Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

Why the Saints CB room might be better than expected

2025-08-04T10:00:00-05:00

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

A weaker position group may not look so weak in the end.

When looking at the New Orleans Saints’ roster, one position group may have the most changes from last season: The cornerbacks. After making a great trade and not making re-signings, the Saints’ CB room took a massive hit. Entering training camp, the CBs were the main position that I felt very uneasy about. Besides QB, which is the obvious one, the current CB room may be the group that makes or breaks the season. A great pass rush can hide some issues in pass defense but relying on this is never a good idea.

There are always going to be games where the pass defense needs to step up, and before training camp, I was not sure this group could do it. Second-year CB Kool-Aid McKinstry flashed potential in his first season, but relying on his jump is a risky move. The only CB that I felt mildly comfortable with was Alontae Taylor, who will be switching from the slot to the outside throughout games. Even with that confidence, there are still worries about Taylor’s consistency and if he can get back to that dominance we saw early in his career. The questions surrounding these two players, combined with a positional battle for the other outside cornerback spot, could create a rough scenario for the Saints. Well, that was what I initially thought, but things have changed.

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

It seems like the Saints made the right call by believing Kool-Aid McKinstry would take that next step. The former second-round pick has been flying in practice, making plays in the air, getting interceptions, playing hard, and making life hard for these young quarterbacks. New Orleans has a great group of wide receivers currently, and the fact that McKinstry has been able to shine against these players says something. Before he is established as the future number one cornerback on the roster, McKinstry is going to need to prove it in a game, but as of now, it looks like he can handle it.

As I mentioned before, out of all the cornerback issues I thought the Saints could have, Alontae Taylor was one I felt more comfortable about. We have seen what he can do on the field, and it may come down to his belief in and motivation for the defensive coordinator's scheme. If Brandon Staley can convince Taylor that his scheme puts the young cornerback in a position to succeed and the staff has created a good environment for these corners, there is a chance Taylor could be the most valuable piece of this defense. In his first four years, Taylor has shown the ability to play both on the outside and in the slot at high levels, and in Staley’s scheme, one of the corners needs to have this flexibility. In addition, Taylor has been a vocal voice throughout practice, and it seems the 26-year-old has taken the leadership role in the cornerback room.

Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

Now, onto possibly the main reason why I had worries to begin with, the third cornerback spot. Even though both McKinstry and Taylor stepped up and played well during the season, the main issue was always going to be the outside cornerback opposite of McKinstry. The Saints signed Isaac Yiadom in free agency to a three-year deal, which was a great deal, but having him as a second boundary corner is not something to be that confident about. Additionally, initiating the veteran corner (depending on total snaps) would actually remove the compensatory pick that the Saints would receive for allowing Paulson Adebo to leave in free agency. This may not be a priority of the coaching staff, and really it shouldn’t, but it is something to think about.

The second addition made this offseason that could step up in that CB3 role is rookie Quincy Riley. When the former Louisville Cardinal dropped to the 131st selection, many were shocked and believed the Saints got a steal. In my own mock drafts, I thought New Orleans should have actually traded up to around pick 100 for Riley. Still, even with this great value and potentially one of the best picks in the Saints’ draft, starting the rookie right away is extremely risky. Cornerback is one of those positions where it is rare that a rookie can start right away and not get exposed. Yes, we have seen it happen with the likes of Marshon Lattimore on the Saints, but especially with a 4th-round pick, this is nowhere near the expectation. While keeping these expectations low, there is a reality where Riley is going to start right away, and throughout training camp so far, he has actually looked really good. Already, he has two interceptions and a third that was just out of bounds. Riley brings an evident ball-hawking skill, which could be a similar archetype to the Saints' with Adebo: a player who may get beaten at times but can be dynamic in the air and make big plays for this defense. We haven't seen what Riley can do in the game, but based on training camp, there's some confidence that Quincy Riley can step up into the third cornerback spot.

More Madden NFL 26 ratings revealed: How Saints players were graded

2025-08-04T09:00:00-05:00

Breaking down official player ratings.

EA Sports has revealed more official player and team ratings with less than two weeks remaining until the highly anticipated August 14th release date. At the time of writing, the New Orleans Saints have 91 players rostered during training camp and 74 of those being rated by the video game franchise.

The Saints’ highest rated player in this year’s edition of the game is none other than middle linebacker Demario Davis. The All-Pro is entering his 14th season in the NFL and his eighth in New Orleans. Davis was tabbed as a 90 overall player, the only rostered Saint to score that highly.

In addition to being the highest rated Saint, Davis is also the only player on the team to earn an “Superstar X-Factor” distinction as he was given “Reinforcement.” Only six players league wide earned this upgraded ability that allows the avatar player an increased chance of defeating run blocks and disrupting catches via tackles.

