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Saints Cornerback Named One Of NFL's Most Underappreciated Players

Paulson Adebo is getting some love after being named one of NFL.com's most underappreciated players.
John Hendrix|
Oct 29, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) intercepts a ball meant for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) intercepts a ball meant for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports | Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

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New Orleans Saints

The Saints cornerback situation will be an interesting spot to pay close attention to this year, and they'll need every piece of the puzzle for continued success. One of the defense's brightest spots from last season was Paulson Adebo, who enters a contract year in 2024. Recently, he was praised by NFL.com's Tom Blair as one of the league's most underappreciated players.

One highlight of the Saints' forgettable 2023 season was the pass defense -- and one player who shined individually within that unit was Adebo, a second-year pro who tied for the team lead in picks (four). He also ranked third in the NFL in passes defensed (18) and posted the 10th-best passer rating allowed (58.5), according to NGS (min. 400 coverage snaps). Whether or not Derek Carr and the offense can fully cohere after an up-and-down 2023 is still uncertain, but Adebo is one of a handful of young standouts (along with Carl Granderson, Bryan Bresee and Alontae Taylor) who can help keep New Orleans competitive on D while Carr and Co. try to take a step forward.

Adebo appeared in 15 games for New Orleans last year, posting career highs in almost every category, which included tackles (76), interceptions (4), pass breakups (18), picks (4) and forced and recovered fumbles (2 eacg). To say he rebounded in a huge way after the 2022 campaign is a bit of an understatement. Remember when fans were ready to move off of him?

What's funny is that Adebo finished 15th out of 127 cornerbacks for a defensive grade of 78.6 and was 14th in coverage with a 80.5 grade on Pro Football Focus and didn't even make the cut for being a Top 32 cornerback on their list. If Marshon Lattimore can return to form and stay available, then this could be one of the league's most overlooked top duos. Rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry also figures to be a big part of the team's plans this season, and we also can't overlook Alontae Taylor and him likely holding down the slot.

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John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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