The New Orleans Saints secondary took a big hit on Sunday, in addition to the passes Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sent soaring over their heads. Per a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, top cornerback Marshon Lattimore strained his hamstring and is recovering with treatment from the team’s athletic staff. He’s considered “week-to-week,” so his availability is in doubt at least for the near future.
Hamstring injuries plagued Lattimore in college at Ohio State, though he’s managed them very well since the Saints drafted him. This would be his first extended absence since his 2017 rookie year when he missed three games with a concussion and ankle injury.
In his place, the Saints promoted slot corner P.J. Williams to Lattimore’s spot on the boundary and brought rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson back onto the field to fill in for Williams. Williams did well in the pinch-hitting role, helping limit Falcons star receiver Julio Jones to three receptions on nine targets — though one of those catches was the biggest play of the game, a 54-yard grab-and-go in which a late tackle by free safety Marcus Williams stopped what would have been a touchdown.
With Lattimore sidelined, the Saints are going to stress the definition of “bend but don’t break” defense. He’s their most impactful defender, able to shift the entire defense schematically when playing at his best. But New Orleans can’t assume he’ll be ready for next week’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their talented receiving duo of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.
So expect the Saints to sign a veteran cornerback. Backup Ken Crawley was waived two weeks ago, opening the door for several experienced tryouts including Kayvon Webster (who spent the summer on New Orleans’ 90-man roster), Captain Munnerlyn, and Johnson Bademosi. Bademosi’s experience on special teams gave him the edge, and he’s already played 33 snaps on the punt and kickoff coverage units in two games.
The Saints need added depth at the position with Lattimore out, even if they don’t expect to start any new faces. Williams, Gardner-Johnson, and Eli Apple should remain the starting rotation, though backup Patrick Robinson could get on the field once he’s recovered from his own hamstring injury. They were fortunate that this wasn’t a season-threatening injury for Lattimore, and fans should have some optimism that he’ll return to the lineup sooner rather than later.
