By Ross Jackson
As the trade deadline nears, the New Orleans Saints are set to draw a lot of interest. On a six-game losing streak with a divisional opponent on the way, teams around the league are likely to see them as potential sellers.
Head coach Dennis Allen said on WWL Radio earlier this week that the team won’t be in “sell mode” despite their recent losing streak.
However, that hasn’t stopped teams from checking in. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, clubs are calling with interest in one of the team’s most important defenders: cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
“Several teams have asked about the status of Saints’ star cornerback Marshon Lattimore,” Rapoport writes. “Who is out Sunday with a hamstring injury. For the second straight season, Lattimore is a curiosity around the league regarding his status.”
Trade rumors raged around Lattimore before the season began. With reports of a fractured relationship with the organization, many expected the former Defensive Rookie of the Year would be on the move. Ultimately, the Saints looked to have repaired that relationship, leading to Lattimore remaining with the team as their top cornerback.
The corner is expected to miss his second game this season with injury after exiting each of the last two games early with the same injury. This off the heels of two seasons also ended early with ailments.
The Saints drafted Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and have some young talent in the room. Unfortunately, the position has also been struck with health concerns. McKinstry is out Sunday with his own hamstring issue, fellow starter Paulson Adebo is done for the season with a broken femur and rookie Rico Payton is managing a back injury.
Every team has a right price for just about any player, no doubt about it. However, the Saints would be unlikely to move Lattimore with the current state of the position group around him. But perhaps that changes if New Orleans were no longer able to view themselves as competitors in the division. A loss Sunday to the Carolina Panthers may seem unlikely, but it certainly could be costly.
The NFL’s trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Depending on how things go Sunday, minds could change by Tuesday.
