Shortly before Khalen Saunders' seventh NFL season was set to begin, the veteran defensive tackle has found a new home in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Saunders found out on Sunday that he'd been traded to the Jags by the New Orleans Saints in a preseason deal.
The Jaguars are [trading away offensive lineman Luke Fortner](https://x.com/DMRussini/status/1957260965537333294) in the player-for-player swap, per NFL reporter Dianna Russini. Fortner was the Jags' third-round choice in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Saunders is coming into a contract season, making this a big transition for him if he's looking forward to a third NFL contract. Interestingly, the Saints played Saunders in a preseason game against the Jaguars on the same day they traded him.
[The Saints signed Saunders](https://arrowheadaddict.com/2023/03/15/khalen-saunders-leaves-chiefs-new-orleans-saints/) to a three-year deal worth just over $12 million back in 2023 to entice him away from the Kansas City Chiefs. Saunders had been a rotational lineman for the Chiefs for his first four NFL seasons, but the Saints had visions of greater responsibility for him.
With the Saints, Saunders became a long-term starter for the first time and eclipsed over 50 percent of all snaps played last season for the first time in his career. He had 43 total tackles, 7 pressures, and 2 sacks last season in 13 games for New Orleans.
Saunders entered the NFL as a third-round selection of general manager Brett Veach and the Chiefs in 2019. A small-school prospect from Western Illinois University, Saunders made a major leap to the NFL on the projections of his rare blend of size, strength, and athleticism.
While Saunders exhibited clear promise with the Chiefs in his rookie campaign, injuries robbed him of some of his next two seasons with injured reserve placements in 2020 and 2021. By the time he entered the final year of his rookie deal, Saunders was finally able to stay healthy and put up 48 tackles and a career-high 3.5 sacks. Then the Saints came calling.
In Jacksonville, Saunders figures to join a line that features Arik Armstead and DaVon Hamilton in the defensive interior to go with two of last year's draft picks in Jordan Jefferson (2nd round) and Maason Smith (4th round).
Saunders, who just turned 29 years old, has 181 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 68 regular season games in his career.