Top 5 breakout candidates
By Ty Anania
Alex Okafor
After Cam Jordan failed to make the NFL Top 100 list, you could include him on this list. But Saints fans know how silly that would be. Jordan has been one of the best DEs in the league for years. The Saints’ DL woes come almost entirely from an absurd incompetence at the DE position opposite Jordan.
The Saints now have a number of interesting options at RDE, and Okafor is tops among them. He’s put up some solid stats over his career, particularly as a pass rusher. But injuries have left him unsatisfied with his performance. After serving as a situational pass-rusher in Arizona, Okafor came over to New Orleans with the hope that the open starting spot can provide the opportunity he needs to break out.
Out of this whole group, I’d say Okafor is the least likely to crack a Pro-bowl roster. But it’s also the fit that would mean the most for the Saints if it happened. A double-digit sack season from Okafor, paired with Cam Jordan on the opposite side and Sheldon Rankins, Tyeler Davison and (hopefully) Nick Fairley up the middle would mean a huge improvement over 2016. And with the promise this secondary shows, a stout DL could mean more than just a solid defense. It could mean a great defense. Pair that with the perennial talent that this Saints offense has, and you could be looking at one of the best Saints rosters since their 2009 Superbowl run.