The NFL’s dire safety market, which saw over a dozen well-known veterans dismissed shortly before free agency opened, has received a lot of attention this offseason.
Furthermore, there hasn’t been much of a demand for cornerbacks.
All-Pro corner L’Jarius Sneed was acquired by the Kansas City Chiefs last month in exchange for seventh-round selections and a third-round pick for the 2025 draft. The Chiefs’ profit was probably impeded by the fact that the Titans still had to offer Sneed a new four-year, $76.4 million contract, but this trade was only the most recent in a string of transactions involving elite cornerbacks and lackluster results. Over the past year, Jalen Ramsey, Carlton Davis, and Rasul Douglas have all obtained third-round picks and peripheral parts.
The New Orleans Saints should consider the poor hauls when deciding whether to deal Marshon Lattimore throughout the summer.
If the Saints really want to move on, it would make more financial sense for them to deal Lattimore after June 1. Although the team’s general manager, Mickey Loomis, has remained mum about the team’s plans, saying last month that “nothing’s changed,” New Orleans may have an influence on how the NFL draft is conducted this year.
Who will the Saints draft to replace Lattimore in the end?
If Lattimore isn’t on the roster come fall, there are first-round prospects who could make sense for New Orleans, including one who is frequently likened to Lattimore. However, the Saints seem to have other pressing needs. Beyond that, New Orleans might need a replacement for Isaac Yiadom, who left to sign a free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers, or an upgrade at nickel.
Level of need: Low; if Marshon Lattimore is traded, it might be medium.
Individuals on the roster
Marshon Lattimore
Adebo Paulson
Taylor Alontae
Hicks Faion
Wright Rejzohn
Drafted (round-overall pick, year) under Jeff Ireland, college scouting director
CB Taylor Alontae (2–49, 2022)
Adebo, CB Paulson (3-76, 2021)
Gardner-Johnson, S/CB (4-105, 2019)
2018’s CB Natrell Jamerson (5-164)
CB Moore (6-0-189, 2018)
CB Marshon Lattimore, January 11–11, 2017
A typical CB selected by Ireland was 5 feet 11 inches and 199.7 pounds.
Football for the Saints Colts
The tackle of New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) is broken by Indianapolis Colts running back Zack Moss (21) during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, October 29, 2023 in Indianapolis. (Photo by Michael Conroy/AP)
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Quinyon Mitchell (6-0, 193), a CB for Toledo, could match the bill: Mitchell and Lattimore were compared by ESPN and the NFL Network, and the comparison may be accurate. In addition to being nearly identical in 40 posts, both corners have 31-inch arms, weigh two pounds apart, and are approximately the same height (Mitchell is one-eighth of an inch taller). Mitchell outperformed Lattimore in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, clocking in at 4.33. Outside of his stature, Mitchell plays with the same aggressive quickness that has turned Lattimore become an NFL lockdown corner. After leading Toledo with 18 pass breakups in his final season as a second-team All-American, Mitchell set a school record with 46 PBUs in his five years of college. Due to the similarities to Lattimore, Mitchell has also frequently been associated with Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos, who may be looking to add another elite corner to replace Patrick Surtain II.
Cooper DeJean, a CB for Iowa (6-0, 203): DeJean’s ability to play several areas is a sign of his overall quality, according to draft analysts. The Iowa graduate might be more suited as an inside or outside corner in the NFL than as a safety. Dennis Allen’s defense in New Orleans is well-known for its tough man-to-man coverage, but the Saints also play a lot of zone, and DeJean’s exceptional ball-tracking abilities might make him a perfect fit in Allen’s unit. He recorded three pick-sixes in 2022 at Iowa, and in the previous two seasons, he had seven interceptions. Along with his superior vision, DeJean plays with exceptional quickness. He set records in the vertical jump at Iowa’s pro day earlier this month, recording a time of 4.43 and 38½ inches. Considering that he is rehabilitating from a fractured fibula that terminated his season early, those were amazing figures.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, a CB for Alabama (5-11, 196): McKinstry isn’t precisely in the range where the Saints have first- and second-round picks, so unless he slips suddenly, New Orleans decides to move up from No. 45, or they take a risk at No. 14, he’s probably not a viable option. Nevertheless, Brian Thomas, a wide receiver for LSU, claimed that McKinstry was the best corner he faced in college the previous season. He plays with discipline and possesses a high football IQ. Despite not having an interception in 2018, McKinstry was nonetheless selected to the first team of the All-American team. Although McKinstry’s teammate, cornerback Terrion Arnold, is expected to be selected before him, the player is nonetheless deserving of notice.
Elijah Jones, a CB for Boston College (6-1,185), Although Jones is a six-year senior and may be too small for the Saints in man-to-man coverage, his aggressive style of play may suit him well. Jones was a standout press corner at Boston College, and he made good use of his physicality. Over the previous two years, he led the program with 28 pass breakups and seven interceptions. Jones’ over aggressiveness occasionally cost him; The Athletic claims that Jones “struggles to recover positioning after missteps.” Jones is currently expected to go in the fifth round, but if the Saints want to replace Yiadom, he might be a flyer worth drafting. Although he played in the slot 20.8% of the time last year, Jones is mostly an outside corner.