Bresee collected 25 tackles (17 solo), including 7.5 sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble across 17 regular-season appearances for the Saints in 2024.
Bresee's overall production doesn't jump off the page, as he logged just one more tackle than he did during his rookie 2023 season. But, he led the team in sacks and played the most defensive snaps (667) of any defensive tackle for New Orleans. The highlight of his season came in the Week 14 win versus the Giants, when he blocked a 35-yard field-goal attempt that would have tied the game late in the fourth quarter. Bresee should come into the 2025 campaign as one of the leaders for New Orleans' defensive line and pass rush.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Ugo Amadi: Logs 65 tackles in 2024
Rotowire
Amadi amassed 65 tackles (52 solo), including 2.0 sacks, and seven passes defended while appearing in 11 regular-season games for New Orleans in 2024.
Amadi wasn't expected to be an impact player in the Saints' secondary this season, but he was brought up from the practice squad in late October after starting cornerback Paulson Adebo suffered a season-ending broken femur. Amadi slotted in as the team's primary nickelback for the rest of the season. The 27-year-old totaled more than 60 tackles for the first time in his career and over 50 tackles for the first time his 2021 campaign with Kansas City. He also tallied the first two sacks of his career. Amadi is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this coming offseason, though it wouldn't be surprising if he comes back to compete for a depth role with the Saints in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Will Harris: Productive season with NOLA
Rotowire
Harris recorded 74 tackles (54 solo) and five pass breakups, including one interception, across 13 regular-season appearances for the Saints in 2024.
Harris posted solid numbers during his first campaign with the Saints. The 30-year-old spent his first five seasons in Detroit before inking a one-year, $1.29 million contract with New Orleans last offseason. The Saints got a solid return on their investment with the veteran, who finished fourth on the team in tackles despite missing four games on IR with a hamstring injury. Harris is currently slated to become an unrestricted free agent again this offseason, and the Saints would have a sizable hole to fill if he does not return for the 2025 campaign.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Alontae Taylor: Logs career highs in 2024
Rotowire
Taylor totaled 89 tackles (61 solo), including 4.0 sacks, and 16 pass breakups across 17 regular-season appearances with the Saints in 2024.
Taylor's production continued to ascend during his third season with the Saints, as he tallied career highs in tackles, sacks and passes defended. The 2022 second-round pick also finished third on the team in tackles behind linebackers Demario Davis (136) and Pete Werner (92). Taylor's emergence as one of the best up-and-coming players on the Saints' defense should set him up for a prominent role in 2025, which will also be the final season of his rookie contract.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Demario Davis: Remains highly productive in 2024
Rotowire
Davis racked up 136 tackles (69 solo), including 2.0 sacks and seven passes defended, including one interception, across 16 regular-season appearances for the Saints in 2024.
Davis keeps piling up 100-tackles seasons well into his NFL career. The 13-year veteran recorded a career high in tackles despite playing in 16 of 17 regular-season games in 2024. This included six games with double-digit tackles. Davis was one of the few remaining bright spots on what has become a rather old and untalented Saints franchise. He's now set to enter the final season of his three-year, $27 million contract with New Orleans in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Payton Turner: Stays healthy in 2024
Rotowire
Turner logged 21 tackles (11 solo), including 2.0 sacks, four pass defenses and two forced fumbles across 16 games during the 2024 regular season.
Turner played in just 15 regular-season games over the first three years of his NFL career due to injury. He worked alongside Chase Young as the Saints' rotational defensive ends behind starters Carl Granderson and Cameron Jordan, and the reduced workload led to Turner appearing in all but one game during the 2024 regular season. The Saints declined the fifth-year option on Turner's rookie contract, so the 2021 first-round pick will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Chase Young: Productive season as backup
Rotowire
Young finished the 2024 regular season with 31 tackles (31 solo), including 5.5 sacks, three pass defenses and one forced fumble through 17 games.
Despite serving as the backup defensive end behind Carl Granderson and Cameron Jordan all season long, Young ended up up playing at least 60 percent of the Saints' defensive snaps in 13 of 17 games, and his 5.5 sacks were his most since his rookie season with Washington in 2020 (7.5). Young signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Saints in March of 2024, so he'll enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent for the second straight year.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Cameron Jordan: Tallies 4.0 sacks in 2024
Rotowire
Jordan made one solo tackle during Sunday's regular-season finale, a 27-19 loss to the Buccaneers.
Jordan suited up for all 17 regular-season games with the Saints, recording 34 tackles (18 solo), including 4.0 sacks. He also logged four passes defensed and one interception. The 35-year-old veteran is heading into the final year of his deal with New Orleans, but his $12.5 million base salary for 2025 makes him a potential post-June 1 cut candidate.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Nathan Shepherd: Plays 16 games in 2024
Rotowire
Shepherd made one solo tackle during Sunday's 27-19 loss to the Buccaneers.
