Oftentimes, the NFL is the perfect opportunity for players around the league to jump at a change of scenery. So when Adam Trautman had the chance to reunite with his former head coach, he didn’t hesitate.
On Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft, Trautman — a former 20220 third-round draft choice — was traded from the Saints, along with the 257th pick in the draft to Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos in exchange for the 195th selection.
“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Trautman told Mike Klis of 9NEWS Denver on Sunday. “I was actually hoping to get moved. This was initiated by me personally. I’ve been waiting for a little bit for something to materialize and it just happened to be the Broncos, obviously.”
Since Payton moved on from New Orleans, Trautman believes that the Saints’ coaching staff didn’t put him in a position to succeed. Under Payton, Trautman hauled in 42 receptions for 424 yards with three touchdowns. But after Payton decided to step away from the game for the 2022 season, Trautman saw his playtime dwindle under a new coaching staff. Last season, he caught just 18 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown reception in 15 games.
This was the same player who graded out as the league’s best blocking tight end during his rookie season.
“I feel like I was placed somewhat in a box,” Trautman said. “They put a limit on what I could contribute and I felt like I could contribute a lot more. I was primarily used as a blocker. I thought I could do more and I didn’t want to get to the end of my career and think I could have done it, caught the ball a little more.
“Whatever the case was, the team I was playing for just didn’t let me do it. I want a chance to prove I can do it because I believe I can and I have in the past.”
It certainly seems like Trautman is hoping that by reuniting with Payton, he can revitalize his NFL career.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.