New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom has had an offseason that he'd like to forget. Looking like burnt toast on every video out of practice, the veteran player could very well be on the chopping block now.
Yiadom also wasn't able to play his way out of the elimination zone in the preseason games, being burned and bullied in the three games. Especially during the game against the Dallas Cowboys, where he allowed nearly every positive play by the Cowboys offense in the first half. More often than not this offseason, his name has been said in anger by fans rather than in praise.
All eyes are on roster cutdown day (Aug. 30) anyway, with the Saints' offseason mostly in the rearview. Soon enough, the media and Who Dat Nation alike will get to see how much Yiadom's poor offseason has affected the coaches' view of him. However, if he does get told by Brandon Staley and Co. to take a hike, then the cornerback room would be losing one of its older members.
If the Saints cut CB Isaac Yiadom, they'll be relying on some pretty young players
Isaac Yiadom, for all of the faults he might have, did bring valuable experience to the Saints cornerback room. If he's let go, then New Orleans would be relying on players like Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley, who are still on their rookie contracts. That's something that would be a risk for any team in the league to take.
However, both McKinstry and Riley seem capable of handling the task. McKinstry especially, mainly due to the fact that he has really grown as a leader and playmaker over the past few months. A likely team captain, he's someone who has been praised more often than not by teammates, coaches, and fans.
As the spring has turned to fall, Riley has been quietly impressing Saints media and staff. He has been making plays when needed and, most importantly, avoiding the wrong side of a highlight, which suggests he just might be the right guy for the CB2 job.
Unless very recently signed Michael Davis makes the team, if Yiadom is cut, then Justin Reid would become the oldest member of the Saints' defensive backfield. At 29 years of age, he'd be leading a bunch of other 20-something-year-old players. Youth, something that feels like it's been used less and less by the Saints, could really be the name of the game for the defense this year.
Add us as a preferred source on Google