New Orleans Saints: Analyzing the team’s debilitating pass-coverage woes

LB Demario Davis

As I mentioned previously, Davis earned an elite 88.3 coverage grade last season. Thus, his struggles this season must be regarded as a fluke, right? Unfortunately, his high-end production last season may be the outlier. Here are the 31-year-old’s coverage grades by season:

2020: 56.1

2019: 88.3

2018: 59.5

More from Who Dat Dish

• Saints weapon Taysom Hill might have another new role in 2022
• Are the Saints playoff contenders or pretenders in 2022?
• 3 takeaways from Saints unofficial depth chart ahead of preseason opener
• Saints 2022 Training Camp: Top 5 takeaways from Day 13
• 3 things to know about new Saints QB K.J. Costello

2017: 66.2

2016: 62.7

2015: 56.1

2014: 60.5

2013: 47.9

2012: 59.4

Even if Davis is average in coverage, as his career numbers would indicate, his effectiveness in run defense and as a pass rusher (over 20 pressures in every season as a Saint) make him a valuable player.

At the same time, that’s a far cry from the Defensive Player of the Year award candidate he was last season. When the Saints signed him to a new three-year extension, I am guessing they did so hoping to secure him at a below-market rate before he was able to back up that outstanding season.

Now, it appears they may have moved too quickly. Given the way they have struggled to cover the middle-of-the-field this season, they sorely need Davis to meet the lofty expectations he had coming into the season.