Category: Cameron Jordan

Cameron Jordan on planning for a new-look Carolina Panthers

The amount of offseason turnover in Carolina can make it hard to plan for Week 1, so Cameron Jordan says the Saints are focused on themselves:

Bryce Young may still be at the helm, but the Carolina Panthers have new players in pivotal positions and new leadership at the top with head coach Dave Canales. That’s going to mean new challenges for the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s regular season kickoff game.

We may see a much-improved quarterback. Not only does Young have a year of experience under his belt, he also has a new offensive mind leading the way. Canales alone has the ability to change Young’s fortune. It worked for Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield under Canales’ leadership.

The Panthers also added Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis up front. Defensive end Cameron Jordan alluded to these signings ahead of the New Orleans Saints showdown with the Panthers in Week 1. Jordan said the Panthers have “Darn near a whole new offensive line. For sure a new offensive coordinator. Everything’s sort of different.”

With the changes there’s only one focus, themselves. Jordan knows they have to game plan for a different version of Carolina but feels, “At the same time it’s about us. We’re going to have to play our calls, play our techniques. We have to focus on what we know we can be successful at.”

That’s often the case in Week 1 because of offseason changes to each team. That emphasis multiplies when the team brings in a new head coach.

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Cameron Jordan welcoming the challenge of playing on the inside

Cameron Jordan will play more on the interior in 2024. The change comes with a shift in technique and workload, but he’s welcoming the challenge:

More than ever, you’ll see Cameron Jordan lining up at defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He’ll remain a part of the edge defender rotation, but he’ll now also take snaps on the interior.

Jordan admits the move requires humility. The idea of taking on three players on any given play doesn’t bring him excitement, but it’s what the team needs from him. Jordan swallowed his pride and welcomed the challenge.

Jordan lost weight over the offseason, dipping under 270 pounds for the first time since high school. He’s put some weight back on this summer but is still lighter than usual. He joked after a recent training practice that it ended up being the “Wrong time to slim down.”

He does clarify that defensive linemen can be “small, light, and strong.” The qualities aren’t mutually exclusive. To help with the transition, Jordan is looking at guys like Aaron Donald and other lighter players for the position. Jordan also highlighted Calais Campbell as a player who evolved from an edge rusher to an interior defender.

There’s a major shift when sliding inside from a technique and preparation standpoint. Jordan says everything happens quicker on the interior: “Off the edge you get three, four steps. You move on the interior and everything gets faster.” There’s just less time for you to set up offensive linemen for moves.

Jordan added that his minimal experience at the position has lessened the learning curve and he’s getting more comfortable.

Playing inside snaps changes weekly preparation. It’s an elevated workload having to prepare for playing edge and defensive tackle. 14 years into the season and Jordan has even more on his plate.

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Cameron Jordan trying his hand at a new position at Saints training camp

Cameron Jordan is trying his hand at a new position at Saints training camp. It’s something many fans have been asking about for years:

Will Cameron Jordan be listed at a different position in 2024? No, but he won’t necessarily be a full-time defensive end anymore — at least not if the latest buzz out of New Orleans Saints training camp holds up.

Jordan has been taking a lot of snaps from defensive tackle alignments in team drills and individual work in recent days, particularly in pass-rush situations. It’s something NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill picked up on a few days ago, and which the Saints have been trying out more and more frequently as they get deeper into training camp.

This is new for him. According to Pro Football Focus charting, Jordan hasn’t lined up inside the B gap more than 7 times in a single season since 2012, his second year in the pros and his only experience with Steve Spagnuolo running the defense (and he did so on just 47 of his 1,035 snaps). He’s only logged one snap in the A gap during the last four years. Jordan has almost exclusively lined up over the offensive tackle or outside their shoulders throughout his 14-year career.

But it’s a change that some Saints fans have been requesting (and sometimes loudly suggesting online) for years. It’s no secret that Jordan has lost a step, even if his lack of production last season was blamed on a bad ankle rather than physical decline. He’s never been much of a speed rusher who closes in on the quarterback in a hurry. He wins with strength, power, and leverage. And moving him inside lets him use those skills against slow-footed guards who can’t force him to turn a corner like offensive tackles can.

