Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
The NFL’s legal tampering period opens March 9 and players’ markets are already starting to heat up. One player that is expected to receive a lot of interest this offseason is New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor, and the assumption is already proving true.
There are obvious connections that bring about common pairings with a trio of teams. The Saints’ former head coach Dennis Allen is currently the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. Bears safety Jaquan Brisker, who plays a similar role as Taylor in the Bears’ defense, is set to also be a free agent. If he departs, Taylor could be a good option for Chicago.
Former Saints defensive coordinator Joe Woods is currently on staff with the Las Vegas Raiders, who could use outside corner help, as do the Tennessee Titans, who could bring Taylor back to his home state.
While each presents a unique challenge to lure Taylor out of New Orleans, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that another team could also be in the mix: the Dallas Cowboys.
“Corner looms as another need,” Breer wrote about the Cowboys. “With Seattle’s Tariq Woolen and New Orleans’s Alontae Taylor at the top of that market.”
This indicates not only Dallas’s interest in the versatile cornerback, but also the fact that Taylor is at the top of the position’s free agency market. That could make it tough for the Saints to remain competitive in his offseason considerations.
Losing Taylor would be a blow for the Saints’ defense. He’s a disruptive and multiple player that fits defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s “STAR” role perfectly. His exit would send the Saints on a hunt, both inside the facility and out, to find a player that could fill his many roles.
Taylor should have a robust market this offseason, which will make it tough to keep him in the Crescent City.
Last year, the 2022 second-round pick tallied 83 combined tackles, seven for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and 11 passes defended.
