New Orleans Saints Most Pleasant Surprise Of Last Season Must Be Re-Signed
The New Orleans Saints expected to have an outstanding unit of cornerbacks entering the 2023-24 season. Elite CB Marshon Lattimore is one of the NFL's best, capable of locking down an opponent’s best receiver in one-on-one coverage. Alontae Taylor was coming off an outstanding rookie year. Paulson Adebo showed similar rookie promise in 2021 and was expected to bounce back strong after a rocky 2022.
New Orleans ranked second against the pass in 2022. They had only seven interceptions, second fewest in the league, but allowed just 60% completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks and 184 yards per game. This was done largely without Lattimore, who missed 10 games with an abdominal injury.
The Saints surprisingly released veteran CB Bradley Roby at the end of training camp. This necessitated a move by Taylor into more slot duties, a spot somewhat unfamiliar. It was still a top-tier trio in Lattimore, Taylor, and Adebo, but one where depth was now questioned.
Soon, it became extremely clear why New Orleans felt they could move on from Roby. The preseason play of CB Isaac Yiadom, in just his second year with the team, made the Saints confident in the move.
Isaac Yiadom
New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (13). © Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
Yiadom was a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Boston College. He played his first two years with the Broncos, intercepting one pass and breaking up seven others in 29 games of limited duty. In 2020, he was traded to the New York Giants and broke up five passes without an interception in 10 starts.
Just before the start of the 2021 campaign, Yiadom was traded again. This time to the Green Bay Packers, where he was only a special teams contributor through 16 games. Released at the end of the year, Yiadom would sign with the Houston Texans as a free agent that offseason.
Yiadom appeared in three contests for the Texans in 2022, but spent most of the first half of the year on the practice squad. The Saints took advantage of the opportunity, signing Yiadom off Houston's practice squad for the final six games. He impressed the team enough to earn a one-year contract last offseason.
Yiadom - 2023
Sep 24, 2023; New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs (87). Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
After impressing in training camp and preseason games, Yiadom rewarded the Saints faith in him with the best season of his career. An early season injury to Paulson Adebo thrust Yiadom into a much bigger role in Weeks three and four. He was targeted 16 times in those two contests and allowed eight catches, but for just 57 yards while breaking up six throws and recording an interception.
Yiadom played a bit sparingly through the middle of the year, but was again forced into a starting role when Lattimore suffered a leg injury that sidelined him for the last seven games. Once again, Yiadom responded in a big way.
Over the last seven contests, all starts, Yiadom broke up seven passes and allowed only 48.3% completion percentage when targeted. Despite seeing heavy targets when in the lineup, Yiadom gave up only 48.9% completion rate. His 14 passes broken up tied for ninth highest in the NFL and more than doubled his career total over his first five seasons.
The Saints ranked 10th against the pass last season. They allowed slightly more yardage through the air (207.3 per game) and more passing touchdowns (22) than they did in 2022. However, New Orleans intercepted nearly three times as many passes (18) and held quarterbacks to a lower completion percentage (59.7%) this past season.
In 10 games with Lattimore in the lineup, the Saints allowed 199.2 yards/game through the air and a 60.6% completion percentage. In the seven games without their star corner, opposing quarterbacks averaged 219 yards per contest but had a lower completion percentage at 58.4%.
Lattimore has been the subject of several trade rumors early into this offseason. It might seem foolish to deal him, but it may happen if doing so would bring a nice return. Additionally, the Saints and Lattimore worked out a restructured contract down the stretch of this season to lessen dead cap hit for the team if he were dealt.
Jan 7, 2024; Atlanta Falcons tight end Jonnu Smith (81) is guarded by New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Trading Lattimore still seems somewhat unlikely, but the Saints have the talent at the position to withstand his loss. Paulson Adebo was arguably the team’s MVP after an outstanding campaign. Alontae Taylor had some rough stretches while adjusting to the slot, but still has tremendous upside and is actually better as an outside corner.
Isaac Yiadom, who turns 28 in late February, could also be a factor whether or not the Saints make a blockbuster trade. After his breakout season, Yiadom is also set to be an unrestricted free agent in March. He shouldn't command an astronomical salary, but he'll certainly command a higher wage for a New Orleans team that will again need to shuffle contracts just to get under the salary cap.
Whether or not New Orleans makes a decision to move on from Lattimore, the team should make a strong push to re-sign Yiadom. He proved himself to be a valuable piece in a Saints cornerback position that was the deepest in the league and continued to perform at a high level even without it's best player.
