Ranking the defenses the Saints will face in 2022
So much is riding on the New Orleans Saints offense in 2022. Fresh off the worst season they’ve put in front of fans in more than a decade, in which the Saints started four different quarterbacks and didn’t have a single player catch more than 50 passes or total 700 or more receiving yards. Alvin Kamara led the team in rushing again but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, a full yard shy of his previous career-low. It was tough to watch.
The good news is New Orleans acted to address that this offseason. They re-signed Jameis Winston and gave him some new weapons in Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave, and this time it’ll be Pete Carmichael’s turn to design and call plays. There’s good reason to feel optimistic about what’s ahead of them. But what’s the forecast on all of the different defenses they have to overcome?
Atlanta Falcons
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 27.0 (30th)
Passer rating allowed: 97.4 (26th)
Sacks rate: 3.0 (32nd)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 131.9 (27th)
Key additions: CB Casey Hayward (Raiders), DE Lorenzo Carter (Giants), S Dean Marlowe (Lions), LB Rashaan Evans (Titans), LB Troy Andersen (rookie), DE Arnold Ebiketie (rookie), DE DeAngelo Malone (rookie)
Key losses: LB Foyesade Oluokun (Jaguars), S Duron Harmon (Raiders), CB Fabian Moreau (Texans), DE Steven Means (Ravens), DE Dante Fowler Jr. (Cowboys)
Outlook
If the Falcons defense is going to be good this year it’ll be because of the investments they’ve made to their secondary, adding a veteran presence in Casey Hayward to compliment A.J. Terrell as one of the NFL’s more intriguing one-two punches at cornerback. If those two can live up to the hype and buy time for all the young pass rushers up front to get home, maybe Atlanta finds some stops. But Grady Jarrett isn’t getting any younger, and their pass rush goes as far as he can will it. The Falcons added a lot of depth but it isn’t clear yet which of these new additions can make a big difference for one of the league’s worst defensive units.
Las Vegas Raiders
Sep 21, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith (10) gets away from Las Vegas Raiders safety Johnathan Abram (24) during the first quarter of a NFL game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 25.8 (26th)
Passer rating allowed: 96.4 (24th)
Sacks rate: 5.5% (23rd)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 114.3 (19th)
Key additions: CB Rock Ya-Sin (Colts trade), DE Chandler Jones (Cardinals), CB Anthony Averett (Ravens), DT Bilal Nichols (Bears), LB Kenny Young (Broncos), S Duron Harmon (Falcons), LB Jayon Brown (Titans), DE Kyler Fackrell (Chargers)
Key losses: CB Casey Hayward (Falcons), DE Yannick Ngakoue (Colts trade), DT Quinton Jefferson (Seahawks), LB Cory LIttleton (Panthers), CB Brandon Facyson (Colts), DE Solomon Thomas (Jets)
Outlook
There’s been a ton of turnover out in Las Vegas, which makes sense given the new coaching staff and how poorly the group performed last year. Changes were necessary. Chandler Jones should do a lot to balance the departure of Yannick Ngakoue, and the restored depth in the Raiders secondary could go a long way to improving their standing against the pass. Still, it should take some time for all of those new pieces to gel, and this unit very much looks like a work in progress.
Seattle Seahawks
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Points per game allowed: 21.5 (Tied-11th)
Passer rating allowed: 93.6 (20th)
Sacks rate: 4.9 (29th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 113.6 (17th)
Key additions: DT Shelby Harris (Broncos trade), DE Uchenna Nwosu (Chargers), DT Quinton Jefferson (Raiders), CB Justin Coleman (Dolphins), DE Boye Mafe (rookie)
Key losses: LB Bobby Wagner (Rams), CB D.J. Reed (Jets), DE Rasheem Green (Texans), DE Kerry Hyder (49ers)
Outlook
Seattle’s in an interesting position on defense. It’s the unit that head coach Pete Carroll wants to hang his hat on. It’s also an area they’ve failed to draft well with 2019 first rounder L.J. Collier occasionally failing to dress on game days, and now a couple of newly-signed defensive ends might push him further down the rotation. And it’s just lost a franchise icon to a divisional rival in Bobby Wagner. Their best pass rusher, Jamal Adams, is a safety who hasn’t played a full season since arriving in Seattle. They added some new pieces to the mix but every sign points to the Seahawks defense taking a step back. Maybe they surprise us.
