Khalen Saunders is active for his first New Orleans Saints game since suffering a preseason calf injury, having replaced John Ridgeway III in the rotation at defensive tackle for Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Falcons. And don’t forget he’s wearing a new number in 2024 after giving No. 99 to Chase Young; “Bink” has switched to No. 50 instead.
He was a big part of Dennis Allen’s defense last season. Saunders played 523 snaps across 17 games, totaling a career-high 57 tackles (24 solo). He also got some looks on offense as a blocking fullback and decoy in the backfield. There aren’t too many guys at his size (6-foot, 324 pounds) who can do that, but Saunders is more nimble than you might expect.
We’ll see what he has in store for Sunday. The Saints have given the lion’s share of reps to Bryan Bresee and Nathan Shepherd at defensive tackle, though rookie draft pick Khristian Boyd has had an active presence. We’ve also seen Cameron Jordan and Payton Turner move inside for obvious passing situations. Here’s hoping Saunders makes the most of his chances.
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