The New Orleans Saints drafted Christen Miller with one idea in mind: improve the run defense. You hate to put pressure on a rookie to develop quickly, but the beginning of the season commands an immediate return on investment from the rookie.
Next to Miller, Kaden Ellliss was the only notable addition on the defense. The addition for Elliss was counteracted by the loss of Demario Davis, so it doesn't feel like much of an addition. The position didn't make a leap because they brought in a versatile, talented player but also lost a versatile talented player.
Run defense is the part of the defense the team clearly attempted to improve this offseason. Miller and Elliss both play in the front seven. However, Elliss isn't viewed as a run defense solver. 1. He's replacing Davis, so he'd have to be everything Davis was and more. 2. Elliss is much more of a versatile chess piece than a straight up run defender. That's what Miller is all about, though.
Christen Miller was brought in for moments like this
No one is envying the beginning of the Saints schedule. They have to square off against the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens on the road in the first two weeks. It gets more daunting when you get more specific in the breakdown. The Saints have to face Jahmyr Gibbs in Week 1 then follow it up with trying to stop Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry the following week.
It doesn't get better after the first two weeks. The Saints welcome Ashton Jeanty to New Orleans in Week 3 then hope to contain Bijan Robinson to complete a grueling four week stretch. There isn't a more optimistic sign the Saints run defense can provide than getting through the first quarter of the season with strong performances.
Here's where Miller comes into play. Miller is a run defender first and foremost. He possesses some pass rush ability, but it's clearly the secondary part of his game. Miller is a massive man who should be able to eat up linemen and create space for his teammates. The Saints will need that part of his game to translate immediately.
So often, the Saints defensive line was pushed back from the line of scrimmage. It's impossible to have a good run defense if you can't establish control at the snap. Sometimes it really can be just as easy as not getting pushed back, so the linebackers can run and hit.
Miller making an instant impact may not jump off the page. Helping the run defense in the first four weeks may end up looking average against running games of that caliber, but these are the type of squads that would destroy the Saints just last year.
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