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Who gives the Saints an edge in pursuit of the NFC South crown?
The New Orleans Saints certainly aren’t expected to have a ton of All-Pro candidates by the end of this season, but could they at least stand out among their rivals in the NFC South? Whether they’ll admit or not, they’re in a rebuild after Derek Carr’s surprise retirement, and the team needs to identify who their building-blocks are. In other words, which positions are they stronger at than their peers? Who gives them an edge?
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder recently put together predictions for what would be NFL Division All-Stars ahead of the 2025 training camp period. There were three Saints players expected to be among the best at their position in the NFC South this year: center Erik McCoy, edge defender Carl Granderson and linebacker Pete Werner. Let’s take a look at his reasoning for each of them.
Erik McCoy
Holder’s take: “The Saints don’t have much going for them heading into the season, but McCoy is a back-to-back Pro Bowler. He has a chance to be one of the best centers in the league if he can stay healthy this year.”
McCoy is not at all a surprise to be mentioned here. He is one of the best centers in all of football, not just within his division. His worth was proven when the Saints’ offensive line fell apart without him last year. With him healthy again, they could put together a solid group. That is, if the young guys do their job. McCoy has earned that trust already.
Carl Granderson
Holder’s take: “Granderson has quietly become a well-rounded defender, racking up 28.5 sacks and 42 TFLs during his six seasons in New Orleans.”
Granderson was part of a defensive line that generated a lot of pressure, but failed to capitalize on it. He had 61 pressures last season, but just 5.5 sacks. If he could turn more of those into actual takedowns, he could be in the conversation among the best defensive ends in football. The problem is that they do need those numbers to translate this season. The last of a devastating pass rush a year ago killed them. Lacking that with a young and unproven offense, is a recipe for disaster.
Pete Werner
Holder’s take: “Then there’s Werner, who has become a complete backer over the last few years and is expected to take over as the Saints’ defensive leader once Davis hangs ’em up.”
Werner was a bit more surprising of a selection, given that most people wouldn’t even pick him out of the New Orleans linebacker room. The fifth-year linebacker came on strong base set of skills, but has never really stood out past that. His taking his game up another notch and performing like an All-Star player could transform this defense.
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