The New York Giants are still looking for ways to improve the deep secondary, and a four-time Pro Bowl cornerback could become available to them via trade before the start of training camp.
New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore has been thrown around in trade rumors for most of the offseason. The 28-year-old still has a few years left on his five-year, $97 million contract, as he isn’t set to be a free agent until 2027. Nevertheless, rumors about moving Lattimore picked up steam when the Saints drafted DB Kool-Aid McKinstry with their second-round draft pick.
Therefore, the Giants have an opportunity to snatch Lattimore from New Orleans and fortify their defense, which is a strong group overall but lacks deep secondary talent. The Giants were very busy at the start of the offseason, most notably acquiring star linebacker Brian Burns from the Carolina Panthers and then signing him to a five-year, $141 million contract.
The Giants need depth at the cornerback positions
As of now, Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott are expected to man the main corner spots, but beyond that, the depth chart gets thin in the secondary. Last season, New York experimented by starting Tre Hawkins III alongside Banks and moved Adoree Jackson to the slot corner spot, but that did not pan out as hoped.
Lattimore has a lot to offer as an efficient tackler and strong pass defender that would enhance the Giants’ defense. He has a career missed tackle percentage of just 6.1% and has allowed a completion percentage of under 65% each season of his career. The talent is one that the Giants would really find useful.
Lattimore has dealt with significant injuries in recent years
Despite the high-level play, Lattimore has dealt with some tough injuries over the past couple of seasons. An abdominal injury limited him to seven games played in 2022 and he missed the final seven weeks of 2023 with a right ankle sprain. There is a good reason to be concerned about those injuries slowing him down on the football field, but his youth and track record should provide reassurance to teams that may express interest.
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Taking Lattimore now could give the Giants a huge piece for when they contend
The Giants are in no position to be a serious contender in 2024, as their offense and coaching staff have been entirely retooled after a historically poor 2023 season. However, making a move for Lattimore while he is still under contract for the next several years could give them a massive piece to have by the time they are set to compete in the playoffs again. It would also allow Lattimore to learn the new system that Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen will be utilizing at the same time as the rest of the group that played under Wink Martindale.
As of now, there is no indication that the Giants are seriously in the mix to acquire the three-time pro-bowler to their 2024 squad, and the Saints haven’t necessarily made Lattimore’s availability on the market publicly known. However, with the start of training camp less than a month away, New York could pull off a stunning acquisition that gives their defense a massive boost.