The Saints defensive line needs a bit more to pack a punch in 2024, and how they try to get there
will be interesting.
We’ll find out which two teams will play for Super Bowl LVII after Sunday. We can’t help but
ponder what another season would have been for Dennis Allen and company as the Saints continue
their offseason.
Over the next few months, New Orleans will need to address a number of issues, and we will keep
evaluating each position to determine where the club is now and where it needs to go. We switch to
examine the defensive trenches on the other side of the ball, which experienced some highs and
lows during the previous campaign.
Out of the 34 sacks that the Saints had in 2023, 22 (64.7%) came from the defensive line. Carl
Granderson had the most sacks (8.5), followed closely by Demario Davis (6.5). In addition to living
up to his first-round hype, rookie Bryan Bresee was a pleasant surprise throughout the season,
finishing third on the team with 4.5 sacks.
Saints 2023 Sack Leaders
1.Tanoh Kpassagnon – 3.5
2.Joel Davis – 6.5
3.Carl Granderson – 8.5
4.Nathan Shepherd – 3.0
5.Alontae Taylor
6.Jordan Howden
7.Marcus Maye – 1.0 Pete Werner, Isaiah Foskey – 0.5 Zack Baun, Cam Jordan – 2.0
Following the free agency departures of David Onyemata, Kentavius Street, Marcus Davenport, and
Shy Tuttle, New Orleans had some line retooling to do in the summer. Malcolm Roach was their
lone defensive tackle on the roster at one point. They signed each of the two free agents to fair
contracts, adding Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders to the mix as their starting duo. After
Bresee and Foskey were selected in the draft, the front four appeared to be improving, especially
with Payton Turner having a strong camp.
It was incredibly disappointing that Turner ended up getting wounded in the first game of the
season. He had to miss almost the entire season due to a turf toe surgery; he didn’t return until the
season finale. Due to his injuries and restricted playing time, Foskey did not play much.
Throughout the season, the squad had injuries at the edge position, forcing them to call up several
players to assist fill in. After all, except from Carl Granderson, the offensive wasn’t persistent
enough overall. The quarterbacks who were always on the move and the near-sacks were another
thing that made people nuts.
The Saints need a couple things to happen before 2024 begins. Firstly, Payton Turner needs to
maintain his health and make a significant improvement during his contract year. He can play
inside, just as Tanoh Kpassagnon, and towards the game’s end, he was a member of the team’s 3rd
Down rush package. In addition to needing to locate at least one more impact player along the line,
ideally at the edge spot, the club needs Isaiah Foskey to have a monster rebounding season in his
sophomore year.
It is very possible for the Saints to select a different defensive lineman in the draft. 45th could be a
feasible time, but it might not happen at 14th. The problem is that, other from Trey Hendrickson,
none of the edge players the Saints have selected have really worked out. Two first-round picks and
a second-round pick have been used, although none have had the anticipated impact.
Many prominent edge rushers are set to become unrestricted free agents in the near future, but it
seems unlikely that New Orleans will score a big fish. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try, though,
or that they won’t. If their present teams decide not to retain them, Chris Jones, Justin Madubuike,
Christian Wilkins, Josh Allen, Brian Burns, Danielle Hunter, and Chase Young will all be highly
sought-after players in the new league. In any case, there is no shortage of shown talent.
To put it briefly, the Saints could use another interior playmaker and require a game-changer on
defence. What will be interesting to watch is how they achieve it, and they must find a way if they
want to advance under Todd Grantham’s attacking style of play.
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