The New Orleans Saints will enter the 2024 season with a strong secondary. With guys like Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, and Kool-Aid McKinstry at corner, as well as Tyrann Mathieu and Jordan Howden at safety, it’s easy to see why Bleacher Report identified the secondary as the strength of the Saints heading into next season.
In Bleacher Report’s write up about New Orleans’ secondary, rookie corner Kool-Aid McKinstry was identified as the unit’s most impactful addition. However, another rookie was also highlighted as a player to track throughout the offseason. That player was undrafted safety Millard Bradford, who Bleacher Report argues could be a key depth piece for the Saints.
Can Millard Bradford make the Saints 53-man roster?
Bradford went undrafted this year out of TCU, however, according to Bleacher Report’s scouting department, the safety “flashed some strong coverage skills in college.” That led B/R to believe that Bradford “could provide some additional depth behind [Jordan] Howden.”
As an undrafted rookie, Bradford will certainly have to fight to make the roster, but he’ll definitely have the chance to do so, as the safety depth chart is pretty uncertain after the starters. Tyrann Mathieu and Jordan Howden are expected to return as starters— Howden assumed the starting role as a rookie when Marcus Maye was hurt. After them, things are kind of open.
Johnathan Abram and Ugo Amadi, who both offered solid play in limited snaps last season, are back, and the Saints also signed veteran Will Harris this offseason. That’s who Millard Bradford will be competing with as a depth piece. In order to secure his spot on the roster, he’ll, of course, have to prove himself as a defender, but he’ll also have to be big on special teams. If he can do both of those things, he could enter the season with the Saints on the 53-man roster.
