The next big opportunity is already on the way for second-year New Orleans Saints safety Jonas Sanker. After an impressive rookie season, during which he was thrown into the fold beginning just the second week of the season, he now is on the way to being an integral part of the team’s defensive strategy from an entirely new perspective and position.
Sanker will be stepping into the famed STAR/slot role in defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s system.
From the new vantage point, Sanker will be relied upon not just to cover, but to defend the run, take away passing options in space and to rush the passer. The long list of responsibilities will put him in position to be one of the team’s most disruptive contributors to the defense.
Formerly held by now-Tennesee Titans cornerback Alontae Taylor, the position led to 83 total tackles, two interceptions, 11 passes defended and a pair of sacks along with seven tackles for a loss.
Taylor, a career outside cornerback in college, had to learn the role on the fly while Sanker already has a bit of exposure to the overall concept of the position.
During his time in college, Sanker saw at least 500 career snaps at each deep safety, box safety and in the slot. That level of experience at all three positions should give him a leg up in getting adjusted to the new deployment he’ll see in New Orleans after spending almost the entirety of his rookie season as a deep, field-side safety in coverage.
While in college, Sanker rushed the passer only 21 times in his career, per Pro Football Focus, something he will be asked to do quite a bit more in Staley’s system. For example, Taylor rushed the passer 44 times in 2025 alone.
But collegiate experience isn’t the telltale sign of who will or will not pan out at this position. At least, that’s not the way the Saints see it. Instead, they’re focused on something else: football IQ.
“I think it’s really hard to evaluate off of college film that this guy can be a STAR,” Saints defensive passing game coordinator Terry Joseph said during offseason practices. “I think you’ve got to get him in your organization, in your building, and you’ve got to really get a feel for where that guy is mentally. How tough he is, and how much can he handle? Because a lot’s on the plate of a STAR. He has to handle motion adjustments, he has to go field sometimes, boundary sometimes. Every other position is pretty much anchored.”
The ability to understand the expansiveness of the responsibilities from an above-the-shoulders standpoint is one of the reasons Sanker projects as such a strong fit for the position. His journey of turning that projection into production and contribution will begin as training camp kicks off.
