The 2023 NFL offseason is in full swing, and with that, training camps edge ever closer to starting. We have seen a new wave of players enter the team both via the draft and free agency, but there is also a large group of returning players from last season as well. This has led to some debates to be had regarding which players will have the largest impact on the roster for the 2023 season.
Each day we will be counting down the 25 most important Saints for the 2023 season. This will be split up into the following categories:
- Recap of their 2022 season
- Projecting their 2023 success
- What is the biggest question mark for them in 2023?
The second-ranked player by the Saints Wire staff is cornerback Marshon Lattimore:
Background
The Cleveland native stayed close to home for college, attending Ohio State. He really only played during one season (played a little bit as a rotational piece in 2015) for the Buckeyes, but was good enough to still get drafted as high as he did. In 2016, he had 41 tackles and four interceptions and nine passes defended. He was named to the All-Big Ten first team.
The Saints drafted him with the No. 11 overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. He was the first cornerback taken, over some other stars in Marlon Humphrey and Tre’Davious White.
2022 Recap
Lattimore missed most of last season dealing with injuries and his absence was felt when the Saints had to very heavily rely on young cornerbacks and Bradley Roby throughout the season. They still ranked high in passing yards allowed, but Lattimore being a bigger presence could’ve changed the season in such a tight division race. Lattimore didn’t allow a touchdown last season, a streak he has maintained since Week 12 of 2021.
2023 Outlook
Lattimore will be called upon to once again be the leader of this cornerback group. Reports from training camp have been very favorable to this point and it looks like we could be witnessing a big bounce-back season. He hasn’t played meaningful football against a good team since Week 5 of last season, so it’ll remain to be seen but the expectations are going to be pretty high for now.
Biggest question: Is he still one of the best cornerbacks in the league?
The public image of Marshon Lattimore as one of the elite defenders in the league as been declining. Missing most of last season certainly didn’t help with the recency bias favored in a lot of those conversations. It was the first season without a Pro Bowl nod for Lattimore. Most will recognize that he’s still one of the league’s best, but he has a chance to really cement himself this season.
