At the end of the week, the New Orleans Saints made moves, cutting defensive end Nathan Latu and adding safety Roderic Teamer and cornerback Mac McCain to strengthen their secondary.
The goal of these additions is to provide the defense of the club more depth. As an undrafted free agent in 2021, McCain signed a contract with the Denver Broncos as a depth cornerback. He appeared in two games for the Philadelphia Eagles in his rookie campaign and was a member of the practice squad for the entirety of the 2022 season, including the postseason. McCain went to the Carolina Panthers’ training camp in 2023.
Teamer, who is also included for depth, particularly in special teams, is more experienced. The 27-year-old safety is making his way back to his native New Orleans, where he excelled as a linebacker and safety while attending Brother Martin High School. Later, he played four years of collegiate football at Tulane University, making 46 appearances. Teamer totaled 197 tackles (including 128 solo), three sacks, three interceptions, 15 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two blocked kicks throughout his time in college.
Teamer has 40 games of NFL experience, which is quite a bit. His return to New Orleans is a homecoming, and his knowledge of the region and the backing of the community may work to his favor. Teamer is viewed more as a special teams asset and a depth option at safety, which has been a source of concern for the Saints for a number of months, despite his experience. Although Teamer and McCain are not ground-breaking additions, they do fill the Saints’ need for more depth in the secondary.
Though he has a low ceiling, Teamer is still an important asset because of his versatility in the defensive backfield and his ability to contribute on special teams. McCain offers more depth and possible upside as he continues to hone his skills in the NFL, despite his lack of experience.
In conclusion, the Saints made calculated selections to bolster their secondary by signing Teamer and McCain recently. Even if these additions might not have a big impact on the team’s near future, they provide it the depth it needs and take care of long-standing issues, especially at safety.
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