After losing three defensive linemen on the first day of the NFL’s free agency negotiation period, the New Orleans Saints will be looking at a big rebuild on the line, especially in the interior. However, the edge defender position took a big hit as well with the loss of former first-round draft selection Marcus Davenport. After a half-sack season, Davenport agreed to terms on a one-year $13 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday.
The Saints may not be as devastated on the outside as they are on the inside (of the defensive trenches, I mean) but defensive end is clearly a position the Saints should look to invest in this offseason. Whether they do so via free agency with available edge rushers like veterans Robert Quinn and Arden Key or drafting talented rookies like Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore, Bowling Green’s Karl Brooks or K.J. Henry of Clemson adding at least one more body to the group should be a priority for the Saints.
Even before the departure of Davenport, offseason acquisitions would have made sense. Now, the position feels like a need when it comes to adding talent. Here are the defensive ends currently on the roster for New Orleans, how they performed in 2022, last year’s snap count and how they’re expected to contribute in 2023: