Why was Coach Payton on the phone with Foster before we picked?

There is only 1 explination. The whole phone call story is made up. CSP fabricated the story so that he would have a legitimate excuse to take an Offensive player and pretend that he wanted to draft a defensive player all along.

He did all of this in hopes of everyone on Saints Talk not bitching about the OT pick.

Looks like it backfired.

Loomis said the story isn't all the way true that we were on the phone with him but it was to follow up on some questions we had.

It makes way more sense they had some follow up questions since they probably didn't even have him as a potential target.

Foster said they called and asked whether he was in Louisiana, Baton Rouge, he said no Miami and then they told him to put his girlfriend on the line.

Not sure why they would ask him if he was in Baton Rouge.

ETA - Fosters girlfriend is from Baton Rouge apparently

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It makes way more sense they had some follow up questions since they probably didn't even have him as a potential target.

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As much work as the Saints did on him pre-draft, I cannot imagine there was anything critical they had to ask him. I think that is Loomis covering a bit.

I really wish Taco or Watts would have fallen to us. Guess Pitt and Dallas also knew we were interested in drafting them!!!

I just couldn't imagine the Saints taking him at 11 and he was never expected to fall that far. So yeah I could see them maybe not doing as much due diligence as expected as the top realistic player on their board.

The truth is probably inbetween.

The Saints were going to take Foster. Foster is too dumb to make up phantom phone calls. Loomis does damage control saying we had questions for Foster before Saints pick. But it's not like Saints are vetting this late... he was the Saints pick at #32.

We'll see how it works out for both teams. Ram could play 10+ stellar seasons in the league and Foster wash out. It's similar to Mahomes at #11. We'll see. But for initial reaction, Saints could have gotten better despite their best efforts otherwise.

If that was the case, im surprised they were even interested. If you're calling for more answers or to see if a girlfriend's story matches up, it's hard to believe you would take that person. Especially in the first round.

That's why I'm saying none of the explanations make sense.

They wouldn't call to tell him they were picking him before being on the clock.

They would have had any questioned answered before the draft.

Why would they call during the draft BEFORE they are on the clock to ask his girlfriend questions?

Payton is paranoid as frick about things getting out.

To me it seems to lead to one of two conclusions, both pretty crazy themselves but more believable than the other theories.

You either trip up his girlfriend because you've now caught them pff guard.

or

You call to let another team think you were interested (it's crazy but these things really do get out which is why it's SUPER rare for any team to call any player before the pick is on the clock) so they trade up and take him, letting a player you really want fall.

Thinking more about the second one, Seattle desparately needed Oline help, so maybe we called with them on the clock (or right before they get on the clock) and make the pick before us the only spot to trade up and get him.

And if it is the second scenario you have to play to the media you were genuinely interested to sell the story so it can work again in the future.

Some seriously crazy shite happens on draft day, and the farfetched becomes the reality quite often.