March 1, 2026, 1:15 p.m. CT
Alontae Taylor expects to draw a lot of attention in free agency. The New Orleans Saints cornerback has gotten his hands on more passes than almost any other defender since he joined the NFL, and his inside-out versatility will appeal to every coach who talks about how “multiple” their scheme is going to be this year.
But where will he play? Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine argues that Taylor is a perfect fit for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, writing:
The Seahawks have a ton of cap space, but many of their resources will need to go toward retaining some key pieces from their Super Bowl run. Kenneth Walker III, Rashid Shaheed and Boye Mafe are all free agents who could score lucrative deals on the open market.
However, cornerback is a spot where they could upgrade. Riq Woolen was not the best fit in Mike Macdonald’s scheme so signing Alontae Taylor is a way they could go outside of the organization to get better. He gave up just 6.5 yards per target this season and is more versatile than Woolen.
Just to be clear, Pro Football Reference and Stathead had Woolen with allowing fewer yards per target (4.8) than Taylor, but Woolen also played one less game and 241 fewer snaps in the regular season. If Taylor is seen as a more dynamic option who can cover the slot, move outside, rush the passer and break up a ton of passes in the process, he won’t lack for suitors on the open market.
There aren’t many teams that can say they have enough cornerbacks. Whether it’s the Seahawks, the Dallas Cowboys, the Las Vegas Raiders (who kept their defensive pass game coordinator Joe Woods on staff under Klint Kubiak; he coached Taylor in New Orleans), or another outfit that gave up too many passing yards last year, it sure seems like Taylor won’t be playing for the Saints in 2026.
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