4 Saints who will prove fans wrong during the 2022 season
By Kristen Wong
Saints player No. 2: Payton Turner
Payton Turner’s rookie season was unfortunately cut short due to injury, but what can he do on the field in Year 2?
The second-year Saints defensive end has attracted attention for all the right reasons this offseason despite a kerfuffle with a certain hot-tempered rookie. It’s *just* training camp, but Turner was a disruptive force on the edge and made big plays all week along from notching a sack on Ian Book to creating pressures on rushed throws.
If Turner can stay healthy throughout the 2022 season, the Saints’ pass-rush will get an explosive boost, and Turner can put himself next in line as Cam Jordan’s promising young heir.
And here’s a clip of Payton Turner (98) relocating Landon Young into a new zip code to blow up any hope for this Alvin Kamara run. He really has looked like a beast this offseason. #Saints pic.twitter.com/yC7d409Vuf
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) August 7, 2022
Turner, a former first-round pick, will vie for starting snaps against Marcus Davenport, who is also touted to be a breakout star in 2022. Compared to Turner, however, Davenport has a worse injury history and faces a tougher challenge to stay fit than Turner does.
The jury’s still out on whether Turner will grow into his expected role and become the Saints’ long-term dominant pass-rusher, but he could make a strong case for himself as a consistent starter this season.