2022 Saints Training Camp Preview: Defensive Tackle
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The defensive tackles of the New Orleans Saints look to bounce back from a poor statistical performance in 2021. In the previous two seasons, the position accounted for 21 sacks, 58 QB hits, and 37 tackles for loss. Last year, the unit was responsible for only 2 sacks, 19 QB hits, and 10 tackles for loss.
The free-agent loss of Sheldon Rankins, trade of Malcom Brown, and six-game suspension of David Onyemata thrust less experienced players into more prominent roles last year.
The position still performed well against the run, but got very little disruption against the pass. New Orleans was often forced to slide one of their talented edge rushers inside in obvious passing situations.
The Saints brought in three additions to the position this offseason, but none were a high-profile free-agent or high draft choice. With an elite New Orleans defense ready to take the field, will the tackles be the weak spot of the unit?
Here's a training camp preview of the Saints interior defenders.
SAINTS DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Currently on the Roster
(* =Rookie)
- David Onyemata
- Shy Tuttle
- Kentavius Street
- Jaleel Johnson
- Jordan Jackson*
- Albert Huggins
- Malcolm Roach
- Josh Black*
Bounce Back Star?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones (27) is stopped by New Orleans Saints defensive tackles Shy Tuttle (99) and defensive tackle David Onyemata (93). Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
David Onyemata went from a little-known fourth-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft to a vital part of the New Orleans front in his first five years. Once a raw athletic project, Onyemata improved his run defense and expanded his pass rushing moves to become an every down force.
Coming off the best year of his career in 2020, Onyemata started 2021 with a six-game suspension for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Upon his return, he had just two sacks, but 16 QB pressures over 11 games. Onyemata was still a standout against the run, but wasn't the disruptive force he had been over the previous few seasons.
A wonderful athlete with terrific strength at 6’4” and 300-Lbs., Onyemata is an interior mismatch for most blockers one-on-one. He’s lightning quick off the snap and plays with great leverage at the point of attack. His athleticism gives him the versatility to be a factor anywhere along the Saints defensive front.
Onyemata is as important to the team's defensive success as any player on the roster. He’s one of the league's most underrated interior defenders and forces opponents to apply double-team blocking, giving more opportunities to his teammates.
Coming into a contract year, Onyemata will need a productive season to pull in a big deal. Expect a much more disruptive David Onyemata in 2022.
It's Good to be Shy
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) is stuffed by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (99). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
An undrafted rookie from Tennessee in 2019, Shy Tuttle was a solid rotational player for his first two years with the Saints. The losses of Rankins, Brown, and suspension to Onyemata thrust him into a much bigger role in 2021. He played a career-high 494 defensive snaps, starting 15 of 17 contests.
Tuttle recorded a career-best 48 tackles last season, including three for loss. However, he didn't record a single sack and managed just five QB pressures. When Onyemata returned, Tuttle was often taken out of the lineup in passing situations.
While adding little as a pass rusher, Tuttle is a force for one of the league's best run defenses. His strength makes him almost immovable at the point of attack and he has the quickness to split double-team blocking to blow up running plays. Tuttle plays with terrific leverage at 6’3” and 300-Lbs. and can disengage blockers quickly to make plays down the line of scrimmage.
Like Onyemata, Tuttle is also in the last year of his contract. More is needed from him as a pass rusher on early downs, but he continues to be a big key for the team against the run.
Veteran Newcomers
Former 49ers defensive lineman Kentavius Street (95) pressures New Orleans QB Drew Brees (9) during a 2020 game. Credit: NOLA.com
New Orleans signed 26-year-old Kentavius Street to a one-year deal this offseason. Street goes from a deep defensive line in San Francisco to a Saints front that's at least it’s equal in talent and depth. He’s coming off a career best year of 3 sacks, 7 pressures, and 6 tackles for loss among 27 total stops in 2021.
