When Sean Payton refers to a position as a "must," it's not a question of whether the Saints address it. The question was when it'd get done.
That was the case this year at outside cornerback, and the team waited until days before the season to pull the trigger on a splash trade for Texans cornerback Bradley Roby.
"We've known the player for a while," Payton said. "We spent a lot of time when he was coming out."
The Saints coach said there were a handful of options they could go after, the question with Roby was his availability. And when it came to the compensation in the trade, the Atlanta Falcons actually lent a bit of a helping hand. The Saints will be sending their third-round selection in 2022 as well as a conditional pick in 2023.
"For us right now we've already got two third and there's a good chance that me might have a third [compensatory] pick," Payton said.
That first comp selection is a product of the Falcons signing Terry Fontenot as their GM out of the Saints' front office, which also handed the Saints an extra selection in 2021. The potential pick will likely be a product of the big free agent deal landed by Trey Hendrickson with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Payton called back to the 2006 season, which also included the return to the Superdome for the first time following Hurricane Katrina. The Saints will open this year at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, and won't return to the Caesars Superdome until Week 4 at the earliest. But it was another aspect Payton referenced: the trade for Scott Shanle late in the preseason. The Saints went 10-6 that year and won the NFC South. Two of the team's starting linebackers really only had a week of prep before opening against the Cleveland Browns that season.
"So we've had some roster changes, which is pretty common on the final cutdown. But we're excited to get [Roby]," Payton said. "There's a handful of people that I know closely that have worked with him, coached him. The feedback has been really good."
Regardless of the potential fit, the Saints will have to find a way to compete in the secondary without Roby for Week 1 as he finishes out a suspension handed down midway through the 2020 season.
Veteran Ken Crawley appeared in line to start across from Marshon Lattimore on the outside, but he suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason win over the Jaguars and has since been placed on injured reserve, making him unavailable until at least Week 4. Veteran Patrick Robinson also announced a surprising retirement midway through camp, leaving the Saints even more in need at an already thin position.
The Saints will rely on some combination of rookie Paulson Adebo, recently signed Desmond Trufant and possibly PJ Williams in that role against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
