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New Orleans Saints trade cornerback Marshon Lattimore to Commanders and help stack their 2025 NFL Draft

New Orleans Saints trade cornerback Marshon Lattimore to Commanders and help stack their 2025 NFL Draft

The next time the New Orleans Saints are likely to see cornerback Marshon Lattimore line up in person on the Caesars Superdome field, the date will be December 15 and the Pro Bowl cornerback will wear the jersey of that day’s opponent, the Washington Commanders. .

Lattimore’s eight-year Saints career ended Tuesday, when the 2017 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and a 2025 fifth-round pick were transferred to the commanders for Washington’s third, fourth and sixth round picks in 2025.

Saints executive vice president and general manager Mickey Loomis said interest in Lattimore has intensified in the past week, given the Saints’ record (2-7 entering Sunday’s game against Atlanta at Caesars Superdome).

“That’s going to spur calls and we’ve had several in the last four or five days,” Loomis said Tuesday night on The Saints Hour radio show, broadcast on WWL-870 AM.

Lattimore was New Orleans’ first of two first-round picks in 2017, No. 11 overall, and started all 97 games he played for the Saints. The last three seasons were interrupted by several injuries that forced Lattimore to miss 10 games in 2022, seven games in 2023 and two games this season after missing almost all of training camp with hip soreness.

But as a four-time Pro Bowler, in addition to his Defensive ROY award, Lattimore was the most decorated cornerback in franchise history. He finished his Saints career with 15 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 88 passes defensed, five fumble recoveries, 405 tackles and seven tackles for loss.

In seven games this season, Lattimore defended two passes and 30 tackles.

“Marshon has been a fantastic player for us,” Loomis said. “He was a great draft pick – he was the Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl multiple times. He’s a fantastic player, he’s a good teammate. I have nothing but good things to say about Marshon.

“Unfortunately, over the last few years he’s had to deal with some soft tissue injuries and a couple other injuries. But he’s still, I think, one of the best cornerbacks in our league and Washington is getting a good player for him.” his push in the playoffs and his career. So I wish him nothing but the best, really.

“In the end, it came down to a deal that I thought was good for us, good value for us and that’s why we did it.”

New Orleans now has one first-round pick, one second-round pick, two third-rounders, two fourth-rounders and two sixth-rounders in the 2025 NFL Draft.

“It gives us a good amount of picks in next year’s draft,” Loomis said.

Lattimore’s departure likely opens the door for cornerback Alontae Taylor to move to outside cornerback full-time after starting at cornerback to open each of his three NFL seasons.

Taylor has moved from slot to outside corner due to injuries in past seasons, and is currently out due to injuries to Lattimore (hamstring) and Paulson Adebo’s season-ending injury, and has shown the ability to create plays outside, which has been his positional preference.