With the 11th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, New Orleans Saints He selected cornerback Marshon Lattimore from Ohio State. An outstanding defender for the Buckeyes, Lattimore intercepted four passes en route to 1st Team All-Big 10 honors in 2016.

On Tuesday, in a surprising move, the Saints traded Lattimore and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick to Washington. In return, New Orleans received picks in the third round, fourth round and sixth round of the 2025 draft this spring.

Moving on from Lattimore also ended the career of the top cornerback for the New Orleans Saints.

Lattimore made an immediate impact on a Saints defense that was in desperate need of playmakers. He led the team with five interceptions and broke up 18 passes, the most in the league, forcing one fumble and recovering another.

Part of 2017’s outstanding draft class, Lattimore and fellow rookies Ryan Ramczyk, Marcus Williams, Alvin Kamara, Trey Hendrickson and Alex Anzalone helped turn the Saints into perennial title contenders.

Lattimore won the 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year award, becoming the first New Orleans defensive player to earn the honor. He also earned a trip to the Pro Bowl, the first of four such honors.

Lattimore’s streaming numbers were slightly down from his dynamic rookie campaign. He surrendered a respectable 64.4% completion percentage when targeted, while his two interceptions and 12 pass breakups still led the team.

Additionally, Lattimore led the team with four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He would add two more interceptions in a league round playoff win against Philadelphia, the second of which would clinch the victory.

Lattimore, who had just one interception in 2019, led the team in interceptions with 14 passes. At this point in his career, opposing quarterbacks avoided throwing in his direction at all costs. When they did this, Lattimore gave up a paltry 50% completion percentage when targeted in man coverage.

Earning his second Pro Bowl trip, Lattimore was key to one of the better defenses in the league. Led by their shutdown corner, the Saints have covered nearly every top receiver they will face on their schedule.

New Orleans ranked in the top 5 in every major defensive category in 2020. One of the catalysts for this high ranking was Lattimore, who remains one of the league’s most respected defenders at every position.

Lattimore intercepted two passes and broke up 11 other passes in 2020. He also allowed a meager 52.7% completion percentage en route to another Pro Bowl.

At the start of the 2021 season, the Saints signed Lattimore to a lucrative contract extension. The deal made him one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL. His play that year made it look like money well spent.

Lattimore was the catalyst for a top-10 overall defensive performance. His individual efforts earned him his third straight Pro Bowl and fourth such honor in his first five years.

Lattimore, who led the team with three interceptions, also broke up a team-high 19 passes, good for third in the league. While he recorded a career-best 68 steals and 55 solo stops, he allowed just a 57.5% completion percentage when targeted. His 998 defensive tackles that season would also be a career best.

A durable player early in his career, Lattimore missed only eight of a possible 88 games in his first five seasons. This situation changed in 2022. A severe abdominal injury sidelined him for 10 games from mid-October to early January.

Lattimore’s statistics over seven games were fairly modest. He made an interception and broke up four passes while recording a career-low 29 tackles.

Still, Lattimore’s impact on the roster was undeniable. He allowed a respectable 60% completion percentage in man coverage and still featured the league’s best pass catchers. He also returned his only interception of the year late in the year, scoring a game-clinching score against the NFC champion Eagles.

Lattimore, who made a good start to the 2023 season, will be followed by injuries again. A mid-season ankle injury forced Lattimore to miss the final seven games of the year.

Through the first 10 games, Lattimore was largely outstanding. He stopped one shot and broke up eight others. When quarterbacks were brave enough to test him, he gave up just a 57.4% completion percentage and an average of just 11.1 yards per completion.

The once formidable New Orleans defense has collapsed and fallen to the bottom of the league in 2024. One of the few players to feature consistently was Lattimore, who played in seven of nine games despite a reported hamstring injury.

In those seven games, Lattimore made 30 tackles and broke up two passes despite the occasional pass being thrown his way. He allowed just a 54.5% completion percentage on those targets and just 9.5 yards per completion, the best of his career.

Despite his hamstring issues, Washington viewed Lattimore as a valuable asset. Leading the NFC East with a surprising 7-2 record, Washington is poised for a playoff push.

The Saints, currently an abysmal 2-7, viewed Lattimore as an asset who could gain draft picks to rebuild an aging and underachieving roster. Interestingly, Washington will visit New Orleans on December 15 for a Week 15 matchup.

Lattimore has thrown just one touchdown pass in man coverage in his last 25 games with the Saints. He left New Orleans with 15 career interceptions, 88 interceptions and five forced fumbles. Only seven players in Saints history have more than 15 tackles. If possible, Lattimore meant much more than these statistics indicate.

Lattimore was often tasked with shadowing the opponent’s best receiver in New Orleans’ man-heavy defensive system. He often responded by making even the league’s best offenses irrelevant to the outcome of the game. His elite coverage skills have allowed the Saints to be much more aggressive and creative in their defensive game plan.

One of the players excited about Lattimore exiting the NFC South is probably Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ WR Mike Evans. Evans put up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers against every team he faced except New Orleans. A brutal and physical matchup every time they played, Lattimore forced Evans to make two or fewer inconsequential catches in nearly every matchup.

Marshon Lattimore is the best cornerback in New Orleans franchise history and arguably the best defensive player to ever wear a Saints jersey. Despite the painful crossroads ending his New Orleans career, he will eventually earn a spot in the Saints Hall of Fame when he retires.