Jonas Sanker is the New Orleans Saints' most important defender in their week one matchup against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. His performance in Brandon Staley’s STAR role, a spot he’s never played before, could be the difference between an upset victory and a blowout loss.
This position is vacant after Alontae Taylor left for the Tennessee Titans this offseason. Instead of signing a new STAR, Staley opted to transition to Sanker. So far, he’s looked amazing this offseason and has shown dramatic improvement in training camp. However, all of that is meaningless now heading into the regular season.
Sanker didn't participate in the preseason, so this is his first test against an actual opponent. He’s going to be thrown into the fire against an explosive Lions offense, including Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams. It’s a well-rounded team that can dominate both on the ground and in the air. It’s crucial that Sanker holds his own and looks comfortable.
Don’t expect Jonas Sanker to be perfect, but his overall performance will be a determining factor in the defense’s success.
It’s irrational to assume that Sanker will play perfectly in his first game at a new position, especially against an uber-talented offense. Instead, the goal is to finish the situation he’s put in and limit explosive plays.
The STAR is near the line of scrimmage and is always close to the ball. With this, they are constantly in a position to make a play or finish a tackle in open space. Taylor struggled with this in 2025; his inconsistency resulted in frustrating plays. He ended the year with a 12.4% missed tackle rate, which is far too high.
It may take time for Sanker to make the splash plays that Taylor did; that will come. However, week one will be a major success if he makes the routine tackles. That will help limit the Lions' offense and make the rest of the team’s jobs significantly easier.
Detroit will still drive down the field and score. They’re too talented to be completely shut down, but forcing them into field goals is a win. A big part of that falls on Sanker’s shoulders.
This is asking a lot, but it’s what the Saints need. Jonas Sanker showed immense potential in 2025, which is why the coaching staff felt comfortable moving him to STAR. Now he must prove they were right and make some plays on Sunday, because showcasing his reliability and consistency could lead the Saints to a week one victory.
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