Alontae Taylor claims he's the best free agent CB: Do the numbers agree?

The upcoming free-agent market is shaping up to include several difference-makers at cornerback, and New Orleans Saints' Alontae Taylor believes he should rank at the top of the list.

NFL teams may covet the confidence Taylor has in his own ability, but his claim begs the question: Is he truly the best corner on the open market?

Here, we break down how Taylor stacks up against the best of the rest.

Alontae Taylor

The case for Taylor

Taylor's raw statistics are impressive. His 32 career pass breakups compare well to his peers, and his interception rate, while modest, improved last season, with two takeaways doubling his career numbers.

It also helps Taylor's case that he has experience playing multiple positions, having spent significant time both at outside corner and in the slot.

As one of the best situational blitzers at the position, Taylor's impact also shows up in the sack column. On one occasion, he even recorded three sacks in a single game.

The case against Taylor

Closer inspection reveals reasons to question Taylor's overall profile. Opposing quarterbacks have posted a 99.8 passer rating when targeting him, and he has allowed 20 touchdowns in coverage.

Taylor's ability against the run does not tell a pretty story. He has missed 18% of his tackle attempts during his career.

Jamel Dean

The case for Dean

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' corner Dean is Taylor's main challenger for the title of the best free agent-to-be at the position.

Comparing his career numbers directly to Taylor's is somewhat misleading because Dean has been in the league three years longer.

That said, his interception rate is better, and he is also a superior tackler, having missed only 6% of his career tackle attempts.

The biggest advantage Dean holds over Taylor, and perhaps the most telling metric when judging the quality of cornerback play, is his passer rating allowed when targeted.

By limiting opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 81, Dean holds a clear edge in this category. Moreover, his mark of 47.7 in 2025 ranked first among all 129 qualifying cornerbacks (minimum of 200 snaps).

The case against Dean

Averaging roughly six pass breakups per season, Dean concedes to Taylor's more impressive eight.

And, as primarily an outside corner throughout his NFL career, Dean does not possess the same positional versatility as Taylor.

Conclusion: Which player is the best corner?

Even taking into account how certain defensive schemes can inflate or suppress cornerback statistics, it is difficult to build a case that fully supports Taylor's assertion that he is the best corner available - particularly when Dean is among his competition.

With only 214 vs. 516 career snaps in the slot, Dean lacks Taylor's experience in the position, but the veteran has shown he can still perform effectively in that alignment.

Put simply, even if a team is specifically searching for a slot defender, they may be better served asking Dean to fill that role.

Taylor may believe he is the best player available at his position, but the statistics and tape suggest that honour belongs to Dean.

Either way, both should get paid handsomely next week.