Before last season began, the New Orleans Saints' cornerbacks were a massive question mark on the defense. The roster was never expected to be great, but if there was going to be one place to blame the Saints' defensive issues, it would be the CBs.

This was very true at the beginning of the season, and to defend them a bit, the defensive line's inability to get to the QB put a lot of pressure on the pass defense. Still, it was a clear issue that needed to be fixed. As the season went on, with Quincy Riley added to the starting lineup and a better pass rush, the pass defense improved, but it remained inconsistent.

There is already some worry with the two current boundary corners (Kool-Aid McKinstry and Riley), but Alontae Taylor is set to be a free agent. His departure will really hurt the group, but Taylor has not been a shining example of consistency, and bringing him back would be expensive.

Should the Saints do it?

Starting with some reasons the Saints should bring Taylor back: he has been learning the slot position since moving there and has shown the ability to play it. In Brandon Staley's scheme, which was new to Taylor this past season, he has had to move away from his normal man coverage-focused defense toward a more zone/man defense.

Last season, he showed the ability to get it done in man coverage, but zone play was less consistent, a factor for all the Saints' CBs. Bringing him back would be betting on that improvement, and he has shown that ability so far in his career. As a leader, Taylor is also a great person to have in the locker room, and on the field, his plays can change the momentum of games. 

Now, to the cons, Taylor has not been consistent enough to rely on him. Yes, when the plays are made, they are massive for the Saints, but when there are missed plays, such as bad coverage or missed tackles (which may be the biggest issue), it really hurts the defense. In addition, Taylor is 27 and should be a highly sought-after free agent. There is a chance Taylor commands a $15 million annual contract. 

So, looking at the pros and cons, here is where I am on bringing Taylor back. It really depends on the contract. If he is willing to come back on a contract closer to $10 million a year, the Saints should do it so his replacement does not need to be found, and he can improve in Staley's scheme. But if the deal is closer to $15 million a year, the Saints should go in another direction. It would be a hit to the roster, and there is a good chance Taylor can thrive somewhere else, but where the roster currently is, going with a cheaper, more proven commodity may be better.