Rookie training camp opens in only two or so weeks for the New Orleans Saints, with veterans reporting a week later. This is the first sign that the NFL season is getting closer and closer, and as always, the roster turnover has been mostly completed by this point.
So with that in mind, from now until the beginning of veteran training camp, we will be going over the top 25 most important New Orleans Saints for the 2023 season. This will be split up into the following categories:
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Recap of their 2022 season
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Projecting their 2023 success
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What is the biggest question mark for them in 2023?
Today we continue the series with No. 24, who was voted by the Saints Wire team to be defensive end Carl Granderson. A returning component to the Saints front seven, Granderson will be looking to take on a bigger role with the new-look defensive line:
Background
Position: Defensive end
Age: 26
Experience: 5th season
2023 cap hit: $4,140,000
2022 Recap
2022 was a standout year for Granderson, posting career highs in most statistics and receiving his highest snap count of any season to date. He would see 45% of defensive snaps (479 total) as well as 45% of special teams snaps (192) which helped his counting stats exponentially.
Through the season he had 5.5 sacks, 53 tackles, one forced fumble & recovery, nine tackles for loss, and nine quarterback hits. On top of that, he played in 16 out of 17 games, and was able to start in four of them, which was a career high. One of the more impressive statistics for Granderson this season was his missed tackle percentage, which was 1.9%. Missing one tackle out of 53 is an exceptionally low rate, and shows significant improvement from the previous seasons’ 19.4%.
2023 Outlook
In terms of outlook for the 2023 season, Granderson may have an increased chance at playing time if things pan out in his favor. With Marcus Davenport being signed by the Minnesota Vikings and David Onyemata being signed by the Atlanta Falcons, there are opening positions along the defensive line. There will be competition no doubt, with a former first round pick in Payton Turner at the position, as well as newly drafted Isaiah Foskey coming in as well. However, there is one thing Granderson has over both of them right now, and that’s experience in the system. Being here for four previous seasons, he has already learned the playbook as well as what he needs to do to succeed. So, odds are, we will see him at a high rate early in the season, and if he plays better than the two previously mentioned players, he may hold the starting position throughout the year.
Big question: Can Granderson continue to improve as he did last year?
One of the biggest components to Granderson seeing more playing time last season was just his ability to make the most of his snaps. He was able to take less than 50% of snaps the last four seasons and still be relatively productive, with double digit pressures in his last three years. This increasing snap count has led to increased production obviously, but he has also become more efficient, as previously mentioned he has been exceptional at ensuring his tackles are made.
So, can he continue to improve is the next logical question? Is this increase just a product of the snap count, or is it something more? We will see how he performs this year, as it will be exceptionally telling for how his career will progress. But for now, it seems he may be on the verge of a full-on breakout.
Story originally appeared on Saints Wire