Street was considered a ‘‘tweener’’ coming out of N.C. State as a fourth-round pick in 2018, but brings the versatility that the Saints look for in defenders. He plays with good leverage and strength against tackles along the edge. He’s explosive off the snap and has terrific athleticism when inside.
He has incredible power despite being slightly undersized for a defensive tackle. He can stand up blockers at the point of attack and move them back into opposing backfields. His underrated abilities against the run are a plus for a New Orleans defense that ranks at the top of the league in that category.
Street has a devastating spin move as a pass rusher that helps him blow by blockers. He’ll have to learn from disengaging more effectively but has good open-field speed to track down ball carriers. His toughness and non-stop motor allow him to make several plays on second and third effort.
Jan 11, 2020; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) throws under pressure from Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson (94). Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints also inked five-year veteran DT Jaleel Johnson after the draft. A fourth-round pick out of Iowa by the Vikings in the 2017 NFL Draft, Johnson is among the league's better interior run stuffers. He was a full-time starter for Minnesota in 2020 before playing for Houston last year and has 5.5 sacks, 15 pressures, and 11 tackles for loss over 65 career games.
Johnson, 28, isn't a productive pass rusher. At 6’3” and 316-Lbs. he’s a wall in the middle against the run. He also has the strength to play nose tackle in a 3-4 defensive front and is reliable on short yardage.
A rotational player, Johnson has the skills to be an early down contributor and a factor on goal-line packages. The Saints biggest defensive tackle, he could fill the role played well by Malcom Brown in 2019 and 2020.
Draft Addition
Nov 26, 2021; Air Force defensive tackle Jordan Jackson (94) against UNLV. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans selected Jordan Jackson from the Air Force Academy with a sixth-round pick, making him the first player to be drafted from any of the three service academies in franchise history. Jackson had 12.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss in three collegiate seasons, including six sacks and 11 tackles for loss as a senior.
An explosive and versatile athlete, Jackson can play multiple positions along the defensive front. As an interior defender, he can be vulnerable because of an upright style and struggles to set a strong base because of his lean lower body. He lacks counter moves as an edge rusher and needs to be more decisive on his initial rush.
Jackson has a terrific burst at the snap. That explosiveness allows him to slice through inside gaps or get a blocker on their heels along the edge. He has impressive lateral quickness and upper body movement, giving opposing blockers a difficult target.
At 6’5” and 285-Lbs., Jackson brings the same raw athleticism as Onyemata did in 2016. He has the developmental traits to excel in a one-gap scheme like New Orleans and could play a situational role as a rookie.
Depth Competition
New Orleans Saints defensive end Malcolm Roach (97) lines up against Carolina Panthers center Matt Paradis (61). Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Injuries pressed third-year DT Albert Huggins into action last season. Huggins appeared in nine contests and played a career-high 219 defensive snaps. He contributed two pressures and 16 total tackles and adds a big-bodied presence in the middle at 6’3” and 305-Lbs.
After showing some promise as an undrafted rookie from Texas in 2020, Malcolm Roach regressed a bit in his second season. He appeared in seven games and had one interception and two QB pressures, but no tackles for a loss. At 6’3” and 290-Lbs., Roach has excellent quickness for his size.
The Saints have had success in recent years with undrafted defensive tackles. Tuttle and Roach are two good examples. The latest find could be rookie DT Josh Black out of Syracuse. A multi-year starter in college, the 6’3” and 290-Lb. Black brings the versatility and underrated athleticism that could make him a dark horse for a roster spot.
Onyemata was the only listed defensive tackle that recorded a sack for the Saints in 2021. New Orleans had success by moving edge rushers inside on passing situations, but the team needs more disruption from this position on early downs.
The unit was solid against the run, but needs to pressure the quarterback better. The underrated addition of Kentavius Street, return to form by Onyemata, and rapid development of Jordan Jackson could eliminate the only potential weakness on an otherwise dominant defense.
