Tag: tanoh kpassagnon

Chase Young signing with Saints may signal the end of Payton Turner era

Chase Young will be taking someone’s spot in the rotation after the Saints signed him. It just might be Payton Turner’s:

Chase Young will be taking someone’s spot in the rotation after the New Orleans Saints signed him to a one-year, $13 million contract on Monday (with every dollar guaranteed once his pen touched paper). The Saints are bringing back all of their major contributors from 2023 at defensive end, but the group performed so poorly that it makes sense for Young to elbow someone aside.

It just might be Payton Turner drawing the short straw. The 2021 first-round pick hasn’t lived up to expectations, and it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Saints will not pick up his fifth-year option for 2025 before May’s deadline. Between injuries and coach’s decisions based on his too-slow progress, Turner has only played 15 games through his first three years, without a single start.

Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson are locked in, and Tanoh Kpassagnon also played major snaps last year (23.8 per game). Backups Isaiah Foskey and Kyle Phillips got a few looks here and there. If Young can fill in for Jordan on third downs and obvious passing situations, limiting the old pro’s snap counts, there may not be many more reps to go around. Phillips is an unrestricted free agent who has not been retained. Foskey’s development has been slow, like Turner’s, but he’s only entering his second year in the NFL.

So it’ll probably be Turner or Kpassagnon being squeezed out. They share surprisingly similar skill sets as defensive linemen who can set the edge or slide inside, and the financials are similar, too. Turner’s 2024 salary cap hit is set at just over $3.9 million. Trading or releasing him after June 1 (during or after training camp, too) would save the Saints $2.3 million. Kpassagnon’s cap hit is $3.3 million and moving him this summer would save the team $2.5 million against the cap.

And of those two, Kpassagnon has been the better player for the Saints. He’s been healthy and productive and played more games. That might make him a more appealing asset to other teams. At the same time, Kpassagnon will turn 30 in June, and the aging Saints defense has been a point of contention among fans. It’s possible Turner plays well enough in practices over the summer that it’s a real question of who makes the cut, and another team could swoop in to make New Orleans a trade offer they can’t refuse. It would be a good problem to have.

It’s just a shame Turner hasn’t met expectations to this point in his career. Some of it is his own fault with up-and-down performances when he’s been available. Some of it is on the coaching staff for preferring to run with older teammates in some games. But so much of the problem isn’t anyone’s fault. Injuries happen in the NFL, and Turner has been hit harder than most. We’ll see if he can bounce back with the stakes going higher in 2024.

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Stout defense, Derek Carr’s best game with Saints knocks down the Giants

A stout defense and Derek Carr’s best game in a Saints uniform combined to knock down the Giants:

This is what New Orleans Saints games are supposed to look like. A combination of a stout defense and Derek Carr’s best game in a black and gold uniform knocked down the New York Giants on Sunday by a margin of 24-6. This is their vision for a victory. It’s why they pursued Carr and retained Dennis Allen as head coach to cultivate an elite defense. And on Sunday that vision became reality.

New York gained just 60 rushing yards as a team with star running back Saquon Barkley limited to 14 yards on 9 carries; rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito is known for his rushing ability but he was contained to 36 yards on 4 attempts, actually losing more yards (57) to 7 sacks than he gained as a runner.

And DeVito didn’t have many answers for the ferocious Saints defense. New Orleans pressured him early and often on his 34 pass attempts. Five different defenders hit him at different points through the game, with veteran defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon stepping up in particular. Kpasagnon finished the day with 3 sacks and 4 quarterback hits, plus 6 tackles (3 solo, 3 tackles for loss). Cornerbacks Isaac Yiadom and Paulson Adebo combined for 4 pass breakups.

Let’s talk about Carr. He’s earned a lot of criticism this season for poor play, but he did his job well on Sunday. Carr completed 23 of 28 passes (82.1%) for 218 yards, throwing 3 touchdown passes for the first time in a Saints uniform. He didn’t turn the ball over, he navigated pressure well, and he spread the ball around efficiently. 10 different players caught a pass in this game, and 7 of them caught multiple receptions from Carr. It was really impressive to see with Chris Olave out of the lineup.

