Going into Day 10 of New Orleans Saints training camp, we’re shifting focus to the secondary. With cornerback Marshon Lattimore and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson out for Friday’s practice, more opportunities presented themselves for what has proven to be a deep secondary. After watching the trenches yesterday, here are three players we’ll be watching at Saints camp Day 10 — focusing on the secondary:
S Justin Evans
Evans’ versatility has been a major draw throughout camp thus far. We’ve seen him take snaps from all over the defense, and make plays from several of those spots. He has better-than-decent range and plays very physical football.
Evan’s got into the mix with the first team more frequently on Friday. With C.J. Gardner-Johnson out, it’s likely there were more opportunities to get involved. If Gardner-Johnson’s absence continues, Evan’s could be in for a longer look at an important role.
CB Bradley Roby
Similar to Evans, Roby has been all over the defense throughout camp. While he has specialized in the past as a nickel corner, he has shown some value on the outside that’s held steady throughout camp. Right now, Roby has four interceptions so far, including one in each of the last two days.
“At the end of the day it’s another linebacker,” Roby said when asked about the evolution of the nickel cornerback. “The nickel has to be able to blitz, to cover, to fit the run. Everything. So it’s another key part of the secondary of the defense.”
CB Paulson Adebo
Adebo has, without a doubt, been the star of camp thus far. On Friday, he finally got the opportunity to match up with wide receiver Michael Thomas in 1-on-1s. While Adebo lost those reps, it goes to show that there’s room for the second-year cornerback to get even better than what he’s shown on at the practice facility through the first two weeks.
Seeing him build and continue to bolster his resume piques my interest going into Saturday. Perhaps he feels he needs a bounce back day or wants more matchups with Thomas. Those should provide some standout and educational moments about both players and where they are heading into 2022.
