Bleacher Report’s new Marshon Lattimore trade isn’t much better than its last

We’ve discussed before how a Marshon Lattimore trade isn’t likely, but also how that isn’t going to stop speculation about the former four-time Pro Bowler getting moved any time soon. NFL trade rumormongering is in full swing now that training camps have kicked off for all 32 teams. And this newest trade offer proposed by Bleacher Report isn’t much more compelling than their last offer.

B/R’s Alex Ballentine suggested the Jacksonville Jaguars make a play for Lattimore’s services, which isn’t a bad idea. The Jaguars defensive coaching staff knows him very well. Former Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen is their new coordinator and he has several of his old coworkers coaching the secondary, including Kris Richard and Cory Robinson, who both worked with Lattimore directly.

Here’s why Ballentine argues a deal between New Orleans and Jacksonville would make sense, swapping Lattimore for the Jaguars’ third-round pick in 2025 (coming to them from the Minnesota Vikings):

The Saints restructured Lattimore’s contract in a way that makes it much easier to trade him before the season starts. With Paulson Adebo due for a contract extension in 2025, the Saints might be willing to part with the older, more expensive Lattimore.

L’Jarius Sneed was traded for a third-rounder and a seventh-round pick swap. That could put Lattimore’s value as a third-rounder straight up. The Jags would be on the hook for most of his 2024 cap hit and the remainder of his five-year, $97.6 million contract.

That might be the cost of keeping up with the Joneses in an extremely competitive AFC right now.

Look, we get what Ballentine is doing here. Using recent deals to project future trades — essentially going with what the market value appears to be — is fine. But just because teams are undervaluing the position doesn’t mean we (or the Saints) have to play ball. If the best offer the Saints could get for Lattimore is a third-round pick in next year’s draft, they simply shouldn’t trade him.

Even if he’s currently missing time with another injury after being sidelined for 17 games over the last two years. Lattimore is a rare talent and arguably the best player on the team when healthy. And he’s proven time and again that he’s worth waiting for when he’s injured. If a split is inevitable, wait it out until a better offer appears. He’s shown a willingness to suit up and go to work that other players haven’t when they want out.

He’s worth more to the Saints than, what, maybe the No. 87 overall pick in next year’s draft (based off this year’s draft order)? Unless a team is willing to make a really strong offer and put at least a second rounder on the table, Lattimore should spend the 2024 season in black and gold.

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