Entering the offseason, the pass rush group was an area of the team that many, myself included, felt was a top need for the New Orleans Saints. Besides maybe WR and LG, it was the top need, but unlike those positions, the Saints did not make a major investment in the pass rushers. Not doing that is a significant risk, especially with a CB room that many are not comfortable with. Having a good pass rusher who can get pressure easily relieves so much for the rest of the defense.
Last season with the Saints, we saw both a good and a bad pass rush. It all depended on whether Chase Young was playing, but with his injury history, playing every game in a season is unlikely. That’s why investing in the pass rushers behind him on the depth chart is so important, especially after Cam Jordan left in free agency.
The Saints were able to add two pass rushers in this offseason: Anfernee Jennings via free agency and Tyree Wilson via a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
For Jennings, we know what he’s going to bring to the defense. His strenght is run defense, which is very important to have for this team, but his pass rush production is not good. Maybe in Brandon Staley’s scheme that can change, but the expectation should be that it won’t.
For Wilson, he’s a bit of the opposite. His run defense must improve to really solidify himself on the roster, but his pass rush upside is something to really consider. Wilson has never hit the pass rush production expectations that were put on him after being selected 7th overall, but he still did enough for a depth piece. In 3 years, he has averaged 4 sacks per season, and his pressure rate has been decent for his role. As of now, he will be a rotational piece, but this change of scenery could push his game to improve.
So, are these two additions enough? For now, I have to say no. I really like the additions of Jennings and Wilson, but having one more pass rusher closer to Chase Young’s level would make such a massive difference.
Here’s a good comparison for how I look at this situation. Imagine the Saints passed on Jordyn Tyson and only drafted Bryce Lance and Barion Brown. Although those additions were good and improved the room, the WR2 spot was still not addressed. With Chris Olave’s injury history, things could crumble fast, but with Tyson, that’s another story. The Saints do not have that insurance at pass rusher if Young is out.