Tag: 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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Dennis Allen on the decision to move Cameron Jordan inside

Cameron Jordan will play on the inside more this season. Dennis Allen says “It takes a special person to be able to handle that”

Cameron Jordan will play on the interior more than he ever has in a New Orleans Saints uniform. Jordan already shared that he is up for the challenge though he wouldn’t have chosen this route. Telling your future Hall of Fame defensive end you need him to alter his role can’t be an easy conversation or decision to make.

Dennis Allen explained the decision to Kay Adams. The Saints picked up Chase Young in free agency, and Carl Granderson is firmly stepping into the role as the Saints’ top pass rusher. You see more players fighting for reps at defensive end than in recent years. Allen sees that as a catalyst for the change.

“At the end of the day, there’s only so many snaps on defense,” Allen said. “There’s only so many spots he can play. How do we get the best 11 guys on the field?”

Jordan will still play on the edge, but Granderson and Young will likely be your two edge players on obvious passing situations and two-minute drills. In these situations, along with other plays throughout the game, you’ll see Jordan on the inside.

Allen credits Jordan for his response to the challenge. Jordan has played one position pretty much his entire career. He’s rushed off the defense’s left side, so leaving that for something different can be an odd. Allen commended him, saying, “It takes a special person to be able to handle that.”

If all goes as planned this could extend his career by keeping Jordan in the lineup as an effective defender. But Allen and the Saints are grateful for what he’s given them already through more than a decade: “Cam’s been one of the most unselfish players in our league for a long, long time.”

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WATCH: Carl Granderson mic’d up at Saints training camp practice

Carl Granderson was mic’d up at New Orleans Saints training camp practice. Here’s a day of work from his point of view:

Carl Granderson was mic’d up at New Orleans Saints training camp practice. Here’s a day of work from his point of view, which you can watch here. He’s the latest defender to wear a microphone into practice after other guys like Alontae Taylor and Willie Gay Jr. did so. Playmakers on offense like Rashid Shaheed and Cesar Ruiz have also given us a glimpse at practice from their perspectives.

Granderson is going to be a big player for the team again this year. He’s steadily climbed the depth chart to lead the Saints in snaps played at defensive end last season, logging 103 more reps than Cameron Jordan did. Expect Granderson and big-time free agent acquisition Chase Young to take point on passing downs.

Just how great can Granderson be? The former undrafted free agent has come a long way, and he’s coming off new career-highs in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (14). His 58 quarterback pressures were tied for 24th-most at Pro Football Focus, behind Young’s 66 (17th) and ahead of Jordan’s 45 (44th). He’s put in the work to become the future at defensive end for the Saints. All he has to do next is follow through and meet his own standards.

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Saints DE Cameron Jordan defends Panthers QB Bryce Young

Saints DE Cameron Jordan thinks it’s far too early to judge Panthers QB Bryce Young, especially after a ridiculously rough rookie season.

NFC South rival Cameron Jordan actually had something kinda nice to say about the Carolina Panthers for a change.

The New Orleans Saints defensive lineman hopped on the latest episode of The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. With the Panthers set to visit the Saints to kick off the 2024 regular season, host Mina Kimes asked Jordan about quarterback Bryce Young’s rough rookie season.

“I mean . . . what did they protect him with?” he replied. “You were going into the season knowing they had one tackle returning that they could rely on [Taylor Moton] and the rest of ’em were like . . . hmmm.”

Well, Moton and the rest of ’em combined to allow 62 sacks of Young—the second-highest mark amongst all quarterbacks in 2023. Young’s other numbers weren’t pretty either, as he threw for just 179.8 passing yards per game and 11 touchdowns over 16 starts.

Two of those starts came against Jordan and the Saints, who held the lowly Panthers offense down in Week 2 and in Week 14. Young completed just 35 of his 69 attempts against New Orleans for 290 yards and one score between the pair of outings.

But with those hefty investments into his revamped offensive line, perhaps Young puts some bigger numbers up on Jordan’s Saints in just a few weeks’ time.

