The New Orleans Saints open the season with a heavyweight test, and the spotlight lands squarely on Chase Young against Penei Sewell.
That individual battle may be the clearest way to read the game. Young is trying to show he can carry last season forward, while the Saints as a whole are looking to prove themselves in Week 1.
But if there’s a tougher assignment in this matchup, it belongs to Young. Detroit enters with plenty of questions, yet Sewell is not one of them.
The Lions already got another reminder of Sewell’s standing when coaches, scouts and executives voted him the best offensive tackle in the league. That kind of recognition only sharpens the challenge for Young, who is built as a left-side pass rusher. He lined up on the other side of the line of scrimmage for just 13 of his 542 snaps, so this is not the kind of matchup he usually sees.
Normally, that would keep Young away from Sewell. Not this time.
Detroit is moving its All-Pro tackle from right tackle to left tackle this offseason, putting the two on a direct collision course in Week 1. The real question for Sewell is how smoothly he handles that switch.
The numbers give both sides of the story. PFF charged Sewell with just 2 sacks allowed last season, but his 89.6% pass rush win rate did not rank in the top 40 at his position.
That opens the door for Young, who has a knack for creating quick pressure. If he can turn some of those wins into sacks, the Saints will have something to point to right away.
Even one sack would stand out against a blocker who allowed only two all of last season. It might not settle the matchup, but it would matter. The opponent changes the weight of every rep, and this one carries plenty of it.
Sewell is also a force in the run game, which adds another layer to the showdown. Still, if Young can land a few clear wins as a pass rusher, it would feel like a real national-stage moment for him. He’s trying to prove his double-digit sack season was no one-year spike, and there may be no better way to start than by getting to Sewell in Week 1.
In Other News...
These Saints Could Change Everything If Camp Hype Becomes Real
The Saints are heading toward 2026 with a cluster of young players who could reshape the roster if the summer buzz carries into the fall. Jonas Sanker, Ja'Lynn Polk, Quincy Riley, Martin Emerson Jr., Danny Stutsman, Vernon Broughton and Julian Blackmon all sit in that category of prospects and recent additions who have flashed enough to make the coaching staff think there is real upside waiting to be unlocked.
For New Orleans, the intrigue is less about one headline name than the way several jobs are suddenly open to be won. Sanker has a new opportunity, Polk arrives with expectations attached, Riley and Emerson are in the mix on the outside, Stutsman has a path to more responsibility at linebacker and Blackmon is trying to build on the role he earned before his season was cut short. If even a few of those camp stories turn into real production, the Saints could look a lot deeper than they did a year ago. [Read more 🡒]
Wendell Pierce Just Shared A Saints Take Fans Need To Hear
Wendell Pierce has been making the rounds for his role in the boxing drama They Fight, which arrives on Hulu on July 17, but the New Orleans native also used the spotlight to look back on the people who shaped him long before Hollywood did. He pointed to youth coach Mac McBurnett Knox Jr. of Pontchartrain Park as a formative influence, saying the lessons went well beyond football and helped instill the kind of discipline and perspective that still travels with him today.
Pierce also made it clear where his football heart remains, offering support for the Saints and a sense of optimism about what comes next after the Drew Brees era. His view is rooted in the idea that the next wave has a chance to define the franchises identity, and for a fan base still measuring every season against the old standard, that kind of belief carries some weight. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Backfield Debate Reaches A Turning Point Fans Feared
Alvin Kamaras future in New Orleans has been one of the more closely watched Saints storylines of the offseason, and the picture finally appears to be coming into focus. After months of uncertainty around how the veteran running back fit into the teams plans, the Saints and Kamara have been working toward a resolution while general manager Mickey Loomis has continued to frame the discussion around roster fit and how the club wants to manage its resources.
Kamara has made it clear he wants to stay with the Saints, even after the offseason brought fresh questions about his role and the team added Travis Etienne. There had been some trade chatter along the way, but the latest momentum points in a different direction, with New Orleans now trying to settle the backfield picture and keep one of its most recognizable offensive pieces in place. [Read more 🡒]