Carolina Panthers
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Points per game allowed: 23.8 (21st)
Passer rating allowed: 95.0 (22nd)
Sacks rate: 7.0% (9th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 113.8 (18th)
Key additions: S Xavier Woods (Vikings), LB Damien Wilson (Jaguars), LB Cory Littleton (Raiders), DT Matt Ioannidis (Commanders)
Key losses: CB Stephon Gilmore (Colts), DE Haason Reddick (Eagles), LB Jermaine Carter Jr. (Chiefs), DT DaQuan Jones (Bills)
Outlook
The Panthers weren’t able to keep up the momentum from their early-season win against the Saints (remember that time New Orleans was missing a third of its coaching staff?) but their defense was still very solid for much of the season. They promptly nuked that by losing their top corner – who they had just traded for! – and their second-best pass rusher and arguably their best defensive tackle in free agency. Getting 2021 first-round cornerback Jaycee Horn back from a season-ending injury should help, but there’s a lot of work to do here, and all the free agents signed to plug holes have a lot to prove. It feels like Carolina is poised for a step back.
Philadelphia Eagles
AP Photo/Rich Schultz
Points per game allowed: 22.6 (18th)
Passer rating allowed: 95.4 (23rd)
Sacks rate: 4.7 (31st)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 107.9 (9th)
Key additions: DE Haason Reddick (Panthers), CB James Bradberry (Giants), LB Kyzier White (Chargers), DT Jordan Davis (rookie), LB Nakobe Dean (rookie)
Key losses: CB Steven Nelson (Texans), LB Alex Singleton (Broncos), S Rodney McLeod (Colts), DT Hassan Ridgeway (49ers), LB Genard Avery (Steelers)
Outlook
Credit where it’s due: the Eagles saw how badly they needed to improve against the pass and they made some big moves to address it. Haason Reddick was a solid pass rusher in Carolina and now he’s in a good spot to succeed next to Jordan Davis, one of the most exciting prospects in this year’s draft. James Bradberry is a very good cornerback, but pairing him with Darius Slay makes it tough for the Saints and other opposing offenses to pick their poison. Philadelphia should be much-improved on this side of the ball, and I won’t be shocked if they end up ranking a lot higher than expected here.
Arizona Cardinals
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 21.5 (Tied-11th)
Passer rating allowed: 93.5 (19th)
Sacks rate: 6.8 (11th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 114.8 (20th)
Key additions: LB Nick Vigil (Vikings), LB Ben Niemann (Chiefs), DT Kingsley Keke (Packers), DE Cameron Thomas (rookie)
Key losses: DE Chandler Jones (Raiders), LB Jordan Hicks (Vikings), DT Jordan Phillips (Bills)
Outlook
The Cardinals ranked well across the board defensively, which makes the decision to cut ties with Chandler Jones look so strange. Their pass-rush unit is so-so without him, relying on a late-career combo of J.J. Watt and Markus Golden to keep up the pace without the player who outplayed both of them last season. Good luck to them. At least Arizona maintained some depth in the front seven, but their talent-poor secondary isn’t intimidating anyone. This feels like a unit already in decline.
