COMPLETE: New Orleans Saints' Deepest Position Group Could Define Their Defense

The New Orleans Saints boast one of the NFL’s deepest and most versatile safety rooms, making it nearly impossible to pick the most vital piece among Justin Reid, Julian Blackmon, and Jonas Sanker. Training camp storylines include creative safety usage, communication between Kaden Elliss and Reid, and key depth battles featuring Jordan Howden, Terrell Burgess, and the blazing-fast Lorenzo Styles Jr.   Saints’ defensive success hinges on takeaways, especially interceptions, a metric that lagged last year with only ten picks. With Julian Blackmon determined to be in the best shape on the team and  cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley, New Orleans can elevate its turnover numbers. And with special teams potentially swinging close games, the kicker competition between Charlie Smyth and UFL standout Tanner Brown could decide crucial moments as the Saints aim for a smoother 2026 campaign.   00:23 Safety Room Saints' Strongest Position 10:56 What to Watch at Camp 20:13 Takeaways Defining 2026 Stat 26:18 Kicker Competition   Photo Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images   BECOME A LOCKED ON SAINTS ALL-ACCESS MEMBER: https://lockedonsaints.supercast.com/   Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-saints/   Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More 🎧https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/   LouisianaSports.Net's Ross Jackson hosts the Locked On Saints Podcast keeping the Who Dat Nation up-to-date with everything you need to know about your beloved New Orleans Saints.   And follow Ross on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New Orleans Saints and talking with fans. On Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RossJacksonNOLA   Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now   Square Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/lockedonnfl! #squarepod   Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) BECOME A LOCKED ON SAINTS ALL-ACCESS MEMBER: https://lockedonsaints.supercast.com/ Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…🎧https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-saints/ Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/ LouisianaSports.Net's Ross Jackson hosts the Locked On Saints Podcast keeping the Who Dat Nation up-to-date with everything you need to know about your beloved New Orleans Saints. And follow Ross on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New Orleans Saints and talking with fans.On Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RossJacksonNOLA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.