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New Orleans Saints DST

Player Outlook
As excited as we are about the Saints offense, we do not recommend this defense on draft day. That's partially because we don't think they'll be very good, but also because they face the Lions and Ravens the first two weeks of the season. They dedicated most of their team resources this past year to the offense, and Kaden Ellis may be their only new starter for a unit that was middle of the pack in 2025.

Fantasy News

  • Saints' Nathan Shepherd: Possibly primed for big role

    Rotowire
    Shepherd could be a candidate for an increased snap count in 2026 if Bryan Bresee (knee) cannot play, Doug Joubert of Sports Illustrated reports. Bresee is feared to have torn his ACL during practice earlier in the week, which would leave a big hole on New Orleans' defensive front. The veteran Shepherd is an obvious contender to take a large chunk of the snaps left behind, although he'll have to compete with John Ridgeway, 2024 sixth-rounder Khristian Boyd and 2025 third-rounder Vernon Broughton, among others.
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  • Saints' Vernon Broughton: Active in training camp

    Rotowire
    Broughton (hip) is an active participant in training camp practices, Matthew Paras of NOLA.com reports. Broughton was a third-round selection of the Saints in the 2025 NFL Draft, but his rookie campaign was cut short by a season-ending hip injury that he sustained in Week 1 against the 49ers in September. He's fully healthy for the start of training camp, and he has the opportunity to earn a starting role at defensive end opposite Cameron Jordan if Bryan Bresee (knee) is sidelined for the entire 2026 season.
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  • Saints' Kool-Aid McKinstry: Sits out as precaution

    Rotowire
    McKinstry left Thursday's practice early after a minor ankle roll, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Coach Kellen Moore said the early exit was merely precautionary and that the injury appeared minor. McKinstry may not miss any more time, but TJ Hall, Martin Emerson or Jordan Howden may get additional snaps at outside cornerback across from Quincy Riley if McKinstry sits out any upcoming practice sessions.
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  • Saints' Bryan Bresee: Possibly done for season

    Rotowire
    Bresee (knee) is feared to have suffered a torn ACL during Wednesday's practice, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The defensive lineman is undergoing extensive testing to confirm, but his ACL is likely torn, and he is likely done for the season. If the worst is true, John Ridgeway and Vernon Broughton (hip) will need to step up and prove they can produce for the Saints' defensive front.
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  • Saints' Zxavian Harris: Lands on NFI list

    Rotowire
    The Saints placed Harris (foot) on the active/non-football injury list Tuesday. Harris is still recovering from foot surgery he underwent in March. The 22-year-old signed with the team as an undrafted free agent back in May and will look to compete for a depth spot once healthy.
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  • Beanie Bishop: Done in New Orleans

    Rotowire
    The Saints waived Bishop (suspension) on Tuesday, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports. Bishop was issued a suspension for the first three games of the 2026 regular season for a violation of the NFL's substances of abuse policy back in March, and now he's on his way out of New Orleans. He'll become an unrestricted free agent unless he's claimed by another club during the current waiver period.
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  • Saints' Keeshawn Silver: Opening camp on PUP

    Rotowire
    The Saints placed Silver (undisclosed) on the active/PUP list Tuesday, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports. The nature and severity of Silver's injury is unclear, but he'll be eligible to return to practice at any time once he's fully healthy. He signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in late April following a four-year college career. Silver logged 20 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, across 12 games with USC last year.
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  • Saints' Cameron Jordan: Slated to re-sign with Saints

    Rotowire
    The Saints are set to re-sign Jordan to a one-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Jordan has spent his entire career in New Orleans, the team that selected him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He rebounded impressively across 17 regular-season games in 2025, totaling 10.5 sacks. The soon-to-be 37-year-old will reportedly re-up with the Saints on a deal that includes significant incentives.
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  • Cameron Jordan: Set to discuss return to New Orleans

    Rotowire
    Jordan is slated to meet with the Saints to discuss a new contract, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Jordan was an instrumental part of New Orleans' defense last season, as he logged a team-high 10.5 sacks along with two defensed passes, two forced fumbles and a recovered fumble. The sack mark was his highest since 2021, when he registered 12.5 sacks. At this point, it would feel odd to see Jordan in any other uniform, as he's spent all 15 of his pro seasons with the Saints. The 2011 first-round draft pick has been the epitome of durability during his career, playing in at least 16 games in every one of his pro campaigns, and he's New Orleans' franchise leader in sacks with 132.0. Arye Pulli of USA Today reports that there's mutual interest between Jordan and the Saints, but a deal is not imminent.
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  • Saints' Julian Blackmon: Participating in minicamp

