Saints Defender Named One of NFL's Top 'X-Factors'

See which Saints defender is named one of the NFL's top X-Factors by a national analyst.

The New Orleans Saints come into the 2023-24 NFL season with tons of talent on both sides of the ball.  Offseason offensive additions of QB Derek Carr, RB Jamaal Williams, TE Foster Moreau, and RB Kendre Miller are expected to jolt a unit that's struggled for two seasons.  They'll join returning talents like RB Alvin Kamara, WRs Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed, TE Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, and a rugged offensive line. 

Defensively, the Saints already had a strong crew with DEs Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson, LBs Demario Davis and Pete Werner, CBs Marshon Lattimore, Alontae Taylor, and Paulson Adebo, and S Tyrann Mathieu.  They'll be joined by three new defensive tackles in Bryan Bresee, Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, and DE Isaiah Foskey. 

While New Orleans doesn't lack stardom, several of those names are also just coming into the prime of their careers.  Their continued development will be a huge key to a successful season. 

In an article for the33rdteam.com analyst Andy Benoit outlines his biggest ''X-Factor'' for every NFL team.  Here's who Benoit picked for the New Orleans Saints along with his explanation why.

Alontae Taylor, CB 

Jun 13, 2023; New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen gives instructions to cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) during minicamp at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY

A silver lining to superstar corner Marshon Lattimore missing Weeks 6-16 with a kidney injury last season was it forced second-round rookie Alontae Taylor into a bigger role.  And he was quietly spectacular.

Taylor is listed at 6-foot, 195 pounds, and plays bigger than that. Yet, in Week 7, he had positive snaps matching up to shifty Cardinals receiver Rondale Moore.  When Taylor faced receivers who were closer (or beyond) his own size, he thrived even more.  He was competitive against Davante Adams in Week 8.  He was downright dominant against Atlanta’s Drake London in Week 15.  Taylor has shown he can make individual pass stops at all three levels downfield.

New Orleans coach Dennis Allen prefers to diversify coverage and keep seven defenders back.  The Saints in pass situations have ranked 25th, 24th and 25th in blitz frequency during the last three seasons.  But if rookies Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey are slow to develop, Allen might not have enough juice upfront to rely so heavily on a four-man rush.

Allen's dime packages are already conducive to amoeba fronts and feature a superb off-the-ball pass rusher in linebacker Demario Davis, plus a historically electric blitzer in safety/slot Tyrann Mathieu.  Allen might be inclined to get more creative and aggressive with those dime pass rushes in 2023.  For this, it makes a world of difference if Taylor becomes a top-flight cover corner opposite Lattimore.

Oct 20, 2022; Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) battles for position with New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (27). Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

A surprise second-round choice out of Tennessee in last year's draft, Taylor saw almost immediate success after an injury kept him out of five of the first six games.  With star CB Marshon Lattimore missing 10 contests because of serious abdominal injuries, Taylor was thrust into a prominent role.  The Saints defense barely missed a beat.

Often tasked with facing an opponent’s best wideout with Lattimore sidelined, Taylor played well enough that the Saints were able to continue with their aggressive man coverage philosophy.  He led the team with 11 passes broken up and allowed just 48.5% completion percentage and no touchdowns when targeted. 

Despite Lattimore's absence and an inconsistent pass rush, New Orleans still finished with the NFL's second ranked pass defense.  Taylor was a key to that success, despite being overlooked for the NFL's All-Rookie Team and very little recognition in national circles this offseason. 

Taylor, 24, had no interceptions as a rookie, although two were nullified because of penalties.  We should expect that to change in 2023, as teams could still continue to target him with a healthy Lattimore in the lineup.  A physical defender and outstanding athlete, Taylor should improve on his terrific rookie campaign after a year of pro experience. 

Alontae Taylor is a young centerpiece on one of the league's best defenses. Taylor, Lattimore, and Adebo form arguably the NFL's best trio of corners.  It's one capable of controlling even the league's deepest receiving units, allowing New Orleans to be one of the more aggressive and creative squads in the NFL. 

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