The next position group we will look at is the defensive line, which, along with the offensive line, maybe the group with the biggest question marks hanging over it. Having the trenches as an area of concern is far from ideal, but there is at least potential on the defensive side of things that will be fascinating to watch for Saints fans in 2024.
The 2023 season was underwhelming, with New Orleans not proving sturdy as a pass-or-run defending group. Their 34 sacks were tied for the 4th fewest, and their 120 rushing yards conceded per game were the 22nd most. Opponents collected 4.4 yards per carry against the Saints’ defensive line, the 23rd most in the NFL. It was a below-average performance all around, not helped by Cam Jordan continuing to be hampered by injury and rookie Bryan Bresee adjusting to life in the NFL.
As the year progressed, there were signs of Bresee improving, and he is now joined on the defensive line by the big free agent signing of 2024, Chase Young. While Young has never managed to repeat the magic of his rookie season, largely because of his brutal injury as a sophomore, he did show signs of life in the 2023 season. Playing for both Washington and San Francisco, Young collected 7.5 sacks, which tied his career-best rookie sack total. Now, another year removed from injury, and with the added motivation of playing for a big contract, can he kick on and deliver? Young has the highest potential of anyone on the Saints defensive line, and if he can re-assert himself as a consistently dominant pass rusher, it would be huge for New Orleans.
The disappointing sack total of just 34 in 2023 would be an easy target to beat if Young can offer a real threat across the line from Carl Granderson. Granderson was the team’s best defensive lineman in 2023, and PFF agreed, giving him a grade of 74.1. He led the team in sacks with 8.5 and tackles for loss with 14 while also posting the third most tackles with 78. It took a few years to get there, but Granderson has rounded into a very solid edge defender, and after signing a 4-year deal last year, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Chase Young and Carl Granderson are the upside-edge defenders who could threaten offensive lines this year, with stalwart Cam Jordan also offering an imposing presence. Even at 34 and battling through injury, Jordan was solid in 2023, particularly as a run defender. He underwent ankle surgery this offseason, giving hope that New Orleans can squeeze one more productive year out of the legendary edge defender. His incredible durability has allowed him to miss only two games due to injury, and adding Chase Young into the rotation will only help him preserve that longevity in 2024. New Orleans doesn’t need him to turn back the clock and be a Pro Bowl-level Cam, but 6 to 8 sacks in 2024 could make a big difference.
When either of those big three needs a breather, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Payton Turner, and Isaiah Foskey will be waiting in the wings to try and prove themselves. Kpassagnon was a solid rotational piece who collected the 4th most sacks on the team, with 3.5, but Turner was lost to injury in week 2, and Foskey was underwhelming and didn’t see a lot of action. With Cam Jordan getting older and Chase Young only on a one-year deal, strong bounce-back years from Foskey and Turner will be important to see. There is a lot of potential in this group of edge defenders, but where there is a lot of potential, there is also a lot of risk.
Talking of potential, Bryan Bresee headlines the interior defenders after a mixed rookie season. He didn’t quite live up to the first-round draft pedigree, but defensive tackle is not a straightforward position to walk into. However, he collected 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, which were both third on the team. Now, the overall lack of production from the team does undermine those numbers slightly, but it was a promising second half of the season for him.
His game has an upside, but he needs to show signs of development early in 2024. The hopes of the interior of the defensive line essentially hang on him coming good on his first-round grade; otherwise, the Saints will be resigned to having one of the worst interior groups in the NFL. Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders are solid but will look very vulnerable if Bresee doesn’t turn into someone that offensive lines must worry about.
The new name in town in the interior is Khristian Boyd, a sixth-round pick from Northern Iowa. It would be a surprise to see him have a significant role as a rookie, but at 24 years old, he does have a lot of experience. He prides himself on his run-stuffing ability, and his experience should make him a useful rotational piece in 2024, giving the team a good chance to see whether he can develop into a bigger contributor moving forward.
Overall, the defensive line will be an intriguing unit to watch in 2024. It was an underwhelming unit in 2023, but there are pieces in place to suggest that improvements may be right around the corner. Bryan Bresee is the key at the heart of the line. There were promising signs from his rookie season, and if he can take a big step forward now that he has a year of experience under his belt, it could elevate this whole unit. The strength is certainly on the edge, with Granderson continuing his solid play, Cam Jordan hopefully being more effective after his ankle surgery, and Chase Young offering Pro Bowl potential.
The upside outcome is that Bresee, Young, and Jordan all play to the best of their potential and make this a top-tier defensive line. However, relying on potential is always risky, and the downside outcome to be wary of is a declining Cam Jordan playing alongside Bresee and Young, who offer up more of the same or even decline slightly.
The range of outcomes for this line is huge, and the Saints’ hopes of competing for an NFC South title may depend on it. With starters likely to get minimal snaps in the preseason, we will have to wait for the regular season to get our first proper clue as to what end of the spectrum they will land. Frankly, week one can’t come soon enough.
