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Dennis Allen

Ravens Offered Third-Round Pick For Marshon Lattimore

November 8th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens’ trade deadline moves were a bit anticlimactic, especially considering that Baltimore is thought to be a contender in a championship window who should be receiving the full allotment of compensatory draft picks in 2025. It appears that the Ravens’ lackluster result wasn’t necessarily for lack of trying, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that Baltimore put in an offer to trade for former Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

According to Breer, the Ravens offered up a third-round pick for the veteran cornerback. Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports adds that this was initially a battle of the AFC’s top contenders as the Chiefs and Ravens each attempted to acquire Lattimore, but Washington, a blooming contender in their own right, swooped in at the final moment to outbid them.

Per Schultz, the Commanders saw their extensive draft capital in the upcoming offseason and their top-four cap space for 2025 and decided to acquire Lattimore as another building block for the next few seasons. Breer reports that Lattimore initially wasn’t even being made available. It wasn’t until former head coach Dennis Allen got fired that the Saints started hearing out offers on the defender.

He adds that Lattimore wasn’t the only Ravens trade target for whom the team fell short. Breer relays that Baltimore also was on the homestretch to reacquire defensive lineman Calais Campbell from the Dolphins. The aging veteran spent three years with the Ravens from 2020-22, making a Pro Bowl (the sixth of his career) during his time with the team. In eight games in Miami this year, Campbell hasn’t really shown his usual production but still could’ve been a crucial addition to a Ravens defensive line that applies plenty of pressure but often struggles to finish.

Instead, the Ravens held on to their likely 11 draft picks for 2025 (seven rounds plus four compensatory picks), acquiring wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Panthers for a 2025 late-round pick swap and oft-injured veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White and the Rams 2027 seventh-round pick for a seventh- of their own in 2026.

One of the league’s more consistent franchises when it comes to the draft, those 11 picks can be crucial for the future, but it’s likely frustrating for fans who watch the team’s 32nd-ranked pass defense and who realize just how quickly championship windows can close.

Mickey Loomis, Saints Ownership Disagreed On Dennis Allen Firing

November 7th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The longest-tenured pure GM in the NFL, Mickey Loomis has held this New Orleans gig since 2002. He has only hired two head coaches, however, tabbing DC Dennis Allen to take over after Sean Payton‘s exit (Loomis was hired during Jim Haslett‘s six-year HC tenure). That number, barring a change in the front office, will expand to three next year.

If Loomis had his way, however, Allen may still be coaching the Saints. The 23rd-year GM is not believed to have been ready to fire the team’s third-year HC, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who indicates ownership drove this ouster.

Hearing from a Saints fanbase that has not seen a season with six or fewer wins since 2005, the Gayle Benson-fronted group pulled the plug. Breer goes as far as to indicate ownership was committed to making this move to the point Allen might have been fired even if the Saints had won the Week 9 matchup with the downtrodden Panthers. The Saints had lost by double figures in each of their previous four games, with a Buccaneers 51-point day sprinkled in.

Allen has received two chances as a head coach. This one went better than his Raiders stint, which occurred in the early years of Mark Davis‘ ownership. Allen went 8-28 as Raiders HC, and while Derek Carr was Oakland’s quarterback when Davis dropped Allen in October 2014, the two-time Payton assistant had coached Carson Palmer in 2012 — before the QB’s Arizona resurgence — and then oversaw an unenviable 2013 situation that featured Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin combining for 15 starts. Allen went 4-12 in each of his first two Raiders seasons and followed a 7-10 2022 slate with a 9-8 showing last year. Though, his third New Orleans HC season reminded of the bleak period in Oakland.

The Saints started 2-0, seeing Klint Kubiak‘s offense become a central September storyline in the NFL, before dropping seven straight. This is the longest Saints losing streak since 1999, when Mike Ditka‘s finale deteriorated into a 3-13 showing. Allen firing rumors cropped up near the end of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but Loomis resisted calls for the coach’s dismissal each year. The decision to retain Allen after the ’23 campaign surprised some Saints players.

Recently retired O-lineman James Hurst said this week some players expected Loomis to fire Allen after the team’s Week 18 win over the Falcons — a game that sealed Arthur Smith‘s fate in Atlanta. New Orleans’ 2023 season famously wrapped with backup QB Jameis Winston going rogue, eschewing Allen’s plans for a kneeldown sequence to give Jamaal Williams a chance to score a touchdown last season. Williams, who had led the NFL in rushing TDs in 2022, had not scored one to that point last year. The Saints beat the Falcons 48-17, with Williams’ TD occurring with 1:10 remaining. Smith voiced his displeasure to Allen postgame, and then apologized for his team’s actions.

