Saints almost pulled off notable wide receiver trade with Broncos HC Sean Payton recently

The New Orleans Saints did not add a major piece to their wide receiver room during this offseason. That outcome does not mean they did not try, though.

The black and gold attempted to strike a deal with former Saints head coach Sean Payton recently. When the Broncos made their intentions with veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick public, New Orleans tried to trade for him. The two sides could not work out a deal

Saints nearly traded for former Broncos WR Tim Patrick

When the Broncos made their intentions with veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick public, New Orleans tried to trade for him. The two sides could not work out a deal, according to Dave Birkett.

Denver ended up cutting ties with Patrick during roster cuts, receiving nothing in return.

After his release, Patrick joined the Detroit Lions practice squad. If he was traded to the Saints before the decision, he probably would have landed on their active roster.

New Orleans needs more wide receiver depth, and Patrick fit the type of player that they wanted to add at the time.

He's a willing blocker and can make downfield catches. He also has special teams experience.

Alas, Sean Payton and his front office clearly were not interested in what the Saints wanted to sell them in a Patrick deal. It is a bit of a head scratcher, though, since they let him go quickly after the deal broke down.

For New Orleans, missing out on Patrick hurts a bit more now than it did a week ago.

A.T. Perry is widely considered their third-best wideout. He's now dealing with a hand injury that may force him to miss time. He is questionable for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.

Related: Saints receive bittersweet news heading into matchup with Panthers in Week 1