This could be Jordan’s best path to remaining an asset along the defensive line. Getting him into those mismatches with Carl Granderson and Chase Young rushing off the edge puts everyone in a position to play to their strengths. The lack of quality depth at defensive tackle and sudden surplus of exciting edge rushers (not just Granderson and Young, who has dominated practices; Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey have each had their moments) are good excuses for moving Jordan around. If he can help supplement the interior pass rush and open snaps for those younger players to take outside, everyone wins.

At least that’s the hope. We should expect Jordan to remain a starter in the base defense at his usual left end spot until someone displaces him. He’s a better run defender than pass rusher at this stage in his career, which has been the opposite case for Chase Young. Maybe lining up Jordan on the edge for early downs and obvious running situations, then kicking him inside with Young crashing down next to him for third downs and clear passing scenarios, is the best way to get the most out of both players. It’s not a bad theory. Let’s see how it plays out in practice.

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B/R grades Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan’s Hall of Fame cases

Do Alvin Kamara or Cameron Jordan have strong enough Hall of Fame resumes? Or Tyrann Matheiu? Bleacher Report shared their take:

The New Orleans Saints have a few players who belong in Hall of Fame conversations: Alvin Kamara, Cameron Jordan and Tyrann Mathieu. Two of the three were listed among the top 30 Hall of Fame resumes among active players.

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon ranked these 30 players then separated them into categories: locks, on the brink, significant work to do and longshots. Jordan and Kamara found themselves in the latter two categories while Mathieu was left off the list.

Jordan landed in the “significant work to do” section because of his lack of All-Pro seasons and team success. Truthfully, Jordan’s biggest detriment may be his style of play.

He is an All-Decade Team member who does everything, but he’s more of an all-around player than a pass rush star. It has led to Jordan being under-discussed through his career and could lead to him missing the Hall too.

Gagnon has Kamara as a longshot because, “his peak was too short and he likely wasn’t a strong enough pure rusher to make it.” It’s difficult to argue this. Pete Carmichael’s confusing usage of Kamara halted what felt like a possible Hall of Fame career.

Kamara’s recent struggles makes his case very difficult to make, especially at a position that isn’t valued highly in modern football. Surprisingly, Christian McCaffrey didn’t make this list anywhere.

Mathieu should have been on the list. Like Jordan, he was 2010’s All-Decade player. The 11-year veteran is a three-time first-team All-Pro. He also has a Super Bowl on his resume.

Numbers can’t quantify this, but Mathieu is a trailblazer for the versatile defensive back we’re seeing more often in the NFL. His accolades and impact on the game are more than worthy of a spot on this list. Let’s hope he isn’t overlooked when the time comes for voters to discuss his resume.

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Cameron Jordan on being a mentor in Year 14 with the Saints

Cameron Jordan is entering Year 14 with the Saints. As the most experienced pro in the room, he’s embracing his role as a mentor:

Cameron Jordan used to be the young guy in the room. Looking up to proven pros like Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma, and just hoping to make a name for himself, proving why the New Orleans Saints drafted him. But it’s been a long time since then. He’s going into Year 14 with the black and gold, and these days he’s being asked to step into the role of a mentor. There isn’t much that he hasn’t seen or done through 209 games with the Saints, and his younger teammates know it.

Jordan was busy between drills at Wednesday’s first training camp practice of the summer, offering words and examples to those around him. Not just the young draft picks lined up behind him at defensive end, but the offensive linemen opposing him like Trevor Penning.

“This is Year 3 for him. It’s time to figure it out,” Jordan said of Penning after practice. He was seen taking time between reps to give the right tackle pointers, and he said that opportunity to help Penning is important to him. “I don’t know what anybody else is seeing on the outside in, but right now in between those lines, it’s whatever I can do to help us win a Super Bowl. So if I can talk to him, ‘Hey, calm down,’ ‘Don’t worry about it,’ ‘Throw hands, anchor,’ whatever it is, let’s get him right now. Because I don’t want to get to the season and be like, ‘We should’ve (done this),’ because I don’t have time for should’ve, I have right now.”

Still, it’s not like Jordan is neglecting his fellow defensive linemen. He’s excited to see what they can do after putting in the work to prepare for what may be a pivotal training camp for some of them.

“Payton Turner is probably in the best shape of his life right now. He’s in Year 4, he’s got more than a chip (on his shoulder), he’s got everything to prove this year,” Jordan said while rattling off the list of teammates competing around him. He continued, “I just think as we grow right now, it’s the time to grow right now. It’s the time to figure out what we’re good at it, what we want to run. How we can effect the quarterback. How can we implement Chase Young in our defense as a guy we know who can be explosive?”

