Saints 2022 Year-In-Review: Bradley Roby

A look back at a veteran defensive back that wound up being valuable at a position hit hard with injuries in 2022.

Early in the 2021 season, the New Orleans Saints traded a 2022 third-round draft choice to the Houston Texans in exchange for CB Bradley Roby. A first-round selection out of Ohio State by the Denver Broncos in the 2014 NFL Draft, Roby had been a quality starter for seven years with Denver and Houston. 

The rapid development of rookie CB Paulson Adebo, along with slot abilities of S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, limited Roby's snaps in 2021. Roby intercepted a pass, broke up five others, along with recording a sack and three tackles for loss. However, he played in just 42% of the Saints defensive snaps over 14 games. 

Armed with a hefty contract when coming over from Houston, many expected Roby to be released last offseason. Instead, the Saints managed to renegotiate Roby's deal into a more team-friendly contract so he could return to a loaded defensive backfield in 2022.

Bradley Roby 

Saints Year-In-Review 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is defended by New Orleans Saints cornerback Bradley Roby (21). Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY

Injuries to corners Adebo and rookie Alontae Taylor forced Roby into the starting lineup and gave him a major role to start the season. Playing opposite of Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore, he'd see a lot of targets from opposing teams. 

Roby gave up 6 completions on 8 targets in the opening week against Atlanta, but allowed only 70 yards. After that he showed standout coverage over the next month. Between weeks two and five, Roby allowed just 35% completion rate and 74 yards on 20 targets in man coverage. 

Cincinnati victimized the 30-year-old Roby in Week 6, completing four balls for 101 yards and a touchdown on him. Roby would suffer an ankle injury the following week at Arizona. The injury put him on injured reserve, causing him to miss the next five contests. 

Upon Roby's return to the lineup in late November, he'd again see a heavy snap count. Taylor and Adebo were back, but the defense would be without an injured Lattimore for 10 games. Opponents still targeted him frequently, but with better results than through most of the first half of the year. Roby was targeted with a 63% success rate for 128 over a five-game stretch between weeks 12 and 17.

For the first time in his nine-year career, Roby did not record an interception. In 13 games of action, he broke up five throws, recovered two fumbles, and had a tackle for loss among 36 total stops.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Bradley Roby (21) breaks up a pass intended for Carolina Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson (3). Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Roby appeared in 73% of the team’s defensive snaps in 2022. He was targeted 63 times in man coverage, allowing just one touchdown and 409 yards in coverage.  

Bradley Roby has another year on the books that would cause a $4.03 million dollar cap hit for the Saints in 2023.  The team could release him, which would create $3.4 million in cap space but cause $646K in dead cap in 2023 and $1.77 million hit in 2024.

Roby has been a valuable veteran in a deep secondary.  However, the team already has Lattimore and two talents in Taylor and Adebo on rookie deals.  The Saints may let Roby test the open market this offseason while looking to bring in a younger and cheaper option that could be a slot specialist.