all are to trade away next year's picks, it's a lot more palatable if we know we're going to recoup some of them in the potential Lattimore trade.

So we come away with a starting corner AND a starting OT, just in a different order than everyone expects, and with better value for each player at 2 premium positions. And though we may have to give up next year's 2nd or 3rd (or both), expect to recoup those from whoever we wind up trading Latt to. And if Adebo leaves in free agency, we can slide Alontae from slot corner to his more natural position outside, where he prefers to play anyway, and figure out slot corner through developing guys already on the roster, the '25 draft, or free agency.