The Saints may be staring at a major blow on the defensive line.
According to Ian Rapoport, the team is concerned that DT Bryan Bresee suffered a torn ACL in practice today. Bresee still needs an MRI to confirm the injury, but if the concern holds, it would be a significant setback for both the Saints and a player who was positioned for a potential breakout season as a key piece of the defense.
New Orleans had already committed to Bresee for the long haul, picking up his fifth-year option this past May. The 24-year-old entered this season as a former first-round pick with momentum behind him.
Bresee’s path to the NFL started with plenty of hype. He was one of the nation’s top high school recruits and spent three seasons at Clemson.
In 2020, he earned freshman All-American honors and first-team All-ACC recognition. Even while dealing with injuries in 2021 and 2022, he still managed to pick up second- and third-team all-conference honors.
The Saints selected Bresee with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $13,403,202 contract that included a $6,747,783 signing bonus.
He was entering the fourth year of that deal when New Orleans exercised his fifth-year option, a fully guaranteed $13.931 million for the 2027 season.
On the field in 2025, Bresee played in 15 games and finished with 37 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and three pass deflections.
In Other News...
Saints Fans Are About To Find Out What Travis Etienne Really Is
Travis Etienne Jr. is arriving in New Orleans with a chance to reshape the Saints backfield picture, and the fit is one of the more intriguing camp storylines on the roster. Signed as a free agent, Etienne is expected to compete for a meaningful role under coordinator Kellen Moore, giving the Saints another versatile runner and receiver to work into an offense that has been looking for more juice.
Alvin Kamaras restructured contract may create the opening for Etienne to share the load rather than simply fight for leftovers, which makes the first days of training camp especially important. It will be the first real chance to see how quickly Etienne settles in, how he meshes with the offense, and whether the Saints can turn this backfield into something more dynamic than a simple one-man show. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Camp Battle Just Got More Complicated Before It Even Started
The Saints have already started sorting out the edges of the roster before training camp even gets rolling, and the churn has hit a few different position groups. Cornerback Beanie Bishop was waived, while Mike Reid was brought in to add another body to the secondary. On the other side of the ball, tight end Cody Hardy and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris were moved to the active/non-football injury list, giving New Orleans a little more early camp housekeeping than it probably wanted.
There is also some lingering uncertainty in the trenches and at receiver, where defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver and Mason Tipton were placed on the active/physically unable to perform list. Those designations do not close the door on either player, but they do mean the Saints will have to keep adjusting as camp approaches, especially with competition for spots already starting to take shape. For a team trying to build depth and sort out roles, even these early roster moves can shift the picture in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]