Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar highlighted the most underrated player for all 32 teams in the NFL, and defensive end Carl Granderson was his choice for the New Orleans Saints.
The team’s 2023 sacks leader is looking to repeat that feat in 2024 — Granderson broke out last year by nearly doubling his snap count after working his way into the starting lineup, posting career-highs in sacks, tackles, and pressures.
Even after signing Chase Young in free agency while bringing back Payton Turner from a season-long injury (and with Isaiah Foskey pushing for reps), the Saints are going to be leaning hard on Granderson again this season. They’ll need more from him as Cameron Jordan’s career draws to a close.
Here’s why Farrar argues Granderson deserves more acknowledgement around the league:
Josh Allen, Jim Kiick, Conrad Dobler, Tashaun Gipson Sr., Jay Novacek, and Dave Hampton have all had nice careers after coming out of Wyoming, and Saints edge-rusher Carl Granderson is looking to add his name to that roll. An undrafted free agent who signed on with New Orleans in 2019, Granderson worked his way up from roster afterthought to key piece in the Saints’ defense, and he was rewarded with a four-year, $52 million contract extension with $32.3 million guaranteed last September. All he did after that was to put up career years in just about every possible category with nine sacks and 63 total pressures.
While Granderson has the speed to get around the edge, his premier skill has him wasting blockers with pure power to beat one-on-ones and double teams.
The @Saints gave EDGE Carl Granderson to a four-year, $52 million extension in September, and Granderson came up with a career year AFTER he got the big contract. His nine sacks and 63 total pressures were his best to date. Nasty pocket-pusher with a ton of juice. pic.twitter.com/4JeDGuypBF
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 23, 2024
It’s going to be fascinating to see how the Saints divide snaps and roles to the different players they’ve stacked up at defensive end. Granderson should be starting again opposite Jordan, whose reps should decline to make room for Young on third downs and obvious passing situations. Making room for Turner, Foskey, and the always-underrated Tanoh Kpassgnon is going to be challenging for a Saints defense which typically dresses just four players each week on game days. Whoever ends up in the rotation, expect Granderson to lead the charge.
