Who Will Lead the New Orleans Saints in Sacks this Season? Saints Discussions Focuses on Four Individuals that Can Lead the Team in the Sack Category
The New Orleans Saints have fielded one of the best defensive fronts in the National Football League for the past five seasons. According to Stat Muse, the Saints have been ranked within the top ten for most team sacks since 2017. The unit has come a long way since its 2014-2016 seasons, when it would take 35 to 48 points to put away an opponent. That’s no longer the case with today’s Saints defense. As a result, the offense can afford to have subpar performances that the team’s elite defense can mask.
A big part of what the Saints do so well on defense is their ability to create pressure and get after the quarterback. As a result, they have become one of the league’s best sack units, with critical players missing time due to injuries, suspensions, and slow starts along the defensive line. So who will lead New Orleans in sacks in 2022? Let’s go through the four players on the list and discuss.
Cameron Jordan
Of course, Cameron Jordan is the obvious choice to be the team’s sack leader this season. The 12-year veteran has posted multiple seasons, recording ten sacks or more six times with the “Black and Gold.” After getting off to a slow start last season, Jordan finished the year with 12.5 sacks. Another solid performance by Jordan in 2022 will most likely put him in the conversation of becoming a future Hall of Famer. However, if Jordan outperforms his current contract, will the Saints rework his deal, or will they let things play out? According to Spotrac, Jordan will be 38 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent once again. At 31, the Rams awarded Aaron Donald a new three-year $95 million contract.
Marcus Davenport
The Saints gave up a lot of draft compensation to select Marcus Davenport in 2018. However, after battling injuries in 2021, Davenport was still able to have a productive season. He finished the year with 9.0 sacks. The 2018 first-round selection always had the talent to become a dominant player on the Saints’ defense. However, his issue has always been his inability to stay healthy. As a result, Davenport will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022 season has concluded. If he records a nine to twelve-sack season, either the Saints will back up the Brinks truck, or it will be someone else.
Payton Turner
When New Orleans selected Payton Turner in the first round of the 2021 draft, many viewed the selection as a reach. The Saints’ intention in selecting Turner was to push Davenport and the possibility of becoming the team’s next version of Cam Jordan. As a result, Turner did not see a lot of action in his rookie year. But when he did step onto the field, he showed flashes of how great he could become. Turner finished the year with only one sack. If he leads the team in sacks this season, the selection will be considered a steal. The ideal situation for an NFL franchise is to have a player produce on a Pro Bowl level while on a rookie contract.
David Onyemata
This is a long shot, but it’s not out of possibility. What would David Onyemata’s numbers look like if he was not suspended for parts of the season in 2020 and 2021? He’s the type of interior lineman that can effectively defend against the run and the pass. In today’s NFL, a defense needs personnel in the interior that can become hybrid pass rushers. Onyemata is a guy that can fit that mold. If his production is similar to or better than what he achieved in 2020, he will join the list of Saints defenders that teams will not hesitate to pay after the 2022 season is over.
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