Saints Urged To Make Bold Decision With Offseason Free Agent Addition

The Saints could look to make a big move with an offseason signing...

Sep 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the helmet worn by New Orleans Saints safety Ugo Amadi (0) with and American Flag and the flag of Nigeria during warmups against the Arizona Cardinals at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints have looked quite solid through two weeks, despite the fact that they seemingly have one of the worst rosters in football.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler has been good, despite the fact that many media members expected him to be one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. Either way, the Saints need to make some changes to give Rattler and company the chance to succeed this year.

Drew Collings of Who Dat Dish recently urged the Saints to bench veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom in favor of rookie Quincy Riley. Yiadom was signed to a three-year, $9 million deal in free agency this offseason.

Saints urged to bench veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom in favor of rookie

Sep 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) sheds the tackle of New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27) during the second quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

"The Saints are currently in line to receive a fourth-round compensatory pick from Paulson Adebo leaving for the Giants. However, the Saints would lose that pick if Isaac Yiadom passes a certain threshold of snaps played. As a rebuilding team, it may be wise to cut their losses and bench the veteran," Collings wrote. "Yiadom has been a liability to start the season. PFF has given him a 48.1 defensive grade, not good. He’s allowed 10 receptions on 12 targets for 116 yards during the first two weeks. Yiadom did make a few good plays tackling against the 49ers but that’s nowhere close to redeeming his play.

"Fans are calling for Yiadom to be benched in favor of fourth-round pick Quincy Riley. Riley had a strong offseason and pre-draft process but has yet to see a defensive snap. It’s hard to imagine him playing worse than Yiadom. Beyond the compensatory pick, starting Riley gives the Saints a chance to evaluate what they have."

Yiadom hasn't been the replacement for Paulson Adebo that many expected him to be. It might be time to bench him after another disastrous performance in Week 2.

Starting Riley would be better for the Saints in the long term, as it would allow the younger cornerback to develop rather than sit on the bench. Giving Riley the opportunity to play in real games and make real mistakes would be huge for his future. The young cornerback would be forced to learn lessons and grow as a player on the biggest stage, but without the pressure of a playoff push on his shoulders.

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