When considering the strongest positions on the New Orleans Saints’ 2026 roster, it’s hard to not identify safety as the most complete room on the team. From veteran leadership to a diverse group of versatile players and a deep enough stable of players to cover for absences, the Saints’ safety room is one of its best and most promising.
Last year, safety Jonas Sanker helped to elevate the position group drastically as a third-round rookie who started 16 games and played very well as a deep coverage safety. With rangey safety Julian Blackmon injured after the opening week of the season, Sanker was thrust into a much larger role than initially expected early in the season. He handled that well and continued to trend up throughout the season, a promising sign during a player’s rookie year.
This year, Sanker will step into an even bigger opportunity as he’s expected to take on responsibilities as the team’s STAR/slot defender.
With the tutelage of veteran safety Justin Reid, Sanker, Blackmon and the rest of the talented safety group have the leadership necessary to continue to ascend.
While we have the team keeping five safeties in the pre-training camp look, it wouldn’t be a shock at all if on-field play forces the Saints to keep more.
Safeties – 5 (50)
- Justin Reid
- Julian Blackmon
- Jonas Sanker
- Jordan Howden
- Terrell Burgess
Behind Reid, Blackmon and Sanker, the Saints have a collection of versatile backup options who can help cover multiple responsibilities as well as contribute on special teams.
For now, the more experienced players hold the spots, Howden and Burgess. Both have the capabilities of playing either safety role and in the slot on defense while already being established special teams contributors. That’s exactly what players in the fourth and fifth safety spots will have to do in order to compete with this pair.
One player that should draw a lot of intrigue and attention over the course of training camp will be rookie safety Lorenzo Styles Jr. His blazing speed and multifaceted skill set are likely to draw eyes when he takes the field after fully recovering from his offseason labrum injury.
Styles can take on a safety role, but will also get his chance to claim a spot in the STAR/slot rotation, even as depth, while also being a strong special teams contributor both as a returner and coverage player. With a new big-legged punter in the building, 4.27-second 40 yard dash speed like Styles possesses could be very beneficial from the gunner spot.
This is easily the Saints’ deepest room and should be a very entertaining position group to watch throughout camp.
Previous Projections
- Quarterbacks (3)
- Running backs (4)
- Tight Ends (3)
- Wide Receivers (6)
- Interior Offensive Line (6)
- Offensive Tackles (4)
- EDGE Rushers (5)
- Interior Defensive Line (4)
- Linebackers (5)
- Cornerbacks (5)
