Saints Weigh Keeping Cornerback Alontae Taylor in Free Agency

Fox Sports believes re-signing the 27-year-old could be New Orleans' biggest offseason move.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The New Orleans Saints have several key free agents to address this offseason, including veteran defensive players Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis. But one of their most interesting decisions may be whether to re-sign cornerback Alontae Taylor, who has shown flashes of strong play but also inconsistencies over his four-year career. Fox Sports' Greg Auman believes retaining Taylor could be the Saints' biggest move, as the 27-year-old has leverage in free agency after a productive 2025 season.

Why it matters

The Saints are looking to build on their recent success and keep their homegrown talent, but Taylor's mixed performance makes him a tricky free agent decision. Keeping him long-term could pay dividends, but the team also has to weigh the cornerback market and whether they can find a replacement in the draft at a lower cost.

The details

Taylor, a 2022 second-round pick, has had an up-and-down tenure with the Saints so far. He recorded two interceptions in 2025 and has tallied six sacks over the last two seasons, but has also had periods of inconsistent play. The Saints must decide if his second-half surge in 2025 is enough to convince them to re-sign him to a new deal, or if they should look to the draft to find a more reliable option at cornerback.

  • Alontae Taylor will be an unrestricted free agent in March 2026.

The players

Alontae Taylor

A 27-year-old cornerback who has spent his entire 4-year NFL career with the New Orleans Saints after being drafted in the second round in 2022.

Cameron Jordan

A veteran defensive end who is also set to be a free agent for the Saints this offseason.

Demario Davis

A veteran linebacker who is also set to be a free agent for the Saints this offseason.

Mickey Loomis

The general manager of the New Orleans Saints.

Brandon Staley

The defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Alontae Taylor will probably be the most interesting case of the bunch, as he has been very 50/50 for the Saints over the years, with some truly astoundingly good play at times, and then some lulls that bring him back to Earth.”

— Greg Auman, Fox Sports Writer (Fox Sports)

“Taylor, 27, will be a good test for whether the Saints, finally out of the salary-cap hell they've been stuck in for years, can keep their best homegrown players.”

— Greg Auman, Fox Sports Writer (Fox Sports)

What’s next

The Saints will have to decide whether to re-sign Alontae Taylor before the start of free agency in March 2026.

The takeaway

The Saints' decision on Alontae Taylor's future will be a key test of their ability to retain homegrown talent as they emerge from salary cap constraints. Taylor's mixed performance makes him a tricky free agent case, but if the team believes he can build on his 2025 second-half surge, keeping him long-term could pay dividends for their secondary.