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The Gamble at Corner That Could Make or Break the Saints Defense

Saints Corner

The Saints are no strangers to taking gambles in their roster management. Whether it be dealing fan favorites, or mortgaging their future in the draft, this team puts all its chips on the table. Before the start of the 2023 season, they’re at it again. Just days before Week 1, the Saints have decided to embrace the youth movement, and have taken a significant gamble at corner. It’s a high-risk, potentially high-reward decision that could make or break their defense this year.

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The Bold Move At Corner That Could Make or Break the Saints Defense

Parting Ways with a Fan Favorite

Almost a year ago to this day, the Saints made a move that sent shockwaves across the fanbase. Incumbent Saints slot corner C.J Gardner-Johnson was shipped off to the Philadelphia Eagles following a rocky offseason. The compensation wasn’t great, and fans were left scratching their head. Still just 24, Gardner-Johnson appeared to be heading into his prime as one of the top players at his position. To say the least, it was a perplexing move on the surface.

Deeper circumstances, though, helped reveal some of the underlying reasons the Saints parted ways with their up-and-coming corner. Gardner-Johnson was heading into the last year of his deal and seeking an extension. He believed that he was “the best nickel corner in the NFL”. He was almost certainly looking for a figure the Saints were uncomfortable matching. Ultimately, things probably reached the point of no return between the two sides. Still, though, the Saints were taking a big risk by dealing Gardner-Johnson.

The State of the Secondary Heading into 2022

In today’s NFL, getting rid of any productive defensive back, let alone such a young one, is playing with fire. Premium secondary players, especially corners, are valuable commodities that don’t grow on trees. The Saints, though, believed they were one of the few teams with enough depth to make such a decision. The team was obviously high on Alontae Taylor, whom they had just drafted in the second round. Taylor, along with Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Bradley Roby formed a core most teams would love to have. To add to their wealth of talent at corner, the Saints had just brought in safety Justin Evans in free agency. Evans had been out with injury for two years prior to 2022, but was a former second-round pick himself. The Saints believed he had untapped talent and could add to an already deep secondary. 

The Saints very quickly learned the value of depth shortly into the season. Adebo suffered a high ankle sprain in camp and missed time early on. Soon after Adebo’s return, Marshon Lattimore went down with a freak kidney injury that kept him out until Week 16. The Saints were left with the likes of Chris Harris Jr. playing significant snaps. Marcus Maye missed time as well, pushing Evans back into his traditional safety role. The dream secondary they had envisioned going into the season never materialized.

The Youth Movement Begins

Circumstances weren’t ideal by any means, but there was a silver lining to the situation. Losing Lattimore was a tough blow, but allowed for some invaluable starting experience for the rookie Taylor. He worked his way into a boundary role, showcasing the traits that drew the Saints to him in the draft. Despite the rash of injuries in the secondary, the pass defense was stellar over the second half of the season. In the season’s final ten games, they allowed more than 20 points only once.

Fast forward one year and the Saints are again shaking up their defensive secondary. In a move seemingly no one saw coming, the team cut the veteran Roby ahead of the 53-man deadline. Alontae Taylor, after working in the slot throughout the offseason, will head into 2023 as the starter. Roby’s release comes with decent financial savings for the Saints, but that wasn’t the primary driving factor. The Saints made this decision because they’re confident in the young Taylor as a starting corner.

Alontae Taylor: A Confident Playmaker

The move seemed especially surprising considering Taylor’s inconsistent camp working in the slot. For Taylor, it’s a brand new position to learn and the experience hasn’t been entirely smooth. He’s been open about the struggles he’s gone through trying to pick up the finer nuances of playing the slot. One thing Taylor doesn’t lack, though, is confidence. He believes he can be “one of the best slot corners in the league.”

Confidence aside, the Saints obviously also believe in Taylor’s ability and traits to play in the slot. First and foremost, Taylor has all the athleticism and it pops immediately when watching him play. He ran a 4.36 40 at the combine and that speed shows up on tape. His closing speed has allowed him to make some incredible plays on the ball, getting back into position on routes he appeared beaten on. An added bonus, he’s shown a rare level of physicality in his tackles and in the run game. The Saints will need every bit of this playmaking ability out of their slot corner position. Taylor has the traits to be an effective coverage player but also potentially an asset on nickel blitzes.

