Will the setback hurt Kool-Aid McKinstry's chances of starting?
Entering the season with a head coach on the hot seat and an injury to star running back Alvin Kamara, the Saints don’t need injury woes. But Sunday night’s preseason game brought one anyway with Kool-Aid McKinstry suffering a concerning setback against the 49ers.
The rookie cornerback suffered the injury on the opening drive in a collision with 49ers receiver Trent Taylor on an incompletion. McKinstry went into the sideline medical tent initially before running on the sideline. He reportedly has a right leg injury.
Saints CB McKinstry expected to contribute soon
The second-round pick dropped in the draft, likely because of a Jones fracture, diagnosed at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Saints head coach Dennis Allem said McKinstry has been trying to make up for missed time, according to saintswire.com.
“He’s a rookie that missed all of spring,” Allen said. “So he’s a thousand reps behind. So every rep that he can get is a learning experience for him. Good news for him, is that he’s smart. He comes from a system that did a lot, in college. Fundamentally and technique, he’s sound. And yet there’s differences in terms of how we do things compared to what he did in college, and so he has to get up to speed on those things. But he’ll be a quick study. And, look, he’s just got to get out here and get the reps.”
McKinstry said it has been a learning experience, according to fox8live.com.
“I’m feeling good,” McKinstry said. “Just trying to get familiar with anything. Getting used to how things are done around here in this great organization that I’m in. Feeling things out and doing things the right way, the Saints way.
“I feel very comfortable in this defense. A lot of the schemes we did at Alabama. So I’m very familiar with the schemes we are doing. The positions that got me playing, corner and nickel, I’m familiar with those techniques and schemes in general.”
Also, McKinstry brings a belief he belongs to the NFL. Before the Saints grabbed him in the draft, he said he was ready, according to profootballnetwork, com.
“I bring hard work, I bring confidence,” McKinstry continues. “I bring energy to the defensive backs group. I’m a guy who can play in any scheme, a guy who can do anything at a high level. I’m exactly what you want.”
Currently, McKinstry is listed as a backup to NFL veteran star Marson Lattimore at right cornerback. Paulson Adebo is a first-stringer at left cornerback with Rico Payton listed as the backup.
Pro Football Focus likes the Saints’ secondary as a whole, raking New Orleans in the No. 10 spot.
“Last season, the Saints put up the sixth-best team coverage grade in the NFL while finishing ninth in expected points added (EPA) allowed per play,” PFF’s John Kosko wrote. “Safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Paulson Adebo graded top-15 at their respective positions, while CB Marshon Lattimore has allowed just two touchdown passes in the past two years.”
Also, McKinstry has a good mentor in Allen. His defenses have ranked in the top 10 in yards per game and in the top five in opponent points per game in each of the past two seasons. During his 16 seasons as a coach, he has coached 10 players to a total of 21 Pro Bowl selections.
