The New Orleans Saints dropped their fourth consecutive game in the 31-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season.
The breakout player from the Saints’ loss to the Bills has been speed running his development as a rookie: DB Jonas Sanker.
This year’s third-round pick out of Virginia has continued to exceed expectations while filling in for injured free-agent addition Julian Blackmon in the secondary—and it’s starting to feel like the Saints may have hit the jackpot with
the 22-year-old.
On Sunday against the Bills, Sanker recorded three tackles, two pass breakups and the Saints’ first interception of the season, which also marked Josh Allen’s first pick thrown this year. Allen tested him deep on back-to-back plays, but Sanker responded with a PBU and then his wildly impressive INT, showing great range as he covered a ton of ground from the opposite hash. He finished with a team-high 85.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, including an 87.2 in coverage.
His 77.3 overall grade on the season ranks 16th among safeties league-wide, while his 79.1 coverage grade is fifth, according to PFF. Sanker also had the game saving interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the preseason as well, so he’s clearly got above average ball skills for a rookie.
Kellen Moore expressed high praise for his rookie DB:
“Jonas has just done an awesome job… I’m just really happy for this guy. This guy is progressing every week. He played some really hard situations this week. He made the big-time interception. He was matched up against some of the best tight ends in the league in Buffalo and he covered them step for step, made some great plays on the ball and he’s coming around in just a really special way and so I’m fired up to just see him continue to progress.”