 

The Biggest Concerns

The mental hurdle will likely be the biggest determining factor for how quickly Taylor adapts to his new role. While both are technically ‘cornerbacks,’ there is a stark difference between playing inside and outside. Taylor himself mentioned many of the finer points that come with the slot corner role. Things like understanding leverages, linebacker movement, and learning where help is are all different on the inside. All of this is likely magnified by Taylor having to multitask playing two different positions. Taylor was learning the slot, but also still trying to compete for the boundary spot opposite Lattimore.

The competition is over now, and the Saints appear satisfied with their determination. Lattimore and Adebo on the outside, with Taylor starting in the slot. Right or wrong, the Saints are rolling with youth and talent. Is Taylor in the slot the ideal option for a team looking to win right now? Probably not. He’s almost sure to take some lumps in there as he develops. There will be busts in coverage and instances of miscommunication between him and his fellow defensive backs. After what he showed playing outside last year, Taylor may even see this switch as a demotion of sorts. Boundary, not slot corners, get the glory and the big contracts. But to his credit, Taylor appears to have embraced this new role and is all in on putting the team first. 

Are the Saints ‘Cutting Costs at All Costs’?

Following his release on Tuesday, Bradley Roby sent out an interesting tweet, to say the least. 

As discussed, the Saints are getting some cap relief from Roby’s absence. Yes, Roby would be an expensive backup to keep, but moving on from having a valuable veteran in a young cornerback group is still a questionable decision. The Saints know all too well just how quickly a supposedly well-stocked unit can thin out. If any of the starting three miss time again, the Saints may quickly regret moving on from the veteran corner.

One name not mentioned thus far is Ugo Amadi. Signed this offseason, Amadi heads to the Saints as somewhat of a journeyman despite being just 26. He brings a versatile skillset the Saints love in their defensive backs. Utility at both safety spots and the ability to play in the slot helped secure him a spot on the final 53. After an impressive preseason, Amadi has now positioned himself as the primary backup slot corner. In Amadi, the Saints believe they have found their next Justin Evans. The Saints think highly of Amadi’s capability to play in the slot, but may be asking a lot here too. Amadi has played for four teams in his brief career which should raise eyebrows. Are the Saints counting on too much from someone who has bounced around the league in such a short time?

History Repeats Itself

As great of an offensive mind Sean Payton was, he wasn’t void of criticism from the fanbase. Especially in his last few seasons, Payton’s seemingly nonchalant approach to pursuing upgrades at receiver stood out. Just look at 2019. Michael Thomas nearly eclipsed 150 catches due to the complete lack of secondary options. While he may not have wanted to admit it, Payton’s belief in his own scheme likely played a big factor in his lack of aggressiveness in acquiring more high-end receiving talent. For the most part, it’s a hard mindset to argue given the overall success of the team. But when circumstances hit like they did in 2021, the talent deficiency becomes highly apparent. Thomas missed the entire year, and the Saints were left with the likes of Marquez Callaway leading the receiver room. As the Saints learned the hard way, schematic genius can only go far.

With Dennis Allen currently at the helm, the Saints have morphed into a more conservative, defensive-minded team. And yet, the moves in the secondary feel eerily familiar to many fans. In back-to-back years, the Saints have chosen to let two quality defensive backs walk. They’ve expressed their confidence in the up-and-coming talent present in the room. In essence, Dennis Allen may well be treating the slot corner position like Payton treated wide receivers. Allen believes his ability to scheme coverages can outweigh any potential talent or depth issues. None of this is certain, obviously, but it’s an interesting parallel between two coaches who are otherwise much different.

A Massive Gamble at Corner

It’s now been two straight years that the Saints have made some daring decisions with their corners and secondary. After a slow start last year, the pass defense hit its stride and consistently showed out. Now, after seemingly having the depth chart at the three corner spots set, the Saints are doing it again.

Without question, Lattimore, Adebo, and Taylor are the three most talented corners on this roster. But the 24-year-old Taylor faces extreme pressure heading into a year with little margin for error. If the Saints knew they wanted to go young, the situation could have been better handled. Perhaps they should have moved on from Roby at the start of the offseason and maximized Taylor’s repetitions in the slot. But what’s done is now done. The Saints are going to put what they believe is their best 11 on the field. The potential of this secondary is extremely alluring. The lack of depth could become massively concerning. Make no mistake, this is a risk. It’s a calculated risk, yes. But it’s the type of gamble that could truly make or break the Saints defense.

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Main Photo: Robert Hanashiro – USA Today Sports

Dhruv Pradhan

Dhruv Pradhan

Dhruv is a die-hard New Orleans Saints fan and has been following the team and the NFL closely for over a decade. Currently, he lives in California and works as a business analyst.

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