Lions-Saints Trade Deadline Speculation Makes A Lot Of Sense

The Lions could look to land a last-minute trade for Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor...

Helmet of Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (not in the photo) before the NFC divisional round between Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders] at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are one of the worst teams in the league this year, which puts them in an intriguing spot at Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. They could use a few of their top players to land draft capital as the front office will likely opt to sell on Tuesday.

Players like Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave were reportedly being discussed in trade talks earlier this year, but neither is expected to be traded this year. Olave is reportedly working on an extension with the Saints and Kamara suggested that he would rather retire than be traded this year. But the Saints could look to trade star cornerback Alontae Taylor before the deadline passes.

Emmett Matasovsky of Detroit Lions OnSi recently suggested the Lions could target Taylor in a big trade at the trade deadline this year.

Lions could be a landing spot for Saints CB Alontae Taylor

Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a touchdown catch in front of New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"Taylor offers an immediate boost at the nickel cornerback position, which is something Detroit desperately needs," Matasovsky wrote. "Arthur Maulet has been serviceable, but it is clear the Lions are missing the luxury of having Amik Robertson on nickel with D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold on the outsides.

"Dan Campbell has familiarity with the Saints’ organization, and could seek the comfort of what is familiar to help his team take the next step. The former second-round pick is on pace to allow the most touchdowns of his career currently, which means that the Lions might be able to get a deal for him. That said, Taylor is rumored to be a popular trade candidate for teams looking to dance with the Saints."

The Saints could look to move on from Taylor this year and it would make a lot of sense. Taylor is a talented cornerback and would likely net the team a solid draft pick in return.

The Lions need cornerback help on the outside. Adding Taylor would do that in a big way. Taylor's versatility would be a huge factor for the Lions, too. He has the ability to play on the boundary or in the slot, which makes him quite valuable in a trade like this.

More NFL: Saints' Chris Olave Projected Trade Return Should Put Rumors To Bed