The New Orleans Saints will be without one of their best players on defense for at least four games, as the team has placed cornerback Marshon Lattimore on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Lattimore suffered the injury in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings earlier this month.
Lattimore did not practice all week due to the issue, and was ruled out for New Orleans' Week 12 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. It remains to be seen if the star cornerback will miss four games, or even more time. This season, Lattimore has recorded 48 combined tackles, eight passes defensed and one interception.
"It's difficult because of his caliber and who he is and what he's done, but I do feel confident in the guys we have behind him," Saints defensive coordinator Joe Woods said Friday, via ESPN. "I know it was a similar situation last year where Alontae [Taylor] and [Paulson] Adebo had to step up. I'm fully confident in the guys we have and we'll be able to move guys around and do some things defensively."
The 27-year-old defensive back was the 2017 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and has made four Pro Bowls in six seasons. Injuries have limited Lattimore over the past couple seasons, as he missed 10 games in 2022 due to a lacerated kidney and multiple broken ribs.
New Orleans has the No. 9 defense in the NFL (312.7 yards allowed per game), and the No. 7 passing defense (199.1 passing yards allowed per game). The Saints currently sit atop the NFC South at 5-5, but could fall to second place with a loss to the 4-6 Falcons on Sunday, or even third place if the 4-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeat the Indianapolis Colts.
