Not enough cornerbacks: CB is a popular team need across NFC South
· Yahoo Sports
The NFC South has had an eventful offseason. Among the NFL teams on the rise are the New Orleans Saints, coming into their second season with quarterback Tyler Shough and head coach Kellen Moore. The Saints finished 6-11 in 2025, last place in the NFC South. However, the team won five of their last six to finish the year on a high note. The division was won by the Carolina Panthers, who finished in a three way tie with an 8-9 record.
New Orleans is looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Carolina's division title broke an eight-year NFC South championship run by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Saints. It's a division that now looks in transition and pretty wide open. Earlier this month, Ethan Woodie of NFLTradeRumors.com outlined the remaining needs for every NFL squad before the start of training camp in July. Here were his assessments for each team in the NFC South:
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New Orleans Saints
Biggest remaining need: Cornerback
''Don't look now, but this Saints roster is suddenly looking deep and competitive. Cornerback is still an issue, though. Kool-Aid McKinstry has emerged into a quality lockdown guy on one side, but opposite him, it's a question mark. Quincy Riley was okay last season. but New Orleans could stand to upgrade there, and the depth is lacking.
Martin Emerson Jr, Isaac Yiadom, and seventh-round rookie TJ Hall are the other options at cornerback for the Saints. Nickel corner is a potential issue as well, with Emerson potentially getting the nod there. It's not an ideal depth chart outside of McKinstry.''
Cornerback as the biggest need for the Saints remains debatable, as we've previously indicated here. However, it's interesting that NFL Trade Rumors identifies this position for three of the four NFC South teams. This is especially intriguing for a division that has playmaking wideouts like Chris Olave, Chis Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, reigning rookie of the year Tetairoa McMillan, and 2026 top-10 draft pick Jordyn Tyson.
Behind Tyler Shough and under Kellen Moore, an Offensive-minded coach, the Saints look to be on the rise offensively. New Orleans added a top running back in Travis Etienne and a top guard in David Edwards in free agency. Then during the draft, the Saints used their first round choice on Jordyn Tyson, a third-rounder on tight end Oscar Delp, and two more explosive receivers in Bryce Lance and Barion Brown during Day 3. They'll join the promising Shough, two potentially elite tackles in Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga, and returning weapons Olave and Juwan Johnson at tight end. With a rising offense and a defense that ranked ninth overall in 2025, the Saints could be ready to put their five-year playoff drought behind them.
Carolina Panthers
Biggest remaining need: Cornerback
''The ceiling of the Panthers defense is still a question mark for me, but this depth chart looks worlds better than it did a year ago. Carolina reshaped their roster through free agency and the draft across two offseasons, transforming a unit that now includes Tre'Von Moehrig, Devin Lloyd, Jaelan Phillips and Nic Scourton, among others.
Cornerback is the one spot that feels pretty thin on depth, though. Jaycee Horn is a stud and Michael Jackson is coming off a great season, but it's fair to question if he can sustain that levek of play. The Panthers could stand to upgrade from Chau Smith-Wade in the slot and they're in major trouble if Horn or Jackson gets hurt.''
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest remaining need: Cornerback
''Cornerback play was an issue at times last season for the Bucs. It could be even worse this season. Jamel Dean is now in Pittsburgh and 2025 second round pick Benjamin Morrison will most likely be asked to step into a full- time starting role. He struggled as a rookie and it's a big ask for him to be a full-time starter.
The alternative is to move Jacob Parrish back to the outside. where he played in college, and insert fourth round rookie Keionte Scott into the slot. That's risky too, though, as Parrish was excellent in the slot as a rookie and is undersized to play on the outside in the NFL. Zyon McCollum is a stud on one side, but it gets very thin very quickly behind him.''
Atlanta Falcons
Biggest remaining need: Wide receiver
''Drake London finally had the monster breakout season he'd been primed for last year, and he's one of the league's better receivers. But the depth chart around him is lacking. Jahan Dotson has struggled to make a consistent impact since his rookie season in Washington and while Olamide Zaccheaus is a quality complementary option, he can't be relied upon as a WR2 like he's projectected as now.
The strength of Atlanta's wide receiver corps probably depends on third-rounder Zachariah Branch. He's an explosive slot weapon who can handle having the offense funneled through him, at least in college. If he develops into a reliable piece, this position coulo flip from a need to a strength for the Falcons.''
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL Team Needs: Saints, NFC South rivals need more cornerbacks