New Orleans Saints: Ranking the team’s undrafted rookies this season

No. 2 Shy Tuttle

Tuttle is actually the player that inspired me to want to write this article because of his performance against the Falcons in the Thanksgiving matchup.

Tuttle has been an interesting prospect for the team all season because it seemed like he wouldn’t receive the opportunity to see the field as much as some of the other undrafted free agents because of competition at the position.

When Sheldon Rankins went down with injury last season, the team was pressured to find a replacement to take his place until he was healthy and until Davis Onyemata was off suspension.

New Orleans filled that immediate need by signing Malcom Brown in free agency and Tuttle was brought in as insurance. So far, it seems like Tuttle might be another gem out of Tennessee, like Alvin Kamara.

This season, Tuttle has played in every single one of the team’s regular season games.

Even when Rankins returned to rotation a week earlier than expected and some consistent play from both Brown and Onyemata, Tuttle has proven talented enough to receive his portion of the defensive snaps on the defensive line.

In the twelve games he’s play so far this season, Tuttle has recorded 12 tackles, one sack and one incredible interception which led to Tuttle pushing Matt Ryan to the dirt with a nasty stiff arm. Tuttle might not be posting eye-popping statistics, but considering the constant rotation he’s a part of at the defensive tackle, they are impressive.

When it was announced that Tuttle had made the 53-man roster at the start of the season, Sean Payton noted that he had improved tremendously and come into himself in the last two weeks of camp. Tuttle is a player that feeds off of his own confidence and his ceiling seems to be climbing week by week.

After absolutely embarrassing Ryan on national TV, his confidence is at an all time high and Tuttle can be expected to continue making his presence felt as a part of the defensive rotation.