The New Orleans Saints put up an impressive battle on Sunday but fell to the unbeaten Buffalo Bills 31-19 in Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season. Here is the biggest overreaction from this weekend’s matchup:
Kool-Aid McKinstry isn’t a true No. 1 corner
The Saints’ 2024 second-round pick has gotten off to a slow start since taking over as the lead outside corner following last year’s trade of former Pro Bowl CB Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders.
On Sunday against the Bills, McKinstry recorded seven total tackles and one stop but allowed three receptions on three targets for 43 yards. Pro Football Focus gave him a 59.1 overall grade for his performance, including a 53.9 coverage grade.
Through four games of his sophomore season, he has 13 tackles (three missed), one pass breakup, three stops and two penalties conceded, while allowing 12 receptions on 16 targets for 193 yards and two touchdowns. His PFF grades clock in at 48.7 overall and 49.1 in coverage.
Personally, I’d say this still qualifies as an overreaction, considering how early it is in the season—and in his career.
McKinstry also got off to a slow start during his freshman year at Alabama before developing into one of the nation’s top man-to-man cornerbacks over his final two seasons.
He is now working in a completely new scheme from his rookie year, so it may take time for him to feel fully comfortable covering the opposing team’s top pass catcher. I still believe Kool-Aid has the intangibles to become a shutdown corner in this league—he just has to find a way to put it all together.
Nonetheless, I firmly believe cornerback should be one of the Saints’ top priorities in the 2026 NFL Draft, as I’ve previously mentioned—especially with prospects such as Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, LSU’s Mansoor Delane and Clemson’s Avieon Terrell headlining the position group.
