Updated Saints depth chart after stunning Marshon Lattimore trade

The New Orleans Saints' 2-0 start might as well have been five years ago for how far away it feels, as the team has lost seven straight games and has made a coaching change. It's only natural to start selling, and Marshon Lattimore was the first domino to fall as Mickey Loomis attempts to rebuild.

Lattimore was traded to the Washington Commanders along with a fifth-round pick. Washington is sending New Orleans quite the haul to account for Lattimore, as the Saints are picking up a third-round, fourth-round, and sixth-round pick in this deal.

The Saints will be opening the door for younger players to take turns trying to fill in for Lattimore. While this might be bleak in the short-term, this is the best move for the long-term health of this franchise.

Updated Saints depth chart after Marshon Lattimore trade

CB1: Alontae Taylor
CB2: Paulson Adebo (injured)
CB3: Kool-Aid McKinstry
CB4: Rico Payton
CB4: Shemar Jean-Charles
CB5: Ugo Amadi

Amadi will be sent to the bottom of the depth chart with this move, as the Lattimore trade gives second-round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry a chance to show he can be a productive starter in this league. The Saints' secondary may not be terrible once Adebo gets fully healthy and returns to the lineup.

Very few players have exceeded expectations on this Saints team have exceeded expectations, but Taylor is one of those rare finds who continues to get better. The Saints may need to cut costs in the next few years, but Taylor is very much worth keeping around.

New Orleans lost a cornerback in Lattimore that had not allowed a touchdown in single coverage since 2021. After some struggles against a very bad Panthers passing game and firing a defensive coach in Dennis Allen, it's expected that New Orleans will have a few bumps and bruises in the next few months.

The rest of the year is all about evaluating for 2025 after the Lattimore trade. While the defense isn't going to be very impressive this year, it could be the perfect opportunity for people like Taylor to strut their stuff and prove they should stick around or New Orleans' next shot at contending.