Saints 2022 Defensive Game Balls

After a rocky start, the Saints defense played at a championship-level down the stretch of the year. Here were their top defenders during the 2022 season.

Author:
Bob Rose
Publish date:
Jan 12, 2023 9:55 AM EST

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New Orleans Saints

Entering the 2022 season, the New Orleans Saints were expected to have one of the NFL's best defenses. The team had 9 of 11 starters returning and outstanding depth on a unit that finished in the top-5 of every major category in 2021. Many even felt that with safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye being signed to replace departed starters Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins that the unit would be even stronger.

New Orleans got off to a rocky start on the defensive side to start the season. They gave up an average of over 28 points per game over the first seven contests and had trouble stopping the run and generating turnovers all season.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) returns an interception for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints righted the ship in a big way over their last 10 games. They allowed an average of just 14.5 points/game over that span and wound up finishing fourth in the league with 48 sacks. They held their last six opponents to under 20 points, tying a franchise record held by the 1991 and 1992 "Dome Patrol" Saints teams.

For the year, New Orleans ranked fifth in total defense by allowing 314.9 yards per game. They ranked just 24th against the run (130.5/game), but their average of 184.4 passing yards per game allowed was the second best in the NFL.

Despite some early season breakdowns, this defense played championship-level football through the second half of the year. Here were their top performers.

Cameron Jordan, DE

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (4). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY

Jordan, a 12-year veteran, surpassed Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson as the Saints all-time career leader in sacks this season. His 115.5 career sacks is the 21st most in NFL history and the second highest among active players.

(*the NFL did not track sacks as an official statistic until 1982)

Jordan led the Saints with 8.5 sacks this season, unable to break a tie with Jackson for the franchise record with six seasons of double-digit sack totals. Despite being a bit down in that category, Jordan also had 17 pressures and several plays where he flushed opposing quarterbacks from the pocket.

The 33-year-old Jordan remains one of the NFL's best run defenders at his position. He had a team-high 13 tackles for loss among his 66 total stops. His total tackles were the second highest of his career and the eighth time he's had at least 50 tackles in a season.

Even with his tenure in the league, Cam Jordan remains a durable and every down force. He played in 74% of the team’s defensive snaps this season. His ability to command double-team blocking also opens up playmaking opportunities for his teammates.

Alontae Taylor, CB

Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) battles for position with New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (27). Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic

Many raised an eyebrow when the Saints used a second-round choice on a little-known defensive back from Tennessee this spring. Taylor would turn out to be a key defensive contributor and perhaps one of the steals of the entire draft.

A physical corner, Taylor saw little action until Week 7, after the Saints lost elite CB Marshon Lattimore for a ten-game stretch. Taylor's coverage skills caused the Saints to change little in their defensive strategy. New Orleans allowed less than 200 net yards passing in 8 of Taylor's 10 games played.

Despite getting targeted frequently as a rookie, Taylor allowed just 48.5% completion percentage in man coverage. He led the team with 11 passes broken up and often took Lattimore's role of taking on an opponent’s best receiver.

Injuries not only sidelined Lattimore but also took out defensive backs Paulson Adebo, Marcus Maye, and P.J. Williams out for different stretches. Alontae Taylor's emergence allowed the secondary to continue playing at a high level.

Demario Davis, LB

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) against the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY

Nearly every area of the New Orleans team experienced inconsistencies this season. The one exception was the linebacking corps, which played at a high level all year. They were led by 11-year veteran Demario Davis, who was the team’s only Pro Bowler in 2022.

Davis led the team with 109 tackles. It was the sixth straight year of at least 100 stops and eighth of his career. Included among those were 10 tackles for loss and 54 solo stops. He remains a top-tier run defender, with outstanding sideline-to-sideline athleticism and elite instincts.

Davis also creates havoc for opposing quarterbacks. He had a career-high 6.5 sacks to go along with 10 pressures. Davis is also one of the better cover linebackers in the league, with the ability to shadow backs or tight ends anywhere on the field. He intercepted one pass, broke up six others, and allowed less than 68% completion percentage.

Despite his first career Pro Bowl selection, Davis continues to be one of the NFL's most underrated players. His rare combination of awareness, physicality, athletic ability, and versatility elevates the entire defense.

Kaden Elliss, LB

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Gardner Minshew (10) is sacked by New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss (55). Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY

Second-year LB Pete Werner was having a huge season before going down with an ankle injury in Week 9. Werner would miss five of the next six games, but the defense didn't miss a beat thanks to fourth-year LB Kaden Elliss.

A seventh-round pick out of Idaho in the 2019 NFL Draft, Elliss was a special teams standout but played sparingly on defense over his first three seasons. He'd break out in a big way over the last half of 2022.

Elliss finished with 7 sacks, 11 pressures, two passes broken up, and 7 tackles for loss among 78 total stops. All were career best numbers. Six of his sacks, along with 63 tackles, came in the last nine games. He was not only disruptive against the run and as a pass rusher, but also showed vast improvements in coverage, thought to be a weakness in his game.

In the last nine games with Elliss in full-time duty, the Saints gave up an average of less than 15 points and 309 yards per contest while recording 29 sacks. An unrestricted free agent entering the offseason, Elliss should be a top priority for the Saints to re-sign. His emergence, along with Werner's development and the elite presence of Davis gave New Orleans one of the league's best trio of linebackers.