The New Orleans Saints learned a valuable lesson over the past few days. They did it without making a single move of their own. Instead, they gained knowledge from a couple of other NFL teams.
The Kansas City Chiefs traded one of the top cornerbacks in football, L'Jarius Sneed, to the Tennessee Titans. The return? Just a third-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-round pick swap.
The Saints have a star CB of their own who has been discussed in trade reports over the past couple months. That would be Marshon Lattimore.
What did the Saints learn from Sneed's trade?
Do not trade Lattimore right now.
It is not worth it whatsoever. A future day two pick does not nearly equal the value that Lattimore brings to New Orleans' defense.
There was some potential friction between Lattimore and HC Dennis Allen in 2023, but that cannot be your sole reasoning to make a trade that hurts the outlook of your team in the short team in such a dramatic way.
Without Lattimore, the cornerback room lacks depth and a clear top option outside to cover some great wideouts around the league. Paulson Adebo would be their CB1, and Alontae Taylor would probably move outside. Cornerback would then become an option in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Regardless, the Sneed trade needs to prove to them that Lattimore cannot be on the block. Read the room - or the market, rather. Make it work with one of the best corners in football when healthy.
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