Now working with WDSU, Hurst said during a recent broadcast many players viewed Allen as missing an opportunity to support them — even as the offense disobeyed the second-year HC — following that season-ending win. Hurst added Loomis addressed the players a day later, creating an expectation among them Allen would be fired. That, of course, did not happen. After all, the 2023 Saints won four of their final five games. This year’s edition is now 2-7 and will be in the market for an outside hire for the first time since Loomis hired Payton in 2006.

Allen not sticking up for his players publicly created a legitimate issue, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds. The losing streak, albeit one that involved a few key injuries, may have further solidified a perception of Allen losing the locker room. Loomis, however, does not look to have entirely agreed with that.

A Payton assistant from 2006-10 who returned after his Raiders ouster, Allen had played a central role in the Saints turning their defensive operation around after a rough mid-2010s period. After top-half finishes in both scoring and yardage from 2017-19, Allen’s defense ranked in the top 10 in points allowed from 2020-23. This season, however, Allen’s veteran-laden unit exited Week 9 ranked 26th in that category.

If Loomis indeed was not ready to fire Allen, both of this year’s in-season firings have gone down this way. Jets owner Woody Johnson went around GM Joe Douglas to can Robert Saleh last month. It will be interesting to see how Benson and Loomis coexist once the search for Allen’s full-time successor commences in earnest.

Saints Fire HC Dennis Allen

November 4th, 2024 at 10:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a seventh consecutive loss, the Saints are making a move on the sidelines. Head coach Dennis Allen has been fired, as first reported by Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

New Orleans started 2-0 in 2024, an encouraging sign for the team’s postseason outlook. Since then, however, little (if anything) has gone according to plan, with the offense suffering multiple injuries and the defense struggling to overcome a number of issues. On Sunday, the Saints lost to the Panthers in unwanted fashion. New Orleans outgained Carolina by a margin of over 150 yards while topping that figure on the ground and winning the turnover battle; over the past 20 years, no team had lost under those circumstances until yesterday (h/t ESPN’s Bill Barnwell).

No one contest is at the heart of any team’s decision to fire a coach, but in the wake of Week 9’s defeat today’s news comes as little surprise. Allen is meeting with the team now, Rapoport adds, and attention will soon turn to the question of who will take over the staff on an interim basis. On that note, Dianna Russini of The Athletic names special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi as a candidate to watch.

The Saints have indeed now named Rizzi as interim coach. The 54-year-old has head coaching experience at the college level, compiling a record of 18-23 with stints at New Haven and Rhode Island. He has been in the NFL since 2010, serving as the Dolphins’ special teams coordinator for nine years while also holding the title of associate head coach for a pair of seasons. Rizzi has been with the Saints since 2019, and since 2022 he has also served as an assistant head coach. New Orleans current sits fifth in special teams DVOA, a rare instance of success in an otherwise disappointing campaign.

Allen’s first head coaching gig saw him take charge of the Raiders for the 2012 and ’13 seasons. Only four games into his third season at the helm, he was dismissed. That was followed by a lengthy stint on Sean Payton‘s Saints staff as the team’s defensive coordinator. Once Payton departed, Allen was promoted and given a second opportunity to lead a staff. It has now ended in very similar fashion to his Raiders tenure, with a midseason dismissal coming down in Year 3. This marks the first in-season coaching change for New Orleans since 1996, when the team canned Jim Mora midway through his 11th season.

In 2022, the Saints posted a 7-10 record, with a strong defensive showing being weighed down by mediocre offensive production. The subsequent offseason was highlighted by Derek Carr‘s free agent signing, a move aimed at providing the team with a stable solution under center in the post-Drew Brees era. The former Raiders Pro Bowler showed improvement down the stretch, and the Saints improved to 9-8. That mark was insufficient for a postseason berth, however, and more significant changes were made on offense in response.

Longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael was replaced by Klint Kubiak during the 2024 offseason. The latter’s work in the run game in particular seemed to be on full display over the first two weeks of the year, but success on the ground or through the air has been hard to find since. Overall, New Orleans ranks 16th in total offense and 15th in scoring. The team’s defense – for many years a strength with Allen in place dating back to his time as DC – has regressed considerably, sitting 28th in yards allowed and 26th in scoring.

