One of the few complaints we’ve had about the New Orleans Saints defense in recent years is its overreliance on oversized defensive ends like Cameron Jordan, Marcus Davenport, and Tanoh Kpassagnon — and the decision to ask guys like Payton Turner and Carl Granderson to bulk up into the 280’s after turning pro. The Saints have lacked a speed element up front that’s caused their pass rush production to run hot and cold. When facing quarterbacks who stay in the pocket and take their time surveying the field, they can get home with power.
But when playing against the league’s young mobile quarterbacks and faster processors, the New Orleans defensive ends haven’t made much of an impact. The team even drafted speed rushers out of college like Trey Hendrickson and Zack Baun, but it’s taken years for either of them to get real opportunities in games. Baun plays more snaps on special teams than with the defense most weeks, and when he is out there he’s been tasked with backpedaling at linebacker rather than rushing upfield.
