Sacks aren’t everything for a defensive tackle, but there’s a lot to be said for leading the league in them. And Bryan Bresee is on track to do just that. The New Orleans Saints’ second-year pro is up to 6.5 sacks through 12 games, a big improvement over his rookie numbers (4.5 in 17 games). That ranks second-most in his position group.
So who’s on top? That would be New York Giants star Dexter Lawrence, with 9.0 sacks in 12 games for himself. But Lawrence’s season has ended on injured reserve after he suffered a dislocated elbow. He isn’t expected back in 2024, which sets a clear goal for Bresee to chase through these last five games. His next challenge comes against Lawrence’s teammates on the Giants, who have allowed 40 sacks as a team. That’s tied for seventh-most. For comparison, the Saints have allowed the seventh-fewest quarterback sacks with 23.
This would be an impressive achievement for Bresee if he can get there, but he’s already made some big strides through two years in the NFL. It’s encouraging that he’s improving, but he isn’t a finished product just yet. He’s still getting pushed around and washed out on running downs. He struggles to disengage against an opponent advancing uphill. If he can continue to learn on the job and make improvements, and clean up that part of his game? The sky might be the limit for the young pro.