So where do they go next? The Saints must take their show on the road and visit the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night before flying cross-country for another road game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After that, the regular season finale at home against the Atlanta Falcons. New Orleans doesn’t control its own destiny, but positive games like this one are going to be big as they go down the stretch.

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Cameron Jordan will be a game-time decision in Week 13 vs. Lions

New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen says Cameron Jordan will be a game-time decision in Week 13. He’s missed just one game in his long career due to injury:

There’s a real possibility that Cameron Jordan could miss just his second career game with an injury when the New Orleans Saints take the field on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Jordan injured his ankle in last week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons and was unable to practice on it throughout the week, but Saints head coach Dennis Allen says they’re giving him every opportunity to play, if his body is up for it.

“He’ll be questionable for the game, and look, with Cam Jordan we’re going to go all the way up until the very last minute to make that final determination,” Allen said. “So Cam wants to play, I know he’s been working extremely hard to get himself ready to play. And if he can play and be effective he’ll be out there.”

So look for Jordan to be listed as questionable on the injury report. He’s a rare ironman in the NFL, but even he has his limits, and the Saints will miss him if he’s unable to play. Should Jordan miss this game, look for Tanoh Kpassagnon to start in his place opposite Cameron Jordan with Isaiah Foskey and Kyle Phillips rotating in as their backups. Foskey practiced fully this week after missing a few weeks with a quadriceps injury so this could be a big opportunity for the rookie second-round draft pick to make a positive impression.

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Report: Dolphins poaching Jason Pierre-Paul off of the Saints practice squad

Report: Dolphins poaching Jason Pierre-Paul off of the Saints practice squad

Jason Pierre-Paul hardly had time to get his photo taken in a New Orleans Saints uniform before leaving town for a new opportunity. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Miami Dolphins are expected to sign Pierre-Paul from the Saints practice squad, having lost a key starter (Jaelan Phillips) to a season-ending injury.

Pierre-Paul played 17 snaps in the Saints’ Week 12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, totaling two tackles without registering a quarterback pressure. He wasn’t going to get many reps in New Orleans with Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson on top of the rotation while Tanoh Kpassagnon is playing heavy minutes as their top backup. And youngsters Isaiah Foskey and Payton Turner are working their way back from injuries, too.

Still, it’s disappointing. The Saints badly need more help rushing the passer. They’ve only bagged 18 sacks in 11 games this season which ties the Carolina Panthers for the second-fewest in the league. They’re getting gashed by mobile quarterbacks and struggling to get home when they do send pressure. With Pierre-Paul out of the picture, someone else may need to step up. The Saints could give preseason standout Niko Lalos an opportunity to come up from the practice squad, but we’ll have to wait and see what their next move is.

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5 Saints players who deserve bigger roles coming out of the bye week

Rashid Shaheed and Juwan Johnson are two of the Saints players who deserve bigger roles coming out of the bye week:

It can’t be more obvious that the New Orleans Saints need to make some changes during their bye week. They’re lucky to have a 5-5 record and sit on top of the worst division in pro football; the weak NFC South is all that’s keeping them in the playoff picture.

So what adjustments can they make? They can start by making bigger roles for these five players after the bye week:

Report: Free agent DE Jason Pierre-Paul to sign with Saints

CBS Sports insider Josina Anderson reports that free agent defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul plans to sign with the New Orleans Saints after a productive workout:

There’s that pass rush help the New Orleans Saints were looking for. Free agent defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is planning to sign with the Saints, as first reported by CBS Sports insider Josina Anderson. Pierre-Paul was flown into New Orleans on Monday for a workout which went well enough for the Saints to offer him a contract.

“I killed the workout,” Pierre-Paul told Anderson before putting pen to paper. “You can tell I’ve been active (and) not just sitting around. The head coach called me in his office to talk about it. I’m still figuring things out.”

Pierre-Paul, 34, was a first round draft pick by the New York Giants back in 2010; the South Florida product went on to earn three Pro Bowl nods and All-Pro recognition in 2011, totaling 94.5 sacks and 21 forced fumbles in 179 regular season games. He most recently played for the Baltimore Ravens after a four-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

We’ll see whether Pierre-Paul is going to sign with the Saints’ practice squad or 53-man roster. Either way, he’ll be available for their next game with the Atlanta Falcons after coming out of the Week 11 bye. New Orleans has rostered Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Kyle Phillips, and Isaiah Foskey (who is dealing with an injury) while stashing Niko Lalos and Jordan Willis on the practice squad, so someone will get bumped out of the rtoation to make room for him. Stay tuned for official word that the deal has been completed.

