Who Will Be The Next Great Saints Edge Rusher Not Named Cam Jordan?
The pillar of the New Orleans Saints success when it comes to getting to the quarterback has undeniably been thirteenth-year veteran Cameron Jordan. The franchise’s sack leader (115.5) has led New Orleans in the category in 9 of the last 11 seasons. Only two players have either topped him in a single regular season or even so much as hit double-digit sacks: former Saints edge rushers Junior Galette and Trey Hendrickson.
Jan 9, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) reacts after sacking the quarterback against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
In addition, 2013 is the only season since 2004 in which two New Orleans defenders piled on double-digit sacks in the same year. Those players being Jordan (12.5) and Galette (12). It took nearly a decade for it to happen, and has now been a decade since.
The last time a Saints’ defender not named Cameron Jordan finished a season with 10 or more quarterback takedowns, was not terribly long ago. In 2020, Hendrickson brought in 13.5.
So from 2014 to 2020, Jordan was all by his lonesome as the only player reaching double-digits. Could 2023 finally bring a new name to the list?
Read More Saints News: Saints, Bucs in Trademark Battle!
THE PRIME CANDIDATES ON THE EDGE!
The team’s prime candidates for this milestone will be those who take the majority of their snaps at defensive end. Though defensive tackles can certainly get home. Sheldon Rankins had 8 sacks back in 2018.
While the interior defenders should not ignored, the edge is where NFL pressure is most common. So defensive ends like Carl Granderson, Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey will garner the most consideration.
Sep 18, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey (7) celebrates after a sack in the fourth quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
IS FOSKEY THE KEY?
Of them, Foskey presents the most intrigue as a rookie. No one knows who he is an an NFL player yet (as is the case for all rookies), but his collegiate production jumps off the page. As Notre Dame’s career sack leader with 26.5, Foskey has the potential to continue his two-year streak of double-digit sacks as he enters the league.
However, there have only been two non-first round defense players to reach 10 or more sacks their rookie seasons in the last 20 years. Chicago Bears defensive end Mark Anderson piled on 12 his inaugural year in 2006. In 2019, Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby totaled 10 in his first year.
So the odds are long for Foskey to start. He will be in a heavy rotation of rushers his first season. Even if Foskey is not the next player to hit that milestone mark, his future outlook is very promising. He may be the Saints defender to end up reaching it most often of the present group.
Read More Saints News: Eno Benjamin Chance For Role in Crowded New Orleans Backfield
Nov 7, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Payton Turner (98) is blocked by Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Jake Matthews (70) during the second quarter at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
WILL IT BE PAYTON'S PLACE?
The Saints would love for former first-round pick Turner to be the next double-digit sack guy on the team. They drafted him with a premium draft selection back in the 2021 draft and seeing that investment pay off would be massive for New Orleans and its future at the position.
Turner is a remarkably talented player with some impressive tools. But staying out in the field has been a challenge for him. He has appeared in just 13 of 34 possible regular season games since 2021. But when he has played, he has been disruptive and productive. He tallied two sacks against the Raiders in 2022, had an impressive game against the Carolina Panthers as a rookie and even blocked a field goal to seal a last year’s season opener against the rival Atlanta Falcons.
But staying available is what Turner will need to do first and foremost if he wants to turn the corner. The Saints have seen it happen before. Hendrickson took until his fourth years before he finally turned his corner in New Orleans. He latched on to 4.5 sacks in year three before exploding on to the scene with 13.5 his contract year. If Turner were to have a similar trajectory, New Orleans would be in a great spot at the position.
Dec 5, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) reacts dagger recovering a fumble against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
COULD GRANDERSON GRIND OUT 10 SACKS?
The defender that has shown the most promise in notching double-digit sacks is Granderson. Coming into the league as an undrafted free agent (UDFA), players can often be overlooked. But that is far from the case in New Orleans with its impressive track record in UDFA player acquisition.
The former Wyoming Cowboy has three key elements going his way that could put him in position for 10 or more sacks as immediately as 2023. The first of which is how often he is likely to be in the field.
Granderson began earning starts over former first-rounder Marcus Davenport toward the end of last year. That shows that the Saints believe in his talents. He earned those starts by showcasing not only producing as a pass rusher but as a run defender as well. He established himself as a three-down end. That is a massive piece of the puzzle, maximizing snaps and therefore opportunity.
Second, Granderson showed the pace at which he could play when he was earning all of those starts at the end of 2022. Over the final four games of the season, he totaled 3 sacks. Averaging that per-game production out over 17 games puts him in range for 12.5 or 13 sacks. That means he would have some wiggle room for a late start or even a sackless couple of games.
Finally, Granderson is in a contract year. While playing in the NFL is about much more than money for players across the league, it sure does not hurt. The former UDFA would be in place to surpass the earnings of recent first round picks with a massive season in 2023 to add to an impressive end to his previous campaign.
