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Marshon Lattimore trade grades: Did Commanders or Saints win deal for CB?
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- Marshon Lattimore trade grades: Did Commanders or Saints win deal for CB?
Add the Washington Commanders to the list of playoff contenders making a bold move in advance of the NFL trade deadline .
Hours before Tuesday's cutoff, the Commanders struck an agreement with the New Orleans Saints to acquire cornerback Marshon Lattimore .
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The Saints will receive a third-round pick, fourth-round pick and sixth-round pick while the Commanders will also get a fifth-round pick in the deal.
In adding the four-time Pro Bowl selection, the 7-2 Commanders have strengthened their outlook at one of their weakest positions. The Saints, meanwhile, continue to focus on the long term after firing coach Dennis Allen on Monday .
Here's how each team fared in the deal.
Commanders grade: B+
From a talent standpoint, there's plenty to like in this move. Lattimore, 28, is a sticky presence in coverage and also a playmaker with 15 career interceptions. Even amid the Saints' widespread struggles, he's yielding a career-low 5.2 yards per target while allowing a meager 69.1 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Reference. Still, this was a good bit of draft compensation to surrender, even for a team that was set to have an extra third-round pick thanks to its Jahan Dotson deal with the Philadelphia Eagles . Even though Lattimore is a proven entity, cornerback play can be volatile, and some other high-profile deals at the position – like the Tennessee Titans ' move for L'Jarius Sneed – have gone bust. That seems less risky, however, with the overall track record exhibited by a player who will clearly upgrade a premium spot – rookie Mike Sainristil can now move back to his more natural position in the slot – and serve as more than a rental. Health could be an X-factor, as Lattimore has missed 19 games since the 2022 season and is dealing with a hamstring injury. He is also due $36.5 million in the final two years of his contract after this season, though Washington is in a solid spot to absorb the hit.
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Saints grade: B+
The reboot rolls on in the Big Easy. New Orleans didn't have many assets to cast off for additional draft capital, so parting with Lattimore was a sensible move. The picks will come in handy for a roster that surely will need to rely on rookie contracts as it navigates a troublesome salary-cap fallout in the coming years. And between Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry , New Orleans is in a solid spot with its cornerbacks moving forward.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marshon Lattimore trade grades: Did Commanders or Saints win CB deal?
