Countdown To Kickoff - 2024 New Orleans Saints

Excerpts from an article by John Sigler of Saints Wire on 8/5/24 as viewed at saintswire.usatoday.com


August 5th, 2024 - Kool-Aid McKinstry - Number 34


Countdown to Kickoff: Kool-Aid McKinstry is the Saints Player of Day 34​


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Just 34 days stand between the New Orleans Saints and their season opener with the Carolina Panthers, which makes Kool-Aid McKinstry our Saints Player of the Day. The current owner of the No. 34 jersey has gotten much more work at training camp than we may have expected when the Saints drafted him, but those opportunities should serve him well.

Let’s look back on the road that brought him here and where it could take him:

McKinstry was seen as a luxury pick when the Saints traded up for him, but an early-summer injury to Marshon Lattimore has thrust him into the spotlight. That’s not to say he’ll remain in place as Lattimore’s replacement; once the veteran is healthy, McKinstry will go back to competing with Alontae Taylor to start in the slot. And that’s a role he says he’s comfortable with, having practiced it often on Alabama’s second-team defense under Nick Saban.

His best path to playing as a rookie remains in the slot, but McKinstry could have a tough time unseating Taylor. If he doesn’t get the nod to start in the Saints’ nickel defense, McKinstry could still play a lot outside if Lattimore misses more time, or if Paulson Adebo gets nicked up. And if either (or both) of them move on next year he’s primed to start. There isn’t a team in the NFL that has enough starting-quality corners.

Full Article In Link Below:

https://saintswire.usatoday.com/202...ol-aid-mckinstry-saints-player-of-the-day-34/