We’re officially less than a month away from meaningful football. If you see the No. 29 in the New Orleans Saints secondary, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. You aren’t watching last year’s games either. The Saints lost Paulson Adebo in free agency, but Quincy Riley may take his place in 2025 the same way Riley took his number.
We’ll have to wait 29 days to know for sure if Riley will step into the starting lineup. That answer will come when the New Orleans Saints take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. The beginning of the Kellen Moore era will begin with searches for new stars at premier positions.
The Saints know they’re going to walk out Kool-Aid McKinstry as one of your boundary corners. Alontae Taylor should join him in base defense and slide inside in sub packages. That’s where Riley can come into play. If the rookie gets on the field, he has the potential to be an instant playmaker.
Quincy Riley has a critical trait to replace Paulson Adebo the Saints secondary
Adebo stepped in as a Day 1 starter for New Orleans. Not only did the cornerback become an instant starter, he also made an instant impact with three interceptions his rookie year. Through his four years with the Saints, Adebo led the team in interceptions.
That was a trend was a constant throughout his career, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Riley take on that role. Riley was a turnover machine in college. He finished his career with 15 interceptions, and didn’t see his numbers stall when he made the leap in competition to Louisville.
The Saints lack proven playmakers in the secondary. The Saints need someone who can take the ball away in the secondary. Riley is already showing that trait in training camp. He has two interceptions through the beginning of camp.
In order to flash his knack for getting interceptions, Riley will have to battle with Isaac Yiadom. Yiadom is the veteran returning to New Orleans, but it’s unclear how much of an advantage that gives him over the rookie, if there’s an advantage at all. This will be an interesting battle to watch in the preseason
