By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS — It’s been a big week for the New Orleans Saints. Just one day after firing their former head coach, Dennis Allen, the team is now trading away one of their top defenders.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Saints are trading starting cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders for draft compensation.
The Saints send Lattimore and the team’s fifth round selection in 2025 to Washington in exchange for Washington’s third, fourth and sixth (originally sent to Washington for John Ridgeway) round picks.
Many will believe that is not a favorable return for a player of Lattimore’s caliber, however injuries are likely a factor. The cornerback was not able to finish the 2022 nor 2023 season due to injury and he has already missed two games this year with a hamstring injury.
The 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year is far and away one of the best cornerbacks in the team’s history and one of the top players at his position in the NFL. However, New Orleans is heading towards a multi-year rebuild and look to be embracing that fact.
Lattimore has been the source of trade rumors since the offseason. At that time, the outlook was based on a clear disconnect between he and the Saints organization. However, that fracture was patched, and he returned to the team as their key starter.
Now that New Orleans is looking to gather assets for its future, this is a move that makes sense.
The former Ohio State Buckeye will finish his time in New Orleans tied for the No. 8 total in career interceptions with 15 and as one of the team’s most successful first round selections.
New Orleans will have a rollover savings of about $200,000 against their 2025 salary cap. Not a huge savings, but avoiding a non-guaranteed salary of $16 million and a roster bonus of $2 million keeps the Saints from having to restructure more funds into future years. Helping their cap outlook in the long run.