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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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Marshon Lattimore’s 27-yard pick-six is the Saints Play of the Day

We’re turning the clock back to 2017. Marshon Lattimore’s 27-yard pick-six off of Matthew Stafford is the Saints Play of the Day:

We’ve got 27 days to go until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2024 regular season, which make’s Marshon Lattimore’s 27-yard pick-six our Saints Play of the Day. Lattimore intercepted Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to help run up the score in a 2017 win at home, and it turned out that the Saints would really need the points.

The Lions entered this game with a better record (3-2) than the Saints (2-2), but they were six-point underdogs inside the raucous Superdome. And the final score was much further apart than that. Lattimore’s pick-six was one of two defensive touchdowns the Saints scored on the afternoon,

Lattimore’s defensive touchdown gave the Saints a 45-10 lead midway through the third quarter, but the game wasn’t over yet. The Detroit offense scored two touchdowns on 22-yard passes from Stafford. Jamal Agnew cut through the Saints special teams unit for a 74-yard punt returned for a touchdown. And then A’Shawn Robinson kept their scoring streak alive with an interception of his own, returning it two yards into the New Orleans end zone. The Saints punted on their next possession and were suddenly holding onto a 45-38 lead when Detroit took over. Had Lattimore not scored earlier the game would have been tied.

Thankfully, Cameron Jordan came through to save the day. Agnew had muffed the punt and recovered it at his own 1-yard line. When Stafford dropped back to pass from his own end zone Jordan deflected the pass and snatched it out of the air for another pick-six. Wil Lutz hit the extra point and the Saints held on for a 52-38 victory. They wouldn’t lose again for the next five weeks.

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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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Madden NFL 25 ranks Saints’ Demario Davis the third-best linebacker in football

Madden NFL 25’s initial launch ratings rank New Orleans Saints star Demario Davis as the third-best linebacker in football:

Every year, EA Sports releases a brand-new update for their Madden NFL video game franchise. As the game gets closer to being released, the development team shares the overall ratings of players in the game.

On Friday, they dropped their top ten linebackers, and Saints fans found a familiar face on the list. The 35-year-old ranked as the third-best linebacker in the game.

Davis comes in with a 92 overall rating at launch, two higher than the previous year. He absolutely deserves it with the year he is coming off of. The Arkansas State product had one of his best seasons, tallying 121 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks.

His 92 overall rating will likely be the highest overall player for New Orleans. He joins teammates Tyran Mathieu and Cameron Jordan as top-10 overall players at their respective positions. The game’s worldwide release is set for Aug. 16, with premium preorders opening early access up on Aug. 13.

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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 narrowly misses the NFL Top 100 list

Cameron Jordan narrowly missed NFL Network’s list of the Top 100 Players of 2024, but it’s more surprising to see Tyrann Mathieu snubbed:

For the first time since 2017, New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has missed out on the NFL Top 100 Players list, which has become a summer tradition since 2016. That was also the last time Jordan missed the Pro Bowl until 2023. It’s no coincidence the rankings and the years align.

Jordan had the worst year of his career since his rookie season. He hasn’t hit sack numbers, tackles for a loss, or total tackles this low since he entered the league in 2011. He did deal with an ankle injury, so this coming season will go a long way in deciding what may be the trajectory of Jordan’s career.

Despite these struggles, Jordan narrowly missed the Top 100 list. NFL Films released essentially an honorable mention list of the 10 players who make up 101-110. Jordan made that list.

Demario Davis will likely be the only Saints player on the list. There isn’t anyone on offense who was a viable candidate. Jordan and Tyrann Mathieu were the most likely players to make it next to Davis.

It’s surprising to see Mathieu snubbed like this, assuming he doesn’t make the top 30. He is still playing at a high level and truly settled in as a leader for the Saints. Outside of the intangibles, Mathieu has amassed seven interceptions over the last two seasons. He also returned one of his four picks for a touchdown in 2024. If he isn’t on the list, it’s even more surprising to see him not be an honorable mention.

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