Being the cornerback on the opposite side of the Barion Brown hype train during training camp has been the most notable part of Isaac Yiadom's offseason. Those same coverage struggles translated to the preseason. Still, it's a tad bit surprising to see the New Orleans Saints move on from him, simply due to numbers.
Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley were going to be the starting corners regardless, but dropping Yiadom is a direct hit to the depth at the position. The Saints have lost both of their starting corners in a season before. If that were to happen, the Saints would be out of luck.
Yiadom's performance certainly warranted the move, but that leaves the team with just three cornerbacks. That doesn't even account for his special teams ability. Yiadom has easily replaced Terrell Burgess as the new most surprising cut on the team.
Saints have a few options after waiving Isaac Yiadom
McKinstry and Riley are the Saints' starting corners, and Martin Emerson has looked like a good pickup in the preseason. If one corner goes down, Emerson is more than capable of stepping into the starting lineup. However, we've already outlined the danger of both corners going down.
Not only do the Saints not have a trusted option, there's not another cornerback on this roster. Before we get to trust, we need to find the body. The most likely option is finding a player who gets cut to try to fill that gap, but that doesn't rule out some versatile pieces already on the team.
Defensive back Mike Reid made the roster, and LouisianaSports.Net's Ross Jackson pointed out he has the versatility to play cornerback and safety. He hasn't been given the chance to show the versatility on the outside in this preseason, but that could be one of the in house options.
Another option already on the team is preseason star Jayden Price. He is a cornerback by trade but has been playing in the slot at STAR. He was a productive cornerback in college and the UFL.
Yiadom's struggles were noted through the offseason, and getting Price some reps outside were suggested for this exact reason. He didn't get them, but Price's track record makes it worth a shot if the Saints find themselves in a pinch. He had the ball skills to secure an interception, and he's been all around stout all offseason.
The last option is the Saints are merely releasing Yiadom with the plan to bring him back after roster cuts. Because he's a veteran, the cornerback doesn't have to clear waivers. They could have cut him to hold on to another player who was a riskier gamble to try to get through waivers during the first wave.
Regardless of what the next move is for the Saints, the depth at corner will be a massive void until an answer becomes clear.
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