Saints Star Lands $77 Million Free Agency Projection

Cornerback Alontae Taylor could command a lucrative deal in free agency.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The New Orleans Saints have one of the better pending free agents in all of football right now. Free agency won't officially open until March and for the Saints, one guy to watch out for will be cornerback Alontae Taylor. The Athletic has Taylor ranked as the No. 18 overall free agent in this year's class and projected that he will land a four-year, $77 million deal.

Why it matters

Keeping Taylor would be a good move for the Saints, but the projected $77 million price tag may be too high. The Saints have other holes on the roster to fill this offseason, and that money could be better spent elsewhere on the team's needs.

The details

Taylor is a tall, long, fast corner with inside-outside flexibility and a press-man skill set. He is a physical, tenacious run defender, which allowed him to fill the star/nickel role in coordinator Brandon Staley's Saints defense. In 2025, he played 52.3 percent of his snaps in the slot, but Taylor also has considerable experience on the outside. The Saints cornerback is one of the most intriguing pending free agents.

  • Free agency won't officially open until March.

The players

Alontae Taylor

A cornerback for the New Orleans Saints who is set to become a free agent. He is ranked as the No. 18 overall free agent in this year's class.

Kool-Aid McKinstry

A cornerback for the New Orleans Saints.

Quincy Riley

A cornerback for the New Orleans Saints.

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What they’re saying

“Alontae Taylor, Contract projection: 4 years, $77 million. Age: 27 Height: 6-1 Weight: 199. Taylor is a tall, long, fast corner with inside-outside flexibility and a press-man skill set. He is a physical, tenacious run defender, which allowed him to fill the star/nickel role in coordinator Brandon Staley's Saints defense. In 2025, he played 52.3 percent of his snaps in the slot, but Taylor also has considerable experience on the outside. He was an outside corner in base packages this past season.”

— The Athletic (The Athletic)

The takeaway

Keeping Alontae Taylor would be a good move for the Saints, but the projected $77 million price tag may be too high. The Saints have other holes on the roster to fill this offseason, and that money could be better spent elsewhere on the team's needs.