For Brandon Staley’s defense to hit its ceiling in New Orleans, the Saints have to solve one problem on the edge: they need pressure, and they need it from more than just the headline names.
Chase Young, Cam Jordan and Carl Granderson give the Saints real talent off the edge. Young has turned into a superstar when healthy, Jordan remains the steady veteran anchor, and Granderson has shown flashes of brilliance.
But talent alone won’t carry this group if injuries start to pile up. The Saints don’t have much room for a drop-off, which means the backups have to matter.
That’s where the next layer of the rotation comes in. Tyree Wilson, Chris Rumph and even Kaden Elliss, when he’s asked to rush from the edge, are the kinds of players who may have to keep the pass rush from slipping when the starters are off the field or banged up.
It doesn’t have to be one specific name. It just has to be somebody the Saints can count on.
That need becomes even bigger because of what’s behind the front. New Orleans’ secondary enters 2026 with plenty of questions, and that group can’t be left hanging for long stretches in coverage. The defensive line has to make life easier by getting after the quarterback, speeding up his clock and forcing throws before plays can fully develop.
The numbers back up how much the Saints depend on that approach. According to Sharp Football Analysis, New Orleans blitzed 24.9% of the time in 2025.
The Minnesota Vikings led the league at 48%. That gap says plenty: the Saints are built to lean on their edge rushers rather than constantly send extra pressure.
So when Young, Jordan, Granderson and the rest are in one-on-one matchups, they have to win them.
That’s the real key for this defense. If the Saints’ edge rushers stay consistent and keep the quarterback under stress, they can help cover for a secondary that needs support. If that happens, the group has a chance to be a strength and push the defense - and the win column - in the right direction.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Face A Taysom Hill Problem They Cant Ignore
The Saints spent the offseason trimming and reshaping the roster around a few familiar pillars, keeping veterans like Alvin Kamara and Cam Jordan while also absorbing the departures of players such as Alontae Taylor and Demario Davis. In that context, Taysom Hills absence matters for more than just one spot on the depth chart. It changes how New Orleans can build the roster, how it can divide up roles on offense, and how much it has to account for a player who has long been used as a unique piece rather than a clean fit at one position.
It also leaves a quieter but real void in the tight end room, where Hills presence had given younger players a veteran reference point. For a rookie like Oscar Delp, that kind of guidance can matter as much as snaps, and Juwan Johnson could be asked to help fill it. The Saints are clearly moving forward with a different structure, but the question now is how smoothly that transition works when one of the teams most unusual and influential pieces is no longer part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Quietly Let A Useful Lineman Slip Away
A former Saints center found a better opportunity in Carolina and made the most of it in 2025, stepping in when the Panthers lost their Pro Bowl center to injury. The move gave him a chance to play meaningful snaps, and he answered with steady work in both phases, drawing strong marks from Pro Football Focus for his pass protection and run blocking.
Now the Panthers have even more turnover at the position, which only sharpens the spotlight on what he can do next. With the depth chart thinned out in front of him, he is in line to push for the starting job and could end up giving Carolina a real upgrade in the middle, exactly the kind of quietly valuable development New Orleans will notice in hindsight. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Camp Opens With Pressure Building Around A Long Awaited Turnaround
The Saints are opening 2026 training camp with a different kind of buzz than theyve had in recent summers, and a lot of it traces back to the way they closed the 2025 season. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough helped fuel that late surge, and now the team is banking on that momentum carrying into a camp that also features several notable additions, including running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards, as the roster begins to settle into a new look on offense and beyond.
There is still plenty to sort through before the Saints can call this a true turnaround, though. Injuries remain part of the backdrop, and the teams depth will be tested as camp unfolds, while changes on defense and special teams add another layer of uncertainty to the mix. For a franchise looking to turn a promising finish into something more lasting, the next few weeks should say a lot about how real this optimism actually is. [Read more 🡒]