Not many guys can say they’ve been there, done that in the NFL like Jordan. All he has left is winning a Super Bowl. It’s the last thing he can achieve, and he’s desperate to add a championship to his trophy case. And he knows he won’t get it done alone. Improving those around him and making the team better is his priority. He just needs to keep it up.

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Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey join Cameron Jordan at Von Miller’s Sack Summit

Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey joined Cameron Jordan at the Sack Summit in Las Vegas, an event he co-hosts with Von Miller and Maxx Crosby:

The NFL is on summer break, but that doesn’t mean everyone is taking it easy. Cameron Jordan was joined by several of his New Orleans Saints teammates at the annual Sack Summit in Las Vegas, an event he now co-hosts along with its founder Von Miller and Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby.

Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey, and Niko Lalos (who spent the 2023 season on the Saints’ practice squad) spent two days on the practice field and in the film room learning from the best sack artists around the league. Jordan shared photos and video from the event on his official Instagram account highlighting the event.

It’s good to see these young players taking initiative to get better. While the Saints added Chase Young to their defensive ends rotation along with Jordan and breakout starter Carl Granderson, the team is counting on bigger contributions from Turner and Foskey in 2024. An injury limited Foskey to just 10 games in his rookie season, totaling 9 tackles and a pass deflection. Turner missed most of the year with his own injury though he tallied two quarterback hits and a fumble recovery when he returned in Week 18.

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WATCH: Drew Brees, Cameron Jordan test Disney World’s new Louisiana-themed ride

New Orleans Saints legends Drew Brees and Cameron Jordan were among the first to test Disney World’s new Louisiana-themed ride:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8DsyvopNkT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

A couple of New Orleans Saints legends were the first to test out a new attraction at Walt Disney World. Drew Brees and Cameron Jordan had front seats on the Louisiana-inspired Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a water ride built on the remodeled Splash Mountain which opened back in 1992. Jordan and Brees had front-row seats for the experience, interacting with characters from the 2009 Disney film “The Princess and the Frog” while bracing themselves for a waterfall.

“Never lose sight of what’s really important,” Jordan said, reading a quote from the film. “This drop is what’s important to me.”

If their reactions are anything to go by, it looks like a fun makeover for an iconic attraction that should better connect with a younger generation of Disney fans. And as the parent of a daughter who watched them all fanatically, “The Princess and the Frog” is so much better than “Frozen” and its sequel, but “Tangled” might be the best of the bunch.

Disney fans can try out Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for themselves when it officially opens on June 28 at Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Fla. Special limited-time concessions are rolling out to celebrate the unveiling and the story’s Louisiana themes, so look out for beignets and Chantilly cake, but the gumbo and French fries combo might be too untraditional for some.

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Countdown to Kickoff, Day 94: Cameron Jordan is the Saints Player of the Day

Countdown to Kickoff, Day 94: Cameron Jordan is the New Orleans Saints Player of the Day. What are expectations for him in 2024?

There are 94 days to go until the New Orleans Saints kick  off their 2024 season with the Carolina Panthers, which means Cameron Jordan — the current owner  of the No. 94 jersey — is our Saints Player of  the Day. We’re counting down to kickoff by highlighting each player in the corresponding jersey number until Sept. 8.

Jordan is coming off of a down year, which may feel inevitable this late in his career. But before we get to his goals for 2024, let’s reflect on the road that brought him here:

  • Name (Age): Cameron Jordan (34)
  • Position: Defensive end
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 287 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 8.86
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $13,852,250
  • College: California
  • Drafted: First round in 2011 (New Orleans Saints)
  • NFL experience: 14 seasons

Jordan is the Saints’ official all-time sacks leader (with 117.5 of them) but he only had two sacks last season before an ankle injury limited his snap counts. In 2022, 5 of his 8.5 sacks came in just two games. He isn’t the same pass rusher he once was, and the Saints shouldn’t keep asking him to play the same role in their defense. But they don’t have many better options with Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey developing so slowly. Tanoh Kpassagnon’s injury takes  him off the board, too. The hope is Chase Young can add enough to thee pass rush opposite Carl Granderson to make up for Jordan’s decline, but he’s dealing with his own injury.

