Who would have guessed that the New Orleans Saints would end up being one of the bigger players in the latest waves of free agency? Given how slowly the Saints moved on from their ill-advised pursuit of Deshaun Watson and the twin departures of Marcus Williams and Terron Armstead, you’d be forgiven for keeping low expectations as we moved further into the offseason.
That narrative’s since gone up in smoke with the big-time additions of Tyrann Mathieu, Jarvis Landry, and some bold moves in the 2022 NFL draft. And New Orleans remains an attractive free agent destination to ESPN staff writer Matt Bowen, who picked the Saints as an ideal fit for defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh — his highest-ranked player still available. Suh racked up 43 quarterback pressures last season, per Pro Football Focus charting, which would have outpaced every single Saints defender not named Cameron Jordan. He’s a player with a nasty reputation in the NFL, but Suh only drew 4 penalty flags for 30 yards in 2021 (3 of them coming pre-snap for neutral zone infractions and an offsides foul).
So, sure, Suh would be a good get for New Orleans, even after turning 35 back in January. Here’s what Bowen had to say about the match:
“I originally considered matching the veteran defensive tackle back with the Buccaneers, but with Tampa Bay signing Akiem Hicks, we should expect Suh to land with another contender during camp. Suh had six sacks in 2021 and put some good tape out there in the postseason.
“I really like the idea of Suh playing in Dennis Allen’s defense. Even in a rotational role, Suh can still create disruption, command two in protection and get home to the quarterback in schemed fronts. He’d be effective in New Orleans with interior stunts and loops that create A-gap pressure and eliminate the quarterback’s ability to climb the pocket. And you need that when you see Tom Brady twice a season.”
Suh would add a lot to New Orleans’ interior rotation, giving the team a…
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