Jonas Sanker’s first real assignment at Star comes with a heavyweight name attached.
For his opening test in New Orleans’ inside-corner role, the Saints are putting the rookie in front of Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown - a matchup that immediately asks a lot of the former safety. Sanker spent the offseason learning the details of the new position after a standout rookie year at safety, and this week the challenge is as clear as it gets: handle one of the league’s most physical slot threats.
“He’s got quite the resume,” Sanker said. “He’s proven himself in the league, being productive just the whole time he’s been in the league, really. He’s a great test and we’re looking forward to it.”
The Saints’ confidence in Sanker at Star isn’t just about athletic ability. Safety coach Terry Joseph said the rookie showed the kind of mental toughness last season that should translate to the demands of the slot, where the job changes from snap to snap.
Against St. Brown, that toughness will be tested right away.
The plan, Sanker said, is to meet physicality with physicality.
“It’s going to be big to find ways to stay attached,” Sanker said.
That’s easier said than done against St. Brown, whose game has long been defined by his edge.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said on St. Brown’s podcast that he believed the receiver was the most physical wideout in the 2021 draft, and that trait has only sharpened in the NFL.
It matters even more in the slot, where 293 of St. Brown’s 547 catches have come.
Saints coach Kellen Moore pointed to the full package St. Brown brings, from his route work to his hands to his willingness to mix it up in the run game.
“He obviously plays a lot of time in the slot, but he can play all over the field,” Moore said of St. Brown. “His versatility, his route detail, his ability to catch the football in contested situations, his run blocking is as good as anyone in the league.
“A lot of receivers in our league can learn from him. A lot of players can learn from him and so it’ll be a fun test.”
In Other News...
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For New Orleans, it is one more detail to sort through before the first real snap of the season, especially in a game where field position can matter early. Detroit also added defensive back Natrone Brooks to its practice squad, a smaller move on paper, but the Kennedy promotion is the one the Saints will be watching closest as they finalize their own opener prep. [Read more 🡒]
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Saints Need Chase Young To Deliver In A Brutal Week 1 Test
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Chase Young is now in line for a much bigger load, and the timing could hardly be tougher. The Lions bring a difficult offense led by Jared Goff, so New Orleans will need pressure up front to keep the game under control and prevent Detroit from settling in. For the Saints, this is the kind of Week 1 test that can quickly show whether Young is ready to carry more of the burden. [Read more 🡒]