Here’s a smart move: The New Orleans Saints re-signed defensive back Isaac Yiadom per Thursday’s update to the daily NFL transactions wire, keeping another experienced defensive back in their secondary. But Yiadom was also one of their special teams standouts during the back half of the 2022 season. He made some plays as a gunner on the punt team opposite J.T. Gray and also ran with the kick coverage and return units, as well as the field goal blocking squad.
It’s worth bringing him in for a longer look. Yiadom turned 27 last month and has logged nearly a thousand snaps on special teams in his NFL career among stops with New Orleans, the Houston Texans, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos (who drafted him out of Boston College in the third round in 2018). He’s also put 1,500 defensive snaps on tape over the years, largely as a cornerback playing out wide.
He’s in a cornerback depth chart featuring Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor and Bradley Roby, plus Vincent Gray and Troy Pride Jr. (both returning from the practice squad last year). Yiadom is the latest well-seasoned defensive back the Saints have signed in free agency, along with former Raiders first-round safety Jonathan Abram, position-versatile defender Lonnie Johnson Jr., as well as slot corner Ugo Amadi. That’s been a point of emphasis for Dennis Allen’s team this offseason.
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