The New Orleans Saints have some momentum heading into the 2026 offseason after a strong back half of the 2025 campaign. Unfortunately, a lack of cap space could be set to limit their growth moving forward.
Without much financial flexibility, New Orleans may have to let some of its best players leave in free agency. Cornerback Alontae Taylor will be among the most sought-after players on the market after posting a solid season with the Saints.
If he does leave, he will surely have plenty of suitors. While it may be unrealistic for Saints fans to hope for him to stay in New Orleans, they would hate to see him sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. FanSided.com's Jake Beckman projected a move to Philly for the cornerback in a recent article, bringing up a near-worst-case scenario for Saints fans.
Saints CB Alontae Taylor projected to sign with Eagles in free agency
Taylor put up two interceptions for a Saints defense that struggled to keep up with opponents at times, solidifying his status as a quality starting cornerback heading into free agency. He ranked 17th on Beckman's list of the top free agents in the NFL this offseason. After a solid campaign, the Saints may want to keep him in-house instead of letting him hit the open market. Unfortunately, they likely don't have the money to convince the defensive back to stay.
After linking Taylor with the Eagles, Beckman said, "You have to think the Eagles are going back to the veteran well for their cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Last season, they did it with Adoree’ Jackson, and it took him a minute before he was able to get up to speed and become part of the Vic Fangio hivemind. Alontae Taylor would give them a lot of versatility: he can play inside and outside, and he can play both sides of the field."
Taylor would solve one of the only glaring needs on the Eagles' roster, immediately helping them bounce back into Super Bowl contention. With another solid starting cornerback, Philadelphia's defense would be without a clear weakness.
The Saints may still be a couple of steps away from competing in the playoffs again, but it would still hurt to strengthen an NFC opponent with one of their former players. Instead, fans will hope that Taylor signs with an AFC team, keeping his impact from affecting the NFC playoff picture.