After spending the past two seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Ugo Amadi has solidified his role in the team’s defense. In 2023, he was primarily utilized on special teams, but by the midpoint of the 2024 season, he emerged as a key contributor in the secondary. Amadi took over as the team’s starting nickel cornerback and made a significant impact on the defense. By the end of the season, he had started five games and logged 527 defensive snaps, marking his highest usage since 2021. His statistical output reflected this increased role, as he set career highs with 65 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and six tackles for loss.
Heading into the 2025 season, Amadi is positioned as the front-runner to retain his starting role in the Saints’ secondary. His ascent into the lineup came in Week 8 of the previous season when the team had to reshuffle the defensive backfield due to injuries. Alontae Taylor, who had been playing in the slot, was moved to an outside cornerback role to replace Paulson Adebo, who had suffered an injury. With Adebo now departing to the New York Giants in free agency, Taylor remains a candidate to continue playing on the boundary, which could solidify Amadi’s position as the team’s primary nickel corner.
However, the Saints’ recent acquisition of veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom on a three-year contract could shake up the depth chart. If Yiadom secures a starting role on the outside, the coaching staff may consider shifting Taylor back inside to the slot, where he previously played. Such a move would likely alter Amadi’s role, pushing him into a depth position where he could serve as a backup nickel corner while also providing rotational support at safety. His versatility in the secondary could prove valuable in various defensive schemes, and his official designation on the team’s website lists him as a safety, indicating his potential to contribute in multiple ways.
Amadi’s journey in the NFL began when he was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. During his first three seasons in the league, he appeared in 47 games and made 12 starts, primarily serving as a depth defensive back and special teams contributor. In 2022, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during training camp, but his tenure with the team was short-lived. Less than two weeks after arriving in Philadelphia, he was traded again, this time to the Tennessee Titans. He played in just two regular-season games with the Titans before being waived.
Following his release, Amadi landed on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad, where he remained for the rest of the 2022 season. Although he did not see game action with Kansas City, he was part of the team’s Super Bowl-winning roster, earning a championship ring. His time with the Chiefs provided valuable experience and an opportunity to refine his skills, which he carried into his stint with the Saints.
Now, with a chance to build upon his career-best season, Amadi enters 2025 with optimism. Whether he retains his starting role at nickel corner or transitions into a rotational role, his experience, adaptability, and perseverance position him as an integral piece of the Saints’ secondary.
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