Should Saints fans expect a bounce back season from Cam Jordan?

In 2023, the New Orleans Saints struggled to get after the quarterback, recording just 34 sacks— 28th in the NFL. A big reason why is that veteran defensive Cam Jordan wasn’t himself. Despite appearing in all 17 games, Jordan recorded just two sacks, 43 tackles, and three tackles for a loss. The last time Jordan’s numbers were that low was his rookie season.

The decline in production led to many fans asking if Jordan lost it. To be fair, it was his 13th season in the league, and he was 34, so it was a question worth asking. However, after the season ended, Jordan made it clear that he was dealing with an ankle injury for a lot of the year, and that he has no plans to retire right now.

While his career is nearing an end, Jordan has spent much of this offseason getting healthy and preparing for the 2024 season. Fans will wonder, though, if the Saints will be getting the Cam Jordan from last season or the dominant Cam Jordan that New Orleans has grown used to.

What should fans expect from Cam Jordan in 2024?

Since Jordan will be 35, in year 14, he clearly won’t be in his prime. However, he hasn’t given reason to not believe that he will be better than the injured version of himself from last year. Prior to 2023, Jordan has provided the Saints over a decade of quality play. During his time in New Orleans, he has been to eight Pro Bowls, with six of those coming in the six seasons prior to 2023.

In other words, last year should be viewed as anomaly until shown otherwise. A healthy Jordan should be much more effective next season. Add in Carl Granderson, who’s getting better by the year, and Chase Young, who joined this offseason, and the pass rush should be much better.

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