Dec 28, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) hits Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward (1) as he throws a pass during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Alontae Taylor’s Saints Future Suddenly Looks Uncertain

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Mar 5, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The New Orleans Saints have a lot of talent scheduled to enter the open market next week.

Free agency is coming and will kick off in just four days, as of writing, on March 9. The Saints' four biggest free agents are Alontae Taylor, Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill. All four of these Saints veterans have been discussed at length since the 2025 season came to an end.

In a perfect world, all four will be back in 2026. But that also may not be realistic. When it comes specifically to Taylor, he's going to be the most interesting free agent to watch. Unlike the rest of the group, Taylor is just 27 years old and won't even turn 28 until December. He shined in New Orleans over the last four seasons and has earned himself a big payday. There have been various contract projections for Taylor, like every other free agent, out there already this offseason. The Athletic has Taylor's market projected to be in the range of four years and $77 million. Sports Illustrated has Taylor's projected market at $35 million over three years. There should be a big market, no matter where he lands.

Saints insider Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune and The Advocate predicted that Taylor will be playing elsewhere in 2026.

The Saints CB is heading to free agency

"The gap between what nickel cornerbacks are paid and what Alontae Taylor wants to be paid could be too much for the Saints to overcome," Paras wrote. "Taylor saw former teammate Paulson Adebo get a three-year, $54 million contract from the New York Giants last year, and in the prime of his career, he can’t be blamed for seeking a comparable deal. That said, Taylor has played most of his snaps in the slot — a position whose highest-paid player (Kyler Gordon) earns only $13.3 million per year. That dynamic creates a tricky negotiation, and the Saints and Taylor haven’t seen eye to eye yet.

"Perhaps the sides can reach a common ground, but there’s bound to be other teams interested in Taylor. The Las Vegas Raiders have tons of cap space and a coaching staff that's familiar with Taylor. The Dallas Cowboys, according to Sports Illustrated, are also expected to be in the mix. Taylor has shown plenty of versatility throughout his career, so a team may very well be fine with paying — or even playing — him as an outside corner. The fact that the Saints tried to get an extension done during the season and couldn’t also doesn’t seem to bode well for Taylor’s return. Prediction: Leaving."

The Saints have good building blocks in place with Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley, but if Taylor walks, New Orleans will need to add a legit starter, either through free agency or the trade market.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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