The Saints had a trio of wide receivers that were rated within the top 60 at the position. Chris Olave earned an 86 OVR while Brandin Cooks and Rashid Shaheed were each rated at 79 OVR.

Alvin Kamara was rated a little lower than typically at just an 84 OVR. That rating was just enough to squeak into the top 20 at the position. Free agent signee Justin Reid is the highest-rated newcomer on the team. After spending time with both the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, Reid returns home to Louisiana as an 87 OVR.

Here is how the rest of the roster fared in the initial base release ratings:

Bold- Offense, Italicized- Specialists, Normal- Defense

Erik McCoy | C | 89 OVR

Carl Granderson | DE | 80 OVR

Davon Godchaux | DT | 80 OVR

Julian Blackmon | SS | 80 OVR

Cameron Jordan | DE | 79 OVR

Cesar Ruiz | OG | 79 OVR

Chase Young | DE | 79 OVR

Zach Wood | LS | 79 OVR

Pete Werner | OLB | 78 OVR

Taliese Fuaga | OT | 78 OVR

Cam Akers | HB | 77 OVR

Taysom Hill | TE | 76 OVR

Kendre Miller | HB | 75 OVR

Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 75 OVR

Bryan Bresee | DT | 74 OVR

Clyde Edwards-Helaire | HB | 74 OVR

Juwan Johnson | TE | 74 OVR

Nathan Shepherd | DT | 74 OVR

Trevor Penning | OG | 74 OVR

Alontae Taylor | CB | 73 OVR

Blake Grupe | K | 73 OVR

Cedrick Wilson Jr. | WR | 73 OVR

Donovan Peoples-Jones | WR | 73 OVR

Isaac Yiadom | CB | 73 OVR

Jonathan Bullard | DT | 73 OVR

Jordan Howden | SS | 73 OVR

Ugo Amadi | CB | 73 OVR

Dillon Radunz | OG | 72 OVR

Foster Moreau | TE | 72 OVR

Khalen Saunders | DT | 71 OVR

Terrell Burgess | SS | 71 OVR

Bub Means | WR | 70 OVR

Dante Pettis | WR | 70 OVR

Isaiah Foskey | DE | 70 OVR

Khristian Boyd | DT | 70 OVR

Matthew Hayball | P | 70 OVR

Spencer Rattler | QB | 69 OVR

Velus Jones Jr. | HB | 69 OVR

Chris Rumph II | DE | 67 OVR

Jaylan Ford | MLB | 67 OVR

Jonah Williams | DE | 67 OVR

John Ridgeway III | DT | 66 OVR

Mason Tipton | WR | 66 OVR

Rico Payton | CB | 66 OVR

Nephi Sewell | OLB | 65 OVR

Rejzohn Wright | CB | 65 OVR

Will Clapp | C | 65 OVR

D’Marco Jackson | MLB | 64 OVR

Josiah Ezirim | OT | 64 OVR

Jack Stoll | TE | 63 OVR

Jake Haener | QB | 63 OVR

Kevin Austin Jr. | WR | 63 OVR

Nick Saldiveri | OG | 63 OVR

J.T. Gray | FS | 62 OVR

Kyle Hergel | OG | 62 OVR

Landon Young | OT | 62 OVR

If you’re interested in seeing how New Orleans’ rookies were rated, you can read more about those players here.

For a full breakdown of the rosters and specific player stats, you can head to the Madden NFL 26 Player Ratings database.

What do you think about the Saints’ ratings for the upcoming video game? Players that are ranked too high? Too low? Will you be using New Orleans to play Madden NFL 26? Let us know in the comments below!

Getting to know new Saints punter Kai Kroeger

2025-08-04T08:00:00-05:00

Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Who is the 26-year-old from Lake Forest, IL?

On Thursday, July 31, it was announced that the New Orleans Saints signed punter Kai Kroeger to join Mathew Hayball and James Burnip in the punter competition.

Kroeger attended Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest, Illinois, and was considered one of the nation’s top punters of the 2020 class. He also played quarterback on his junior varsity team as well as wide receiver.

South Carolina All-American signs new NFL deal

READ HERE ➡️ https://t.co/rT3GqU6ssC pic.twitter.com/AGbGICj1EV
— GamecockCentral.com (@GamecockCentral) July 31, 2025

Kroeger played college football for 5 seasons at the University of South Carolina. He was named a first-team All-American in 2022 and second-team in 2024. as well as first-team All-SEC in 2022 and 2024 and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2024.

He attempted 265 punts for a total of 11,823 yards for the Gamecocks, which ranks him second all-time in SEC history.