Baltimore Ravens
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Points per game allowed: 23.1 (19th)
Passer rating allowed: 99.4 (27th)
Sacks rate: 5.2 (27th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 84.5 (1st)
Key additions: S Marcus Williams (Saints), CB Kyle Fuller (Broncos), DE Steven Means (Falcons), S Kyle Hamilton (rookie), LB David Ojabo (rookie), DT Travis Jones (rookie)
Key losses: CB Anthony Averett (Raiders), CB Tavon Young (Bears), DT Justin Ellis (Giants), LB Chris Board (Lions), S DeShon Elliott (Lions)
Outlook
The Ravens were surprisingly hapless in a couple of key areas last season, which does justify the decision to part ways with longtime coordinator Wink Martindale. They’re banking on the Mike Macdonald hire and better luck with injuries to help out, but good on Baltimore for not standing pat. They injected a ton of athleticism and playmaking ability to the secondary by signing Marcus Williams and Kyle Fuller, and drafting Kyle Hamilton as a surprise first-round pick. Travis Jones will also add some juice to an already-stout defensive front. Look for the Ravens to bounce back quickly if those new additions hit the ground running and guys like Marlon Humphrey recover well from injury.
Minnesota Vikings
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 25.1 (24th)
Passer rating allowed: 91.4 (15th)
Sacks rate: 7.5% (4th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 130.7 (26th)
Key additions: DE Za’Darius Smith (Packers), DT Harrison Phillips (Bills), LB Jordan Hicks (Cardinals), CB Chandon Sullivan (Packers), DT Jonathan Bullard (Falcons), S Lewis Cine (rookie), LB Brian Asamoah (rookie)
Key losses: S Xavier Woods (Panthers), LB Nick Vigil (Cardinals)
Outlook
It was odd to see a Mike Zimmer-coached defense perform so poorly last year, even while racking up sacks at an impressive pace, but eventually things fell apart and Minnesota made the switch. And they’ve added plenty of talent to get that unit back on its feet. Za’Darius Smith joins an already-strong pass-rush unit. Rookie draft pick Lewis Cine is an able replacement for Xavier Woods. Depth at defensive tackle is improved, and Jordan Smith should be a fine second-level defender. We’ll see how things go with a new coaching staff, but there’s a lot to like as far as Minnesota’s defensive personnel is concerned.
Cincinnati Bengals
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Points per game allowed: 23.3 (17th)
Passer rating allowed: 93.1 (18th)
Sacks rate: 6.3 (16th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 102.5 (5th)
Key additions: DB Daxton Hill (rookie), CB Cam Taylor-Britt (rookie), DE Zachary Carter (rookie)
Key losses: DT Larry Ogunjobi (Steelers), DT Wyat Ray (Jaguars)
Outlook
It was tough for the Bengals to move on from their best defensive tackle, but they’ve been stacking talent on defense for quite some time now and are well-positioned to take the loss. They’ve got a stellar safety trio between Jessie Bates III, Vonn Bell, and Daxton Hill. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard are a great set of bookends up front. Cincinnati should still be strong on this side of the ball, especially if a couple of those rookie draft picks can help out right away.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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Points per game allowed: 23.4 (20th)
Passer rating allowed: 88.7 (11th)
Sacks rate: 8.9 (2nd)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 146.1 (32nd)
Key additions: DT Larry Ogunjobi (Bengals), CB Levi Wallace (Bills), LB Myles Jack (Jaguars), S Damontae Kazee (Cowboys), LB Genard Avery (Eagles), DT DeMarvin Leal (rookie)
Key losses: DT Stephon Tuitt (retirement), DE Taco Charlton (Saints)
Outlook
Pardon me for not caring too much about Pittsburgh’s weirdly-low ranking in run defense. They transitioned well under new management this offseason, promoting Omar Khan to general manager – who acted quickly to sign one of his best defenders to a long-term extension, inking Minkah Fitzpatrick to a new deal. That’s after a busy free agency period brought in new starters at corner and linebacker. The Steelers haven’t really lost many big names on defense (Taco Charlton is the most notable departure, and he only played 28% of snaps last year) while adding new talent, which is a strong combination for success. The biggest change would be Stephon Tuitt’s retirement, but he missed the entire 2021 season with a knee injury, and Larry Ogunjobi is an able replacement. The Steelers are going to be a problem when they host the Saints in November.
