Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport released an article ranking every NFL defense after the Draft. They had the New Orleans Saints second to last, just ahead of the Carolina Panthers.
Defense was the Saints' calling card with former head coach Dennis Allen, however, the unit began to fall apart in his last season. New Orleans surrendered the second most yards on the ground and sixth most passing yards in 2024. Additionally, they gave up the second most total yards, though they were middle of the pack in points allowed. The future isn't brighter for the Saints defense in Davenport's eyes.
Saints need more talent on defense
Davenport stated the Saints biggest problem defensively is their personnel. He highlighted how Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan were once amazing players but are now in their mid-30s. This is true, however, Davis is still playing at a high level and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Jordan is one of the premier leaders of the team and still can impact the game. They may be aging, but they are still valuable players to the team.
The cornerback duo of Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry isn’t inspiring to Davenport. They don’t have ample experience, but they both show promise. If they continue to develop, then they could grow into a star tandem of cornerbacks.
They highlight how the Saints resigned Chase Young this offseason to a $17 million deal despite only having 5.5 sacks. Despite the low sack count, he totalled 66 pressures on the season, which ranked 15th in the league. Young had a massive impact for the Saints in 2024. He brought speed on the edge that hasn’t been present in New Orleans for years. On paper, the price may look steep for Young’s production. However, he is well worth the price tag for the Saints defense.
In their conclusion, they make the statement that the Saints don’t have a position group that’s above average. Yes the Saints defense has some holes, but to undermine the talent on the roster by saying they don’t have a group above average is insane.
The Saints have an opportunity to prove the national media wrong by surpassing expectations. Bleacher Report ranking the Saints at 31st shows what they think about the Saint roster. However, they have some underrated talent who could shine in 2025.