METAIRIE — When highly-touted free agent signing Julian Blackmon suffered a season-ending injury in week one last season, then rookie Jonas Sanker stepped up to fill his role at safety. With Blackmon back and healthy, the two get to play together, with Sanker moving to the "Star" position.

"Having to play safety last year, I think there are so many similarities that I think it makes the transition a lot smoother," said Sanker of the position switch. "I think Julian is really special and I think having him this year is going to make a huge difference just because I think his ability to make plays on the ball and create turnovers is hard to find."

Blackmon seems optimistic about the potential his younger teammate possesses.

"Sanker's a very smart player, and he's very fast," said Blackmon. "I think speed makes up for a lot of mistakes. If you're going to make mistakes, play fast. When we're back there, a lot of times, I'm telling Sanker what I'm seeing just to help him a little bit. It can be a lot, especially going into year two."

In 2025, the Saints had the fourth-ranked pass defense, allowing less than 180 passing yards per game. As New Orleans heads into year two under defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, the bar only gets higher.