The trade deadline is looming. And while this weekend could turn teams into buyers or sellers, the 2-6 Saints already have landed in the potential “sell” category, especially as it relates to players who might not be on the team in 2025.

A recent contract extension with running back Alvin Kamara removed him from the center of the speculation. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore, however, continues to be a magnet for trade chatter in league circles.

His contract runs through 2026. Trading him would trigger a $20.63 million cap charge for 2025, but it would clear $16 million in cash from the books. (His cap number for 2025 is $31.4 million.)

At a 2024 base salary of $1.21 million, trading for Lattimore would not require his new team to devote much cap space to the acquisition. The challenge becomes 2025 and beyond.

Lattimore, a first-round pick in 2017, was the player the Saints selected after the Chiefs leapfrogged New Orleans for Patrick Mahomes. Maybe Lattimore and Mahomes will end up being teammates, when it’s all said and done.

Whether Lattimore gets traded will depend in large part on whether the Saints continue to view him as part of the long-term plan. If they don’t, now might be the time to save some money, clear some cap space, and get some compensation to help build for the future.