Cleveland Browns
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 21.8 (13th)
Passer rating allowed: 89.4 (13th)
Sacks rate: 6.9 (10th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 109.2 (12th)
Key additions: DE Stephen Weatherly (Broncos), DT Taven Bryan (Jaguars), CB Martin Emerson (rookie), DE Alex Wright (rookie)
Key losses: CB Troy Hill (Rams trade), S M.J. Stewart (Texans)
Outlook
Cleveland is another strong AFC North defense on the schedule, and the Saints are very likely going to be playing them in the snow on Christmas Eve. Their pass rush is a handful between Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, with several new additions jostling for snaps in the rotation. The Browns secondary has a lot of talent, too, and they defend the run well as a team. It’s going to be really difficult to find their vulnerabilities, much less exploiting them. This matchup could end up looking like a heavyweight fight should the Saints offense meet expectations. Let’s hope the weather holds off.
San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 21.4 (10th)
Passer rating allowed: 97.0 (25th)
Sacks rate: 8.1 (3rd)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 103.5 (7th)
Key additions: CB Charvarius Ward (Chiefs), S George Odum (Colts), DE Kerry Hyder (Seahawks), DT Hassan Ridgeway (Eagles), DT Kemoko Turay (Colts), LB Drake Jackson (rookie)
Key losses: CB K’Waun Williams (Broncos), DT D.J. Jones (Broncos), DE Arden Key (Jaguars), DT Kentavius Street (Saints), LB Marcell Harris (Jets)
Outlook
That’s a lot of turnover. Every one of those departures played between 59% and 30% of defensive snaps for San Francisco last year. They’ve made quality moves to address the losses, and the starting lineup is still largely intact, but still – it goes to show that maintaining depth is really difficult in this league. How much these changes will ultimately factor in remains to be seen. For now, the 49ers defense should be seen as a dangerous unit that can take over games with its Nick Bosa-led pass rush. Their strong run defense is capable of making teams one-dimensional, too, and that could be a problem for a Saints offense that isn’t too well-established on the ground right now.
Los Angeles Rams
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Points per game allowed: 21.9 (15th)
Passer rating allowed: 83.8 (5th)
Sacks rate: 7.4 (5th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 103.2 (6th)
Key additions: LB Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), CB Troy Hill (Browns trade)
Key losses: DE Von Miller (Bills), CB Darious Williams (Jaguars), LB Troy Reeder (Chargers), DT Sebastian Joseph-Day (Chargers), DE Ogbonnia Okornkwo (Texans)
Outlook
We’re about to test the limits of what Aaron Donald can accomplish on his own up front. Bobby Wagner’s arrival can’t be understated, but most of the losses L.A. sustained came up front, and they’re relying on backups to step into the vacated roles rather than a surge of new arrivals. Von Miller’s mercenary-style Super Bowl run paid off for him; Leonard Floyd is taking on a heavier workload to help replace him. You can’t rule out the Rams secondary with Jalen Ramsey leading it, and Troy Hill is a fine nickel in this league. But that does look like the more vulnerable area to attack. We’ll have to wait and see if the Saints’ receiving corps can find ways to win against them.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
AP Photo/Butch Dill
Points per game allowed: 20.7 (5th)
Passer rating allowed: 85.6 (8th)
Sacks rate: 6.5 (12th)
Rushing yards per game allowed: 92.5 (3rd)
Key additions: S Logan Ryan (Giants), S Keanu Neal (Cowboys), DT Akiem Hicks (Bears), DE Logan Hall (rookie)
Key losses: S Jordan Whitehead (Jets)
Outlook
The Buccaneers are annoyingly well-managed these days. They’ve only lost one starter outright (once Ndamukong Suh signs somewhere else, that makes two, and they’ve preemptively signed Akiem Hicks as his successor) and have a number of young draft picks elbowing their way into larger roles. A couple of smart free agent pickups are also going to make an impact in the secondary. New Orleans has matched Tampa Bay’s defense at every turn so far, but their consistent wins have come through dominating the other side of the ball. With the stakes climbing higher, Jameis Winston must continue to step up and improve if he’s going to knock off his old team twice this year.
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