4 best contracts on the Saints roster right now
By Kristen Wong
Saints’ Player No. 2: Marshon Lattimore
Lattimore has the most expensive contract on the Saints roster and for good reason. The star cornerback signed a five-year, $97.6 million contract extension last September that includes $44 million in guaranteed money and $68.3 million in total guarantees, which means Lattimore can potentially earn a maximum of $100 million.
As a bonus for the Saints, the deal turned roughly $18 million of Lattimore’s base salary into a signing bonus, thus creating the equivalent amount in cap space.
In one stroke, NOLA created more cap space and re-signed arguably the team’s best defender for the foreseeable future. Now that’s a good deal.
The Saints appropriately made Lattimore one of the highest paid corners in the league because he plays like one: Lattimore started 16 games last season and recorded 19 passes defended along with three interceptions. Since being drafted in 2017, he has started at least 13 games in every season and earned Pro Bowl honors for each of the last three years.
The 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year continues to make the Saints’ defense elite, and the franchise made the wise choice to keep him around.