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Saints hosted free agent pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul for a workout

The New Orleans Saints hosted free agent pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul for a workout, looking to add juice to their defensive front:

Well this is interesting: the New Orleans Saints hosted free agent pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul for a workout at the team facility on Monday, per the daily NFL transactions wire. Pierre-Paul, 34, recently expressed interest in signing up with a playoff contender — and the Saints, who go on into their bye week on top of the NFC South standings, match that description.

Pierre-Paul fits the athletic prototype the Saints value at defensive end, weighing in at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, and he brings some proven production. He generated 22 quarterback pressures in a part-time role last year with the Baltimore Ravens after posting totals of 29, 65, 44, and 46 in four years with the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He would likely be playing behind Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson in New Orleans (and maybe Tanoh Kpassagnon, too) but both of the young edge rushers the Saints have drafted in recent years are currently sidelined with injuries. It’s worth adding Pierre-Paul to the mix at least until Isaiah Foskey and Payton Turner can return to the field, and maybe longer if they can’t outplay him. We’ll have to wait and see if the Saints can reach an agreement with Pierre-Paul, but there’s clearly interest.

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Saints could fill their biggest team need with these free agents

Defensive end is the biggest team need for the New Orleans Saints. Unproven commodities on the roster could push them into exploring free agency | @southexclusives

As the New Orleans Saints prepare for the beginning of training camp, the defensive end spot on the other side of Cameron Jordan still remains an uncertainty. Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton highlights this issue by labeling the Saints as an ideal landing spot for multiple free agent defensive ends.

There’s a strong argument it is the biggest hole in the starting lineup. The other unknowns are the other starting cornerback alongside Marshon Lattimore and the third linebacker. The cornerback battle between Alontae Taylor and Paulson Adebo is between two players we’ve seen perform well before. The third linebacker rarely sees many snaps in the Saints defense behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner with New Orleans favoring nickel and dime personnel to get more defensive backs on the field.

Beyond Payton Turner, who has been missed most of his first two seasons either with injuries or as a healthy scratch, the options at defensive end include Carl Granderson, Tanoh Kpassagnon and Isaiah Foskey. Those are two rotational pass rushers and a rookie. Granderson seems primed to step into a larger role. But there isn’t a proven commodity there. Most other positions on the roster either know who is going to lead that position or have players who have shown more in their potential role. Defensive end doesn’t check either of those boxes, so it’s the biggest hole on the team. Here are three players highlighted by Moton:

3 questions the Saints must answer on defense in 2023

The Saints underwent a slight overhaul in the front seven, leading to questions about the depth at linebacker, the pass-rush production, and more, via @southexclusives:

The New Orleans Saints defense hit their stride at the end of the season after allowing 20 or more points in 10 of their first 11 games. From that point, the team flipped the script: opponents failed to cross the 20 point threshold in the final six games of the year. They finished top-five in yards allowed and top-10 in points allowed.

Yet, questions still remain headed into the upcoming season. They went under some changes within the front seven. With that being the case, it’s no surprise the biggest questions on the Saints defense can be found on the defensive line and in the linebacker corps. Here’s where we’re looking for answers:

New Orleans Saints announce new jersey numbers for many players after free agency

The New Orleans Saints announced new jersey numbers for many players after two weeks of free agency, including a couple of changes from last year:

Here’s the hard-hitting analysis and journalism you’re looking for. The New Orleans Saints announced a series of jersey number changes after the first few weeks of free agency brought a small crowd of new players to the roster.

And some players returning from the 2022 squad are planning to wear new numbers in 2023, though that’s subject to change this far out from training camp and the start of the regular season. We’re still waiting on new numbers for wider receiver Bryan Edwards and kicker Alex Quevedo.

So don’t go placing any jersey preorders just yet (remember how long it took Tyrann Mathieu to settle on No. 32 last offseason?), but here’s a glance at each of the new number assignments listed on the team’s online roster: