Saints plan to sweeten Lattimore’s contract in 2021

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore could be in for a huge payday this year.

Lattimore was recently cleared to play the Saints’ season opener against Green Bay on Sunday, which saves New Orleans from a potentially catastrophic loss.

The Saints’ cornerback unit has been depleted beyond measure with no worthy competitor to play alongside Lattimore, much less to replace the star corner. Bradley Roby and Paulson Adebo could take turns filling in the backfield, but without Lattimore, the Saints’ secondary loses the most decorated corner in franchise.

So when news broke of the Saints negotiating a long-term lucrative contract extension, we should indeed be jumping with glee.

According to Jeff Duncan of NOLA, New Orleans offered Lattimore a multi-year deal that would pay him an average of $19.5 million per year. If accepted, Lattimore would tie Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey for the second-highest deal for a corner in the league.

Would anybody care to argue against Lattimore’s lucrative contract extension?

We didn’t think so.

New Orleans Saints want to keep Marshon Lattimore for the long haul

It’s not just that the Saints need (like, desperately need) Lattimore this season.

Lattimore deserves this contract because of all he’s done for New Orleans in the past four years. The 2017 No. 11 overall pick became a crucial piece of the Saints’ secondary ever since he won Defensive Rookie of the Year along with three Pro Bowls after that.

Currently, Lattimore is on the final year of his rookie contract, and this offseason he’s tried to help New Orleans free up cap space however he could (such a team player, that Lattimore.)

He’s sat back and watched other members from the famous 2017 draft class sign their way into Saints’ history: Alvin Kamara signed a five-year deal last September, and Ryan Ramczyk signed his in June.

Now it’s time for the 25-year-old corner to get his payday, too.

And not that Lattimore has anything left to prove, but if he could keep Davante Adams in his pocket in the season opener against Green Bay, we would love him even more.