The New Orleans Saints have overhauled their defensive front this offseason. Multiple players in the trenches and edge rushers departed in free agency, which led to general manager Mickey Loomis having to bring in multiple players to fill the void.
In free agency, the team signed interior defensive linemen Khalen Saunders, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs and Nathan Shepard, formerly of the New York Jets. In the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Saints selected Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee. They doubled down in the front seven in the second round, selecting pass rusher Isaiah Foskey out of Notre Dame.
Those players will certainly help, but beyond Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson, there isn’t much established veteran talent to make sure this unit stays on track. That is a big reason as to why Brad Spielberger of PFF believes that the one move the Saints need to still make this offseason is bringing in another veteran along the defensive line.
The player that Spielberger has suggested as a potential target? Former No. 1 overall pick, Jadeveon Clowney.
“The Saints came close to adding Clowney a few years ago and circle back here to add a veteran opposite Cameron Jordan amid a lot of youth filling up the rest of the defensive line.
Clowney is coming off a down year in the pass-rushing department, totaling only 29 pressures and two sacks, but a change of scenery could allow him to thrive again, similar to what happened in his first year in Cleveland. Clowney is one of the best run-defending edges in the NFL over the past decade and should benefit from a lot of talent around him.”
There were some differences between Clowney and Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods last season that contributed to his down season. In 2021, he racked up 9.0 sacks with 11 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits, showing there is plenty left in the tank to offer.
Playing opposite Jordan, Clowney could see an uptick in his sack production; he has always thrived when playing opposite of an elite pass rusher. But, it is his performance against the run that the Saints will benefit most from.
In 2022, the Saints ranked 24th in rushing yards allowed while facing the 25th most rushing attempts. As an elite edge setter in the running game, Clowney would help New Orleans improve in that area right away.
As Spielberger pointed out, the Saints have previously had an interest in Clowney but things didn’t come to fruition. With him remaining on the open market with only a few weeks until training camp, this could be the time things work out for both sides.