It isn’t a great situation. By all accounts the Saints are still intending on Jordan playing a lot of snaps and starting with Granderson. Until someone steps up to help Jordan shoulder the load, he’s going to continue playing heavy minutes on Sundays. He maintained an impressive pace of at least 7.5 sacks per season from 2012 to 2022, but those days may be behind him.

If that’s the case, we’re saying Jordan should aim for 5.5 sacks in 2024. That would be an improvement and tie Rickey Jackson for the Saints’ unofficial all-time record at Pro Football Reference. Sacks were not officially tracked until 1982, which didn’t include Jackson’s rookie season in 1981, so his unofficial total is 123. Seeing Jordan tie that would be good. Beating it would be great.

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Cameron Jordan says ‘it feels like we have to’ beat Sean Payton’s Broncos

He hasn’t circled the Broncos game on his calendar, but Cameron Jordan says it feels like the Saints have to beat Sean Payton as a point of pride:

You’d be hard-pressed to find a player in the New Orleans Saints locker room that Sean Payton had more respect for than Cameron Jordan. The team’s ironman defensive captain rarely missed a snap in a decade with Payton working as his head coach, and Payton’s decision to walk away from the team was as hard on Jordan as anyone else in the building.

But that doesn’t mean Jordan is taking it easy in a prime time matchup with Payton and his new Denver Broncos squad. The last thing he wants to see is Payton leaving New Orleans with one more win, this time as the visitor. He spoke about the schedule and this awkward reunion with Payton at the Saints Hall of Fame golf tournament on Monday.

“It’s not like I’ve circled it on a calendar and marked it down, but it feels like we have to win that game. Everybody knows who Sean Payton is. Can’t let him. Can’t let him do that one,” Jordan laughed, shaking his head.

All eyes will be on New Orleans when Payton’s Broncos visit the Caesars Superdome in Week 7. They’ll get the Thursday Night Football highlight placement on Oct. 17.

It’s understandable that Jordan sees this as a point of pride; letting Payton walk back into the building and getting a win would be embarrassing. But how would it impact the Saints? In the greater scheme of things, not by much. This is an AFC-NFC crossover so it wouldn’t factor into playoff tiebreakers. And everyone believes Payton is a better head coach than his replacement Dennis Allen. So a loss wouldn’t really change their perception on the outside.

But that isn’t why they play the games. It isn’t why Jordan goes into surgery  every other January and spends months recovering so he can play another season. There’s real meaning in getting a win, especially in a situation like this. Proving the Saints can win without Payton, who brought them their first Super Bowl, and beating him head to head has to be a big motivator for Jordan and his teammates. Payton’s presence is going to overshadow a lot of narratives surrounding this game once we get to it, but it’s important to remember how his presence impacts the players on the near sideline. This is a game Jordan, and the Saints, desperately want to win.

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Cameron Jordan has a hot take on Saints’ first-round pick: ‘I’m very biased’

Cameron Jordan has a hot take on what the Saints should do with their first-round pick: ‘I’m very biased’

Everyone has their own ideas about what the New Orleans Saints should do with their first round pick in the 2024 NFL draft — including players already on the team. Cameron Jordan sat down with NFL Network to preview the first round of selections on Thursday, and he shared his take on where the Saints should look to improve with the 14th overall pick.

“Who do I want? I’m very biased,” Jordan laughed. “If y’all are thinking top-10, offense galore, I’m thinking No. 14, defense. Run me the big defensive tackle. I like the little Florida State kid. I really like a Texas D-tackle. Just know, if it doesn’t happen in the first I’m still looking for our second or our fifth round pick. I think we have like four fifth round picks, we could trade up.”

The players Jordan is referring to there have been linked to the Saints at different points in this process: Florida State’s Braden Fiske and Texas products Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat.

Jordan’s position coach Todd Grantham attended both school’s pro day workouts and personally put Fiske through his paces. While Murphy is someone who could be realistic at No. 14, Fiske and Sweat are each expected to be picked later in the draft, which is why Jordan sees them as possible trade targets.

But why does he see defensive tackle as such a high priority? Jordan is always asking for more linemen around draft time in these media spots, whether it’s another pass rusher or more depth on the interior. At this point it’s part of his brand. Murphy would be an awesome pairing with Bryan Bresee in the middle of the line, but the Saints really can’t afford to not address their offensive tackle spots in Round 1. Maybe they’ll surprise us and make Jordan happy.

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