In the wake of those collective struggles, the Saints will move on in the hopes of sparking a turnaround in the second half of the season. Carr missed time but is now healthy, although New Orleans’ offensive line and receiving corps are both dealing with a number of notable absences. The team’s defense (including cornerback Marshon Lattimore) could become the subject of increased calls before tomorrow afternoon’s trade deadline. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero confirms, however, that a firesale should be considered unlikely even in the wake of this move.

Carr is owed a $30MM base salary next season, the third of his four-year contract. That figure is set to become guaranteed shortly after the start of the new league year in March, and with the Saints once again on track to face a myriad of cap issues his financial status will be worth watching closely. In addition to the team’s quarterback situation, a head coaching search will be a central storyline in 2025.

Saints HC Dennis Allen Addresses Losing Streak, Week 8 QB Change

October 28th, 2024 at 1:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a 2-0 start, the Saints have seen their season take a nosedive. The team is now on a six-game losing streak, and as such head coach Dennis Allen‘s job security remains a talking point.

Allen entered the league as one of the coaches to watch with respect to being on the hot seat. An unexpectedly strong showing on offense in particular eased concerns on that front early on, but struggles on both sides of the ball have continued in recent games. Sunday’s 26-8 loss did not prompt a new round of direct questions related to Allen’s job status, but he was asked about speaking with the front office as the team attempts to end the skid.

“We have conversations every day, you know what I mean? So I don’t feel any more sense of, having to have these conversations,” Allen said (via Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons). “Look, I think we all understand that it’s a results-oriented business. And we need to play better football.”

New Orleans ranks near the bottom of the league in a number of defensive categories, and the team sits 28th in both passing and rushing yards allowed per game. The Saints had a top-10 finish in scoring defense during each of Allen’s first two years as head coach, and the former longtime defensive coordinator was expected to maintain that level of success in 2024. Instead, a multitude of issues have emerged while scoring has also become a problem.

Of course, injuries suffered by quarterback Derek Carr and receivers Chris Olave (who returned in Week 8) and Rashid Shaheed (who will miss the rest of the season) have hindered New Orleans’ offense recently. A quarterback change – from Spencer Rattler to Jake Haener – took place during the third quarter of yesterday’s loss, but the move did not yield an uptick in production. Allen noted he attempted to generate a spark by installing Haener, who was not told of any swap being considered until he was tapped to join the game (h/t Jeff Nowak of Inside Black & Gold) .

The switch from Pete Carmichael to Klint Kubiak raised expectations on offense for the Saints, who sit 16th in scoring. A return to the lineup on Carr’s part – which could happen in Week 9 – would certainly help the team’s chances of ending the losing streak. Doing so would also boost Allen’s chances of retaining his role as his New Orleans record now sits at 18-24.

Saints HC Dennis Allen On Hot Seat?

September 3rd, 2024 at 9:27am CST by Adam La Rose

Across his two seasons at the helm of the Saints, Dennis Allen has posted a sub-.500 record. 2024 offers an opportunity to rebound and help his job security, but New Orleans’ head coach likely faces pressure entering the campaign.

Allen is viewed around the league as being on the hot seat leading up to Week 1, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The 51-year-old took over from Sean Payton in 2022 after spending the previous seven years as the Saints’ defensive coordinator. That continuity helped the transition away from the Payton era, but the post-Drew Brees years have not yielded strong offensive showings for the team.

The Saints have ranked 19th and 14th in total offense during Allen’s time as head coach, and last year’s Derek Carr addition did not meet expectations. Improvement could take place in 2024, the first season since 2009 in which Pete Carmichael will not serve as offensive coordinator. New Orleans went outside the organization in adding Klint Kubiak as OC, a role he previously held in 2021. Increased efficiency on the ground and through the air will be key in the Saints’ efforts to return to the postseason.

Allen’s team improved from 7-10 to 9-8 last year, predictably remaining strong on defense. The Saints have ranked top-10 in points allowed during each of the past four seasons, and many of their top veterans on that side of the ball are still in place. The 2024 offseason consisted of a new round of restructures and extensions aimed at attaining cap compliance while keeping most of New Orleans’ core intact.

