Carl Granderson has been a productive player in the New Orleans Saints’ rotation at defensive end going into 2023, but he leveled up last season. Granderson led the team with 8.5 sacks and 20 quarterback hits, plus 14 tackles for loss. They’ll be counting on him to match those numbers again in 2024. Before we get to his goals, let’s get to know him a little better:
- Name (Age): Carl Granderson (27)
- Position: Defensive end
- Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 261 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 7.70
- 2024 salary cap hit: $5,250,000
- College: Wyoming
- Drafted: Undrafted in 2019 (New Orleans Saints)
- NFL experience: 6 seasons
The Saints are hoping for a bounce-back year from Cameron Jordan along with a big impact from free agent pickup Chase Young, but it’s likely going to be Granderson shouldering the heaviest load this season. He’s the most reliable player in the group, and right now he’s the only one healthy enough to fully participate in spring practices.
So what are reasonable expectations for him in 2024? Granderson has the skills to reach double-digit sacks, but it isn’t something he’s done before, and that isn’t the bar we should be setting for him. It’s something he could achieve with better play from those around him, which is why Young was brought into the fold.
With that in mind, we’re looking to last year’s numbers as the goal Granderson should work to reach. He played really well in his first year as a starter and set a new standard for himself. If he can match that production and bag eight or nine sacks again, this will end up looking like another good year for him.
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