After going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, Kroeger signed with the New York Jets in May but was released in late July. Just days later, he signed with the Saints. Kroeger is wearing No. 32, last worn by newly retired Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu.

Fleur-de-Links, August 4: Saints hold first scrimmage of training camp

2025-08-04T07:00:00-05:00

Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

Here are your daily New Orleans Saints links.

Saints OL Nick Saldiveri to be placed on IR

New Orleans Saints offensive line depth takes a bit of a hit with the news of Saldiveri’s injury.

Saints Training Camp 2025: Key Takeaways from Sunday, August 3

The first scrimmage of the offseason is complete, and we are one step closer to the start of the season.

49ers cut former Saints wide receiver just days after signing him

After cutting Equanimeous St. Brown a few days ago, the 49ers have done it again and cut another former Saints wide receiver.

Danny Stutsman all over the place pic.twitter.com/ZU2ggQGOqz
— NOF (@nofnetwork) August 3, 2025

Saints OL Nick Saldiveri to be placed on IR

2025-08-02T15:35:03-05:00

Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

Saldiveri will miss the 2025 season due to a knee injury.

The 2025 season has not even started yet but the New Orleans Saints have lost their first player for the year. After Saturday’s practice, head coach Kellen Moore announced that offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri will be placed on injured reserve.

Moore said that Saldiveri injured his knee during Thursday’s practice.

The 24-year-old guard, who was selected by the Saints in the fourth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft, has had bad luck with injuries since landing in New Orleans. Through his two seasons with the Saints, he has only played in 15 of 34 games. During his rookie season, Saldiveri dealt with calf and shoulder injuries which led to shoulder surgery at the end of the 2023 season. Last December, he was carted off the field due a knee injury suffered against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13.

At this time, we do not know whether Thursday’s injury is to that same knee.

To make up for the loss on the offensive line, the Saints brought back a familiar face by re-signing Shane Lemieux, who started 4 games for New Orleans last season.

Win an opportunity for former Saints QB Drew Brees to be your fantasy football league’s analyst from Alltroo

2025-08-02T10:35:46-05:00

Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Proceeds will help support the Brees Dream Foundation.

Fantasy football lovers, here is your opportunity to have former New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees as your fantasy football league’s analyst.

Brees has teamed up with Alltroo for this fun rally to help raise money for the Brees Dream Foundation, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and provide care, education, and opportunities for children and families in need. Since the Foundation’s inception in 2003, the Brees Dream Foundation has contributed over $50 million to charitable causes globally.

Enter now through Wednesday, August 20, at Have Drew Brees Be Your Fantasy Football Analyst for a Night

Prizes include:

Drew Brees will have a 30-minute Zoom call with your fantasy football league
Hang out with Drew, talk football, get advice, and more.
1 signed Drew Brees jersey
12 signed footballs

Alltroo’s purpose is to grow the charitable giving industry by offering amazing experience and amplifying the impact they can make together.

Learn more about them at About - Alltroo

To learn more about The Brees Dream Foundation, please visit: Brees Dream Foundation

Fleur-de-Links, August 2: Will the national media be wrong again about the Saints?

2025-08-02T07:00:00-05:00

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Here are your daily New Orleans Saints links.

ESPN ranked the Saints lineup the worst in the league but is that really the case?

Coming off a season marked by significant injuries, poor coaching, and inconsistency throughout games, it is hard to believe the Saints could be worse than last season.

Taking stock of the Saints QB competition: Tyler Shough must make it competitive

The gap is starting to widen between Rattler and Shough, but can the rookie QB catch up in time?

Grading Every New NFL Uniform for 2025

The Saints’ new helmet makes an appearance, but where does it rank amongst the league's new uniforms?

The NFL’s new virtual measurement system:
pic.twitter.com/HejqWQIZWS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2025

Saints sign OL Shane Lemieux

2025-08-01T11:41:28-05:00

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

New Orleans reunites with Shane Lemieux to compete for a roster spot.

The New Orleans Saints are signing offensive lineman Shane Lemieux, per Mike Garafolo.

The #Saints are signing G Shane Lemieux, source says. Lemieux started four games for New Orleans last season. pic.twitter.com/xBVPiRODm2
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 1, 2025

Lemieux, 28, was signed to the Saints roster during the 2024 offseason. The sixth-year offensive lineman started four games for New Orleans, filling in at center for the injured Erik McCoy.

The former New York Giants fifth-round pick provides the Saints with positional flexibility and could be plugged in at any position on the interior of the offensive line. New Orleans has 4/5 of their offensive line spots solidified, but left guard is still a question. Trevor Penning currently holds that spot but could be replaced if he struggles.

Lemieux will compete for a roster spot for the Saints during training camp and preseason, but some familiarity and versatility could give the 2024 starter a boost.

Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC and “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles,