Marshon Lattimore is here, and the New Orleans Saints cornerback has a few things he wants to clarify.
One, despite his name circulating in rumors during the offseason, Lattimore says he never demanded a trade. Two, even with a reworked contract that would make him easier to ship out, the 28-year-old added he didn’t get the impression the Saints wanted him gone.
Three, and maybe most important, Lattimore made clear he still views himself as the best player in the NFL at his position. Even after the last two injury-plagued years.
“I’m No. 1, for sure,” Lattimore said. “I’m No. 1.”
Lattimore’s clarification went only so far. Standing in the Saints locker room Tuesday, after the first day of the team’s three-day mandatory minicamp, Lattimore alluded to a “personal situation” that he had with the Saints, but did not elaborate on those details other than to say the situation had been resolved.
Last month, when Lattimore skipped the team’s voluntary workouts, Saints coach Dennis Allen told reporters that he and Lattimore had a “positive” conversation to get on the same page amid months of speculation that the Saints were open to dealing the former first-round draft pick.
Now that he’s still with the Saints, Lattimore pledged he is committed to the team. He added he wasn’t thinking about getting traded.