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New Orleans Saints fans have had their hopes dashed at the end of each of the last five years. However, this year, the Saints may be facing disappointment from the jump. Without Drew Brees, Michael Thomas and a rapidly eroding secondary, Saints fans need a quick rebound.
Who could be better than Xavien Howard? Here are three reasons why the Saints need to pursue Howard.
#1 The New Orleans Saints have a struggling top cornerback
A few years ago, Marshon Lattimore was one of the top studs in defense. Now, he is a shadow of his former self. Last season, Lattimore earned a 54.1 PFF grade, and had two interceptions.
Meanwhile, Howard is coming off a season in which he had ten interceptions and had an 87.3 PFF grade. The jump in the secondary would be instantly felt.
Of course, one cannot assume Howard will be able to get ten interceptions this season. However, a jump in defensive viability would instantly give the Saints a better shot to win games. Instead of bending under most teams' top receivers, the opposing offenses would be bent, as their top receivers would struggle to get open.
#2 The Saints have a struggling secondary
As a unit, the Saints' secondary has been up and down over the last ten years. Now, their secondary is down, and has liabilities at safety, cornerback depth and linebacker.
Safety Malcolm Jenkins is coming off a rough season in which he earned a 62.0 PFF grade. Kwon Alexander earned only a 58.6 PFF grade. Meanwhile, second cornerback Patrick Robinson earned a 61.8 PFF grade in 2020.
Essentially, the secondary is set to be leaky. Even if two players can guard their guys, there will likely be problems with the other two. Especially late in games, once teams find the mismatches, the Saints' defense is set up to commit a lot of critical mistakes.
#3 Dennis Allen has imploded before
In 2016, the Saints were ranked 27th overall in defense. Dennis Allen's defense has imploded before,e and it can fall apart again.
So adding Xavien Howard adds a solid floor to the team. Without Howard, the Saints run the risk of returning to the 2016 era. Considering their potential offensive issues in 2021 without Drew Brees, the defense will be much more needed this year.
If a defensive implosion were to occur in 2021, and the offense also endures a drop, the New Orleans Saints could become the league's newest punching bag.
