REPORT: New Orleans Saints sign Marshon Lattimore to historic extension

The New Orleans Saints have agreed to a five-year, $97.6 million extension with cornerback Marshon Lattimore, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport. The deal comes with $44 million fully guaranteed and $68.3 million in total guarantees. Rapaport adds that Lattimore can make up to $100 million over the course of the deal.

The new contract provides Lattimore the most guaranteed money of any defensive back in NFL history.

Marshon Lattimore is a three-time Pro Bowler and won the 2017 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has recorded 10 interceptions over his first four NFL seasons and opener his fifth year with three tackles in a 38-3 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The Saints secondary

Entering the season, the Saints were in dire need to find help at corner for this season. They enter this offseason well over the cap and were forced to part ways with starting corner Janoris Jenkins. To make matters worse cornerback Patrick Robinson elected to retire in the middle of the Saints training camp.

They did attempt to move up in the draft to select either Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain II. But with both of them being top of the draft players New Orleans was unable to hash out a deal they liked.

Following a preseason trade for former Houston Texan Bradley Roby, the Saints secondary now features three former Ohio State players. Roby joins corner Marshon Lattimore, who locks up a long-term extension, and safety Malcolm Jenkins on the Saints. Both will be starting for New Orleans this season as they did the seasons prior.

He will also join recently acquired Desmond Trufant and Ken Crawley, who are also vying for the other starting corner position. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is listed as a safety but also does a lot of the team’s lifting at the nickel corner spot. But depending on what teams throw at the Saints, you could see Roby lined up there as well throughout the season.

With all the moves the Saints have made at cornerback recently, it looks like their woes might be behind them now. Coming into the season Pro Football Focus has the New Orleans defense as a high-level tier two defense, largely because of the question marks at corner. But if Roby can come in and maintain his level of performance, the Saints could be one of the best defensive teams this season.