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 23rd-ranked player by the Saints Wire staff is a third-year cornerback coming off a tough second year, that being Paulson Adebo. Drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft, Adebo will look to return to the form of his rookie season.
Background
Position: Cornerback
Age: 24
Experience: 3rd season
2023 cap hit: $1,375,912
2022 Recap
Coming off a promising 2021 campaign, Adebo had a down 2022 season in which he struggled mightily with holding onto the ball. Despite seeing nearly a 20% increase in snaps from 2021 (76% to 94%), he had zero interceptions compared to three the previous season. He also had fewer tackles, tackles for loss, and pass deflections than 2021.
His overall stat line was 60 tackles, two tackles for loss, nine missed tackles, seven pass deflections, zero interceptions, 50 completions allowed on 76 targets (65.8%), six touchdowns allowed, and a 119.6 passer rating allowed. Overall, a tough season after having a highly productive rookie year.
2023 Outlook
In terms of a 2023 prediction for Adebo, it is pretty difficult to make an informed guess as to how he could produce. On one hand, he showed a ton of promise as a rookie and that was rewarded with a significantly higher snap count in 2022. On the other hand, he performed at a decreased level with that higher snap count, and now has Alontae Taylor vying for a starting position.
With that said, there will likely be a pretty substantial snap count available to Adebo again this season. While he may split more with Taylor, the odds that Taylor goes for even more than 75% (what he played last season) are relatively low. How Adebo performs is up to how effective he can be at getting his hands on the football. Spending the offseason with new defensive coordinator Joe Woods may help develop this more.
Big question: Can Adebo return to 2021 form? Or will Alontae Taylor take the reigns?
As mentioned in the previous section, the performance of Adebo in 2023 comes down to how he splits snaps with Alontae Taylor. If the coaching staff feels they have something special with Alontae (which they should), then we could see him with another season of 75% of snaps or so, potentially as the true outside corner alongside Marshon Lattimore. On the other hand, if the staff believes Adebo needs another year before they somewhat relegate him, then we could see the true breakout season they were looking for last season. The talent is absolutely there, we saw it before, and if Adebo gets back to that level, this could be a special season for him.
