Cornerback questions hovered over the Saints throughout the offseason. With their season opener against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers looming, New Orleans appears to be on the verge of adding a former Pro Bowler to their defensive backfield. The team is expected to sign former Falcons and Lions cornerback Desmond Trufant, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Trufant worked out for the team on Monday, six days before the Saints meet the Packers in Jacksonville.
The Saints' current depth chart at cornerback includes starters Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley along with backup Paulson Adebo. Fellow cornerback Brian Poole will miss the season after suffering an injury during the Saints' preseason finale.
The soon-to-be 31-year-old Trufant was the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 draft. A Pro Bowler in 2015, Trufant played an integral role on the Falcons' run to Super Bowl LI in 2016. After seven seasons in Atlanta, Trufant spent the 2020 season in Detroit, where injuries limited him to just six games. He signed a one-year deal with the Bears in March before being released on Aug. 31.
A starter in each of his 103 career regular-season games, Trufant has tallied 14 interceptions, 83 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, six sacks and 10 tackles for loss. And while he recorded just one interception last season, Trufant picked off four passes in just nine games during the 2019 season.
