Alontae Taylor wasn't always himself last in the 2023 season, and he'll be the first to admit that.
A typically hyper-confident player was in an uncomfortable position, and that led to a few too many down moments throughout the course of the season. The low point came in a Week 17 loss against the Rams where he was benched in the second half after "getting beat with his eyes" too much by an L.A. scheme that's constantly using motion to bait players out of position.
That all led to a good bit of soul-searching this offseason as to whether the third-year back would fully commit to the slot role after coming up as an outside corner. The answer didn't come until about two weeks before reporting for training camp, but it did come in the affirmative.
"I just had to figure out how can I clear my mind and be able to just go play football," Taylor said during the second week of camp.
It's been a different sort of camp for Taylor, and not just because it's one being held out in southern California. A year ago the former Tennessee Vol went into camp knowing that he'd be competing straight up with Paulson Adebo for the starting outside corner slot across from Marshon Lattimore. The pair alternated first and second team reps throughout camp, but ultimately it was Adebo who landed in that role. Isaac Yiadom, now a member of the 49ers, was the backup and filled in when Adebo or Lattimore missed time on the outside.
At that point it was Bradley Roby taking the first-team slot reps with Taylor only working with the 2s and 3s. The Saints opted to cut Roby prior to the season and thrust Taylor into that role and results were mixed. This time around he's getting every 1st team slot rep, and only working at the outside spot in base reps when there's no nickel corner on the field (and with Lattimore missing time with an injury). Rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry looks to be the backup on the outside, and he's the one taking some backup reps in the slot as well.
Head coach Dennis Allen said Taylor's mindset and commitment to his role has stood out this season.
"I think he’s leaps and bounds ahead of where he was last year and look, I see a guy that’s highly competitive and wants to take that next step," Allen said, "and be an elite, not an elite slot corner, not an elite outside corner, but an elite player in our league and the thing I’ve been most impressed with is his mindset.”
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That mindset has included a good number of high-intensity reps against star WR Chris Olave. The pair has been seeking each other out for 1-on-1 reps and jawing back and forth. On an offense and defense that's been for so long dominated by the veteran players who led the team to four straight playoff appearances from 2017-2020, it's clear that that duo is going to have to play a big role in another resurgence. They're both letting each other know it on a regular basis.
"I think we’re making each other better and today, after the last rep, he just kind of said it, like, keep going, we’re going to make each other great," Taylor said. "I told Chris before camp started I told him there’s no reason he shouldn’t be an All Pro receiver this year, no reason why he shouldn’t be a Pro Bowl receiver and so I’m gonna push him every single day, he’s gonna push me and make me better every single day."
The reps in team drills have been equally interesting for Taylor, who has said going against Klint Kubiak's scheme has given him some flashbacks to that Rams matchup where he got benched. The near constant motion and eye candy forces discipline on every rep and seeing that in camp on a daily basis will only be beneficial as more and more teams adopt this type of scheme around the NFL. The Saints and Rams face off again in Week 13 of the 2024 season.
"Maybe I mess up here or there, but this is where I’m making it better," Taylor said. "So those guys are doing all those motions and I’m having to put my eyes in the right place and I feel like I’ve done a really good job with having better eyes so far in camp and just continue to grow in that area.”
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The final question for Taylor is the real elephant in the room, and it's one that's created some controversy in the past few years: What's the market for a slot corner vs an outside corner?
As NFL defenses continue to evolve it's likely the market value of a slot corner increases, but there's no question that there's a level of sacrifice in committing to the slot when contract time comes around after next season. Taylor's philosophy is going to be production based. There's no use worrying about money until you make the plays that you can point to as you ask for that money.
Still, there's one thing Taylor wants to make perfectly clear: "I’m great at outside corner. I’m getting better at the nickel."