The New Orleans Saints have some decisions to make on the back end with Marcus Maye suspended for the next three games.
But as WWL's Deuce McAllister explains, two things are clear: The Saints have the pieces to replace him and be just fine, but if the communication isn't handled well, it could be a long day.
Listen to the full interview with Deuce McAllister in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
"I think it’s definitely next-man up in a sense," McAllister said on SportsTalk with Mike Detillier and Bobby Hebert. "But I don’t know defensively how much you change. It may take two guys to do some of the things that they like to do. But if you’re not talking on the back end, it’s not going to matter.”
Maye's suspension is stemming from a DUI incident in 2021 and it shouldn't have caught anyone on the Saints completely by surprise with the case wrapping up this past offseason and the NFL typically handing out discipline after the conclusion of court proceedings. Likely in anticipation of his absense, the Saints have made sure to load up at safety behind Maye and Mathieu, a group that includes rookie Jordan Howden, who has been a fixture in dime packages thus far.
Speaking Wednesday, head coach Dennis Allen also mentioned J.T. Gray, Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Ugo Amadi as potential fill-ins. It's also possible the team calls up veteran Johnathan Abram from the practice squad.
Howden has performed well in his role thus far, but McAllister wouldn't be surprised to see Johnson or Amadi factor into the gameplan heavily.
"I think that’s one of the things that they do like with that roster overall," McAllister explains. "They’ve got some flexibility and they’ve got some options whether it’s the free safety and/or the strong safety. ... They do probably lose some of that versatility, but I don’t know if they completely turn it over to the rookie yet.”
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More on Ugo Amadi: “Ugo is a guy that can play in the box for you. He’s probably your third guy that you would use or your No. 2 guy that you’d use in the slot when you go big nickel. But the other guy, Lonnie is the guy that probably for me right now, it’s gonna be either Jordan or Lonnie at that safety position, really just depending on what they’re playing or what they feel the most comfortable with. And look, you’re talking about matchup as well. So against Green Bay, who is going to give me the best matchup whether we’re talking about having that guy down in the box, maybe to slow down the run a little bit, or to be able to make sure that we’re communicating on the back end, because guys — we all agree I think — if you don’t have communication on the back end, you’re going to be in trouble.”
More on Lonnie Johnson Jr.: “He can play outside, he can play slot, but then he can play safety, right now, it’s probably his best position. Just because he may not have the elite speed as some of the other guys on the outside, and so he’s still a good athlete where he’s got range, he can turn and then you’re talking about covering moreso a tight end up the middle or I’m deep enough where I can be able to get over and jump some of those routes when I’m playing that middle of the field.
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“He’s been the other gunner outside of J.T. Gray. I mean, when J.T. missed, it was him that was one of the gunners that you kind of leaned on. And so I don’t think a lot of that will change, and so if you’re gonna call a guy up, it would be Abram to be able to help in some of that stuff. But I think it’s definitely next-man up in a sense. But I don’t know defensively how much you change. It may take two guys to do some of the things that they like to do. But if you’re not talking on the back end, it’s not going to matter.”
The Saints (2-0) face off with the Packers (1-1) at noon Sunday at Lambeau Field.