In December, a report named Allen as a candidate to be replaced at the end of the campaign. The Saints’ failure to win the NFC South certainly did not help his chances of retaining his title, but later signs pointed to attention mainly being focused on offensive changes rather than an Allen firing. The former Raiders head coach confirmed in January that he expected to remain in place, and that has proven to be the case.

Allen’s time with the Raiders included a record of 8-28 and resulted in his firing after an 0-4 start to the 2014 campaign. His tenure with the Saints has gone better to date, but plenty of room for improvement exists. If steps forward are not taken in 2024, he could be at or near the top of the list of coaches in danger of being let go in advance of the 2025 hiring cycle.

Dennis Allen Expects To Remain Saints HC

January 8th, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

As news continues to pour in regarding coaching and general manager changes, no such shifts seem to be looming in New Orleans. Saints head coach Dennis Allen said on Monday (via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell) that he expects to remain in place for 2024.

Like the rest of the NFC South, the Saints were the subject of speculation regarding their head coaching future throughout the year. Allen had been reported as being on the hot seat, something which came as little surprise given the team’s offensive struggles in particular. More recent signs did point, however, to Allen being safe regardless of New Orleans’ end to the campaign.

The 51-year-old was promoted to head coach in 2022 to replace Sean Payton. The move came after he had spent the past seven years on New Orleans’ staff as defensive coordinator, and that unit has remained strong over the past two campaigns. Shortcomings at the quarterback position were a talking point this past offseason, though, and the team made a major move in the form of adding quarterback Derek Carr.

By and large, the four-time Pro Bowler did not live up to the expectations generated by his four-year, $150MM pact. A number of issues contributed to his struggles early in the year in particular as he and the team’s skill-position corps dealt with injuries and the season-opening suspension to running back Alvin Kamara. New Orleans finished the year ranked only 13th in passing yards per game and 15th in total offense (although the team managed to check in at ninth in scoring).

For that reason, changes to the offensive staff have been mentioned as a distinct possibility. OC Pete Carmichael could be on the hot seat, although no firm decisions on his fate have been made yet. The Saints improved in Allen’s second year at the helm, posting a 9-8 record in 2023 after going 7-10 the year before. The veteran-laden squad was unable to win an underwhelming NFC South once again, though, which represents a point of consternation.

In spite of that, Allen (who has yet to receive an official vote of confidence at this point) appears to be on track for a third year in charge. Several key offseason decisions lie ahead, and the franchise will no doubt continue its annual tradition of signficant contract restructures this winter. While changes will be made in some capacity, continuity on the sidelines can be expected.

Saints Likely To Retain HC Dennis Allen

December 31st, 2023 at 10:17am CST by Rory Parks

About three weeks after we heard that Saints head coach Dennis Allen could be on the hot seat, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com offer a contrasting view. The duo report that Allen is likely to get a third season as New Orleans’ HC in 2024.

Of course, the same caveat that these types of reports typically contain is also applicable to this situation: if there is a “late-season debacle,” the organization could elect to move on from Allen. However, barring such a catastrophe, Rapoport and Pelissero are hearing that Allen is safe for at least one more year.

At present, the Saints are 7-8 and in third place in the NFC South. However, they have the same record as the second-place Falcons and are just one game behind the first-place Buccaneers and will take on both clubs over the final two games of the season. They therefore have a real chance to win the admittedly weak division and secure a home playoff game, a scenario that would obviously boost Allen’s job security in a big way.

Regardless of whether New Orleans qualifies for the postseason, owner Gayle Benson and GM Mickey Loomis recognize the difficulties that Allen has faced — the early-season suspension of Alvin Kamara and the injuries to quarterback Derek Carr, the O-line, and the defensive front seven, for instance — and have nonetheless been unwavering in their support of him. During Allen’s run as the Saints’ DC from 2015-21, he helped transform a defense that had generally struggled prior to his arrival into a formidable unit, and it appears he still has a great deal of goodwill with the franchise’s top decision-makers.

Even if Allen is retained, some coaching changes may be on the horizon. In the earlier report indicating that Allen’s job could be in jeopardy, it was suggested that Benson and Loomis would seek a replacement with an offensive background, and Rapoport and Pelissero concede that the offensive operation will get a “thorough examination” after the season. Although they do not say so explictily, OC Pete Carmichael could be on the outs irrespective of New Orleans’ decision on Allen.

