Saints defensive line adjusting to series of major offseason changes – Crescent City Sports

METAIRIE – The New Orleans Saints have a new defensive line coach in Todd Grantham.

Of the 68 starts that were made by defensive linemen last season, 40 were made by players no longer on the team.

For the first time in 14 years and just the sixth time in franchise history they used their first two draft picks on the same position, grabbing defensive linemen Bryan Bresee (Clemson) and Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame) with their first- and second-round picks, respectively.

Two of the more prominent veteran free agents that they signed in the offseason were defensive tackles Nathan Shepherd (Jets) and Khalen Saunders (Chiefs).

So the defensive line, especially the interior, has absorbed more change since the end of last season than any other unit on the team. Grantham, who is new to all the players, and the first-year Saints linemen have spent the offseason getting accustomed to one another and the team’s defensive system.

“Really right now it’s about taking the system that we have and teaching the players that we have the system,” Grantham said. “Defense is about the ability to play fast. So how do you simplify things for a player so there’s no gray area and guys can just go play. That’s really been what I’ve focused on is the teaching and the implementation of the system that we have and getting guys to play to their ability.”

Grantham was an analyst at Alabama last season and was Florida’s defensive coordinator for the four years before that. His 33-year coaching career began in college with Virginia, Tech, then Michigan, with later stops at Georgia, Louisville and Mississippi State.

His 11 seasons in the NFL featured stops with the Colts, Texans, Browns and Cowboys. He was a defensive line coach except for when he was the Browns coordinator (2005-07).

Grantham hasn’t worked before with Saints head coach Dennis Allen, who oversees the team’s defense, but he said the two “have visited in the past during the offseason,” which provided “carry-over” into his new position.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s done and that’s one of the reasons that I wanted to come here is because of the success that he’s had and they’ve had here,” Grantham said “Whether you’ve been 3-4 or 4-3 it’s still four guys rushing, you’ve got 11 guys out there.”

Bresee was listed as a tackle when the Saints drafted him and Foskey was listed as a defensive end, though the Saints roster lists him as a linebacker. Regardless of titles, both appear capable of playing multiple spots along the line.

“You don’t want to pigeon-hole a guy by thinking he can only do one thing,” Grantham said. “Defense is about match-ups and I think you’re always going to look at the players you have up front as to, how do you create match-ups that are advantageous for you from a one-on-one standpoint whether it’s in the run game or the pass game.”

“They just fit you in the right position,” Foskey said of the Saints coaches.

Grantham said the most important thing at this point in the year is for the rookies to be able to “take things from the classroom and apply them on the field.”

“And both of those guys have been really good at that,” Grantham added.

Bresee said he’s always “prided myself on being able to learn football relatively easily.”

“Once I do get out there if I make a mistake,” he said, “just not making the same mistake twice is something that I really focus on.

“The main thing is knowing the playbook like the back of your hand. Once you know that you’re able to play fast. That’s definitely something I’ve really been trying to lock in on and really understand.”

Grantham said Foskey also has been “conscientious” about learning and making corrections.

“If something needs to be improved,” Grantham said, “he wants to know how to do it.”

So far the Saints on-field work has been limited to individual drills and seven-on-seven plays without pads.

“This time of year you’re really looking at their movement skills,” Grantham said. “You’ve really got to tone it down from a physicality standpoint because you don’t have pads on, so it’s really more about burst, acceleration, movement skills, knowing what to do and how to do it and just getting comfortable with the system. And that’s something I think we’ve seen both those guys grow every day with.”

The Saints, who also have a new defensive coordinator in Joe Woods, also used their top two picks at the same position in 2009 (defensive backs Malcolm Jenkins and Chip Vaughn), 1996 (defensive backs Alex Molden and Je’Rod Cherry), 1977 (defensive linemen Joe Campbell and Mike Fultz), 1976 (running backs Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbreath) and 1973 (defensive linemen Derland Moore and Steve Baumgartner).

Grantham replaced Ryan Nielsen, who also was co-defensive coordinator with former secondary coach Kris Richard before becoming the Falcons’ coordinator.

Tackles David Onyemata (17 starts in 2022) and Shy Tuttle (13 starts) as well as defensive end Marcus Davenport (10 starts), all left in free agency as Onyemata signed with the Falcons, Tuttle signed with the Panthers and Davenport signed with the Vikings.

The Saints still have tackle Malcolm Roach and ends Tonah Kpassagnon and Carl Granderson, all of whom started four games last season, as well as long-time fixture at end Cameron Jordan, who started 16 games and led the team with 8.5 sacks.

By the way, Jordan, 33, wasn’t on the field for the second day of a three-day mini-camp Wednesday.

When Allen was asked if Jordan’s absence was “injury related,” he quipped, “I think it’s old-age related,” adding that Jordan “will be fine.”