    Rotowire
    Blackmon (shoulder) is participating in minicamp, Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.net reports. The safety played in just one game in 2025 due to a shoulder injury, but he nonetheless re-signed with the Saints in January. Blackmon recorded 86 tackles with the Colts in 2024.
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  • Saints' Christen Miller: Dealing with hamstring issue

    Rotowire
    Miller has been sidelined for minicamp due to a hamstring injury, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. The 2026 second-round pick from Georgia appeared in 26 games during his final two collegiate seasons, posting 50 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. Once Miller returns to full health, he's expected to operate as one of New Orleans' top interior defensive linemen.
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  • Saints' Martin Emerson: Headed to New Orleans

    Rotowire
    The Saints signed Emerson on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Emerson worked out with the team earlier in the day and seemingly impressed enough to earn a contract. The 25-year-old has spent the entirety of his three-year career with Cleveland, totaling 202 tackles (158 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and four interceptions across 50 games. With the Saints lacking proven talent at cornerback, Emerson could have a chance to start alongside Kool-Aid McKinstry during the 2026 campaign.
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  • Martin Emerson: Visiting with New Orleans

    Rotowire
    Emerson is visiting the Saints on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The Mississippi State product was sidelined for the entire 2025 campaign due to a torn Achilles, but he's now visited with the Texans and Saints in April, suggesting he's moved past the issue. Emerson was a crucial part of the Browns' defense from 2022 to 2023, appearing in 33 regular-season games and logging 122 total tackles and 29 passes defensed, including four interceptions.
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  • Saints' TJ Hall: Picked by New Orleans

    Rotowire
    The Saints selected Hall in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 219th overall. Like seemingly all Hawkeyes cornerbacks, Hall (6-foot-1, 189 pounds) is a rugged player who is well-versed on the fundamentals. The unfortunate contrast to recent Iowa standouts Cooper DeJean and Riley Moss is that Hall is a below-average athlete by cornerback standards, logging just a 4.59-second 40-yard dash with short arms (30 inches) ill suited to press coverage. If Hall's lack of athletic traits don't hold him back, there's reason to think he has the skill set necessary to at least provide quality cornerback depth at the NFL level.
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  • Saints' Bryan Bresee: Contract option picked up

    Rotowire
    The Saints have picked up Bresee's fifth-year contract option, Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune reports. As a result of the move, Bresee, who was the Saints' 2023 first-round pick, will be under contract with the team for the 2027 season under a deal estimated to be "north of $13 million," per Paras. The 24-year-old logged 37 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 15 regular-season games in 2025 while seeing action on a career-high 69 percent of New Orleans' defensive snaps. Considering that he recorded 7.5 sacks in 2024, Bresee -- who is presumably past the knee issue he dealt with late last season -- is a bounce-back candidate this year in his starting role along the Saints' defensive line.
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  • Cowboys' Jonathan Bullard: Lands with Dallas

    Rotowire
    Bullard signed a one-year deal worth a maximum of $2.5 million with the Cowboys on Saturday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Bullard spent the 2025 season in New Orleans while serving in a rotational role along the defensive line. He logged only 325 defensive snaps -- his lowest since 2022 -- and he may play in a similarly limited fashion in 2026, given the Cowboys' investment in their defensive line in the last two offseasons.
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  • Saints' Terrell Burgess: Staying in New Orleans

    Rotowire
    Burgess and the Saints agreed to terms on a contract Tuesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The 27-year-old from Utah is set to remain in New Orleans after spending 2025 with the team. Across 16 games and 319 total snaps (206 on special teams, 113 on defense) last season, Burgess tallied 22 tackles and three passes defensed. He's expected to remain a key special-teams contributor during the 2026 season.
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  • Saints' Chris Rumph: Re-signs with New Orleans

    Rotowire
    The Saints re-signed Rumph on Thursday. Rumph appeared in all 17 regular-season games for New Orleans last season and recorded 47 tackles (24 solo), including 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one pass breakup as a part-time defensive player and special-teams stalwart. He should fill a similar role in 2026.
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  • Saints' Beanie Bishop: Suspended three games

    Rotowire
    The NFL has suspended Bishop for the first three games of the 2026 regular season, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports. The league didn't mention the reason for the suspension in its announcement, but Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that it was for a violation of the NFL's substances of abuse policy. Bishop will still be able to participate in offseason activities and preseason contests. He had a significant role for the Steelers as a rookie in 2024 but didn't see any NFL action last year, splitting the campaign between the Steelers' and Saints' practice squads.
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  • Cardinals' Jonah Williams: Joins Arizona

    Rotowire
    Williams signed with the Cardinals on Thursday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports. The defensive end appeared in 15 games for the Saints last year, recording 18 tackles (eight solo), including 3.0 sacks. Williams was primarily a starter in 2023 with the Rams, but he has started only three games in the two seasons since then.
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