Back in October, we learned that Carmichael is on the hot seat, although the offense’s performance has improved since then. The team currently ranks in the top half of the league in terms of both total offense and points per game.

Saints HC Dennis Allen On Hot Seat?

December 11th, 2023 at 10:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints posted a comfortable win over the Panthers on Sunday, but the 2023 season has not gone according to plan. New Orleans sits at 6-7 on the year, a mark which has the team in contention to win the NFC South. Nevertheless, signficant changes could be coming in the offseason.

Head coach Dennis Allen could be replaced this offseason, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes. In the event a coaching change takes place, he adds, a replacement with an offensive background would be sought out. Allen had defensive coordinator experience prior to his time at the helm of the Raiders, which was then followed by a lengthy stint on that side of the ball before his promotion to head coach of the Saints.

The 51-year-old went just 8-28 in a two-plus year run with the Raiders, and his second opportunity as a head coach has not produced a strong showing in the win-loss department. The Saints went 7-10 in 2022, the first season of the post-Sean Payton era. After seven years as defensive coordinator, Allen was tapped as Payton’s successor. A strong defensive showing ensued, but the team’s offense struggled. Similar issues have emerged in 2023.

The Saints gave Allen a vote of confidence this offseason, so it came as little surprise that he was retained in the winter. It became clear a quarterback addition was needed, though, which led to the signing of Derek Carr after the end to his Raiders tenure. The three-time Pro Bowler landed a four-year, $150MM deal from New Orleans, leading to increased expectations for team and player. The Saints have not managed to find consistent success on the ground or through the air, however, leading to middling rankings in several offensive categories.

Carr has dealt with a number of injuries this season, and he has found himself in concussion protocol twice in his debut Saints campaign. Still, this season’s mediocre run has Allen’s New Orleans HC record sitting at 13-17. A postseason berth is still very much within reach as the team jockeys with the Falcons and Buccaneers, but missing the playoffs again would no doubt increase speculation about Allen’s job security.

Notably, La Canfora adds the Saints will be a team to watch at the QB spot in April’s draft. Carr’s deal includes guaranteed salaries of $30MM in 2024 and 2025 (in the latter case, the compensation kicks in on March 17 of that year). Carr’s struggles could lead New Orleans to explore one of the many signal-callers expected to hear their names called on Day 1 of a draft headlined by Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Given the financial commitments to Carr, adding a rookie quarterback would certainly create an interesting situation at the position.

Time still remains for Allen and the Saints to show improvement down the stretch. In the absence of a notable rebound from poor showings earlier in the year, however, New Orleans will be a team to monitor in the lead-in to the 2024 head coaching cycle.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 4th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
  3. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  4. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
  5. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
  6. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
  8. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
  9. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
  10. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  11. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  12. Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
  13. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  14. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
  15. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  16. Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
  17. Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
  18. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
  19. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  20. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  21. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  22. Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  23. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  24. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  25. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  26. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  27. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
  28. Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
  29. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  30. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  31. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  32. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023

Saints CBs Alontae Taylor, Paulson Adebo Competing For Starting Role

June 26th, 2023 at 11:30am CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints already have one starting cornerback spot spoken for with four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore. The competition to determine who will line up opposite him will take place during training camp.

Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo are vying for a first-team role, as detailed by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. The pair split reps with the starting defense during OTAs, allowing each to state their case as a full-time outside corner (although the former has also spent time practicing in the slot). Their performances in the summer will determine the pecking order behind Lattimore for New Orleans.

When addressing the situation, head coach Dennis Allen said, “the great thing about it, those two particular players… both of them are fully capable of being starters and playing at a high level for us, but we’re going to let that competition play out.”

Both Adebo and Taylor have already seen signficant playing time early in their respective careers. Adebo, a 2021 third-rounder, has started all but one of his 30 career appearances and logged a snap share of 94% last season, one in which Lattimore was limited to just seven contests. The latter’s injury allowed Taylor, a second-round pick, to start nine games in his rookie season.

Taylor registered 11 pass breakups and posted much better coverage statistics than Adebo during his first-team audition in 2022. Given the potential for growth both players have (each will be 24 at the start of the regular season), though, plenty remains to be determined heading into the 2023 campaign. Regardless of how the competition for the outside corner spot shakes out, each could see a notable workload since the Saints’ lone free agent CB addition was Lonnie Johnson and the team elected not to add further to the position during the draft.

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