Shepherd appeared in 16 regular-season games for New Orleans in 2024, in which span he made 37 tackles (16 solo), including 1.5 sacks. The starting defensive tackle is entering the final year of his deal with the Saints, though New Orleans has a potential 'out' from his contract this offseason.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Kool-Aid McKinstry: Becomes starter as rookie
Rotowire
McKinstry recorded 42 tackles (32 solo) and six pass breakups across 15 games during the 2024 season.
Both Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) and Paulson Adebo (upper leg) missed large chunks of the season due to injury -- and the former was also traded to the Commanders at the deadline -- so McKinstry was forced to step up as a starter for a good portion of 2024, including all of New Orleans' last seven games. He wasn't picked on too often despite his inexperience, but he did surrender some explosive plays. With Lattimore now in Washington and Adebo set to become an unrestricted free agent during the offseason, McKinstry should have a clear path to a starting role right from 2025.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Khalen Saunders: Decent in injury-shortened year
Rotowire
In 13 games in 2024, Saunders recorded 43 tackles (18 solo), including 2.0 sacks, and three pass breakups including an interception.
Saunders was easily on track to play more defensive snaps in 2024 than in his first season in New Orleans in 2023, but he was forced to miss four games due to injury. Both of his main competitors for playing time, Bryan Bresee and Nathan Shepherd, are good bets to return to the Saints in 2025 along with Saunders, so a similar role could be in store for him next year.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Jordan Howden: Steps forward in second season
Rotowire
In 17 games in 2024, Howden recorded 50 tackles (27 solo) and two interceptions.
Howden played almost the same number of defensive snaps in 2024 (526) as he did in his rookie season in 2023 (540), but this year he had more tackles and two picks to show for it. He was still firmly behind Tyrann Mathieu and Will Harris in the pecking order for playing time, but with the latter in line to become an unrestricted free agent during the offseason, Howden might end up competing for more reps in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Carl Granderson: Ends 2024 with 5.5 sacks
Rotowire
In 17 games in 2024, Granderson recorded 61 tackles (36 solo), including 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and four pass breakups.
The 2024 campaign was Granderson's third straight season playing at least 16 games, and it was his third straight season tallying at least 5.5 sacks. Among his teammates, only 2023 first-rounder Bryan Bresee had more (7.5). Granderson projects to remain a key piece on the edge for New Orleans in 2025.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Tyrann Mathieu: Not as effective in 2024
Rotowire
In 17 games in 2024, Mathieu recorded 62 tackles (47 solo), two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and seven pass breakups, including three interceptions.
Mathieu finished his third straight season without missing a single game, but he came away with fewer tackles than in both of the seasons prior, and he was a bit less sharp in coverage in the process. However, he led New Orleans' safeties in defensive snaps in 2024 by a wide margin. He'll turn 33 in May.
Mathieu has been diagnosed with a concussion and has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, Luke Johnson of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Mathieu will end the day with two tackles (one solo). Jordan Howden will likely fill in at free safety for the rest of Sunday's game due to Mathieu's injury.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Payton Turner: Good to go for Week 18
Rotowire
Turner (ankle) is active for Sunday's tilt against Tampa Bay.
Turner missed the Saints' first two practices of the week due to an ankle injury, but he was a limited participant Friday and has been cleared to suit up in the team's regular-season finale. The fourth-year defensive end has been working in a rotational role throughout the campaign while also serving on special teams. Turner would set a new career high if he can log at least a half-sack Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Willie Gay: Not able to play in season finale
Rotowire
Gay (shoulder) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.
Gay popped up on the injury report Thursday due to a shoulder issue and finished the week with a pair of limited practice sessions. The Saints have long been eliminated from playoff contention, so there wasn't much motivation to have Gay suit up at less than 100 percent. The veteran linebacker will finish the campaign with 28 tackles (19 solo), two sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries over 15 games. He'll be a free agent at the conclusion of the campaign.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Pete Werner: Ruled out for Week 18
Rotowire
Werner (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against Tampa Bay, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports.
Werner was in concussion protocol throughout the week and wasn't able to be cleared ahead of the Saints' season finale. He'll thus miss his fourth game of the campaign. Werner will finish 2024 with 92 tackles (54 solo) -- one shy of his career-best mark -- along with one pass defensed over 13 contests. He's signed with New Orleans through the end of the 2026 season.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Payton Turner: Questionable versus Tampa Bay
Rotowire
Turner (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bucs, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Turner was injured in last Sunday's loss to the Raiders and logged a pair of DNPs on Wednesday and Thursday before returning to a limited practice Friday. The 2021 first-round pick has been a flop in New Orleans, logging 5.0 career sacks and never turning into a starter for the team. He's played in a career-high 15 games this season as a reserve lineman, logging 21 tackles (10 solo), including 2.0 sacks, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Turner's rookie contract is set to expire in March.
... See More... See Less
Saints' Willie Gay: Questionable for Week 18
Rotowire
Gay (shoulder) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bucs, Brianna Dix of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Gay was added to the injury report Thursday, getting in a pair of limited practices to close out the week. A part-time linebacker for New Orleans, Gay has 28 tackles (19 solo), including 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble across 15 games this season.