Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore has been the subject of trade talks all offseason, but a different secondary member could be the one to leave. Paulson Adebo is entering the final year of his contract on the heels of a breakout 2023. Starting and appearing in 15 games, the cornerback broke up 18 passes and intercepted four more while finishing with a 78.6 PFF grade, the 15th-best mark in the league. Reliable cornerbacks always earn a big payday in today’s pass-heavy NFL, but the cornerback isn’t worrying about his contract status.
During a recent appearance with the media, Paulson Adebo said that contract talks will “take care of themselves” and that he’s only focused on the upcoming season. While that might be true, the fact is that he will receive a massive payday if he can prove that 2023 wasn’t a one-year fluke. If that happens, New Orleans will struggle to make the money work.
As of this posting, the Saints are currently $91.6 million over the projected 2025 salary cap. This is familiar territory for New Orleans, as their willingness to kick the can down the road often leads to situations like this. The Saints will find a way to get under the 2025 salary cap, but can they do it while retaining Paulson Adebo on a massive contract? If they can’t, then the Chiefs and Patriots could go after him.
Saints Could Lose Paulson Adebo to Massive Contract
The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best rosters in the league, both in terms of top-end talent and overall depth. However, if you had to pick a weakness, it would probably be cornerback. Trent McDuffie is one of the best in the game, but the CB2 spot is something of a question mark entering the season. After trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans, the reigning Super Bowl champions are placing their faith in former fourth-round pick Joshua WIlliams. Williams played well in a small role last year, but only time will tell if he can handle the increased responsibility. If he can’t, then the Chiefs could hand out a massive contract to Paulson Adebo.
As of this posting, the Chiefs are projected to have $14.3 million in cap space for the 2025 season. While that number will change between now and the start of that season, it shows they should have the financial freedom to make a big move like this. While they will need to set some money aside for impending free agents Nick Bolton and Creed Humphrey, they should have enough financial flexibility to hand out a big contract to Paulson Adebo.
Patriots Rebuild Their Secondary
The Patriots have the most cap space in the league, and they’ve mostly used it to re-sign their own players. While building around a homegrown core has its benefits, you do eventually need to add some outside talent. Bill Belichick might be gone, but it’s safe to assume that new head coach Jerod Mayo will use a similar defensive scheme in the upcoming seasons. New England’s aggressive defense relies on strong cornerback play, which makes Paulson Adebo an ideal target for a big contract.
Christian Gonzalez looked like a star in the making during his truncated rookie season, but the Patriots could use another starter opposite the former first-round pick. Adebo is a perfect choice for the job, as the two can form one of the best cornerback duos in football.
Main Photo: Kim Klement Neitzel – USA Today Sports
