Saints Linebackers May Have A Much Different Look This Coming Season

An offseason outlook for the New Orleans linebackers.

Brandon Staley is the new defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Staley hopes to revive a recently formidable defense that performed at a putrid level during the 2024-25 season.  

The Saints ranked 30th in yards allowed, 27th against the pass, and 31st against the run and yards per rush while ranking near the bottom of the league in sacks. Stars like DE Cameron Jordan, LB Demario Davis, and S Tyrann Mathieu are in their mid-30s.

The Saints have run predominantly 4-3 or 4-2-5 defense for over two decades. Staley has run a 3-4 scheme throughout his coaching career. He'll be expected to do the same in New Orleans. 

Do the Saints have enough quality linebackers to successfully run Staley's system? That's what today's article explores.

Saints Linebacker Overview 

Players Under Contract 

• Demario Davis 

• Pete Werner 

• Jaylan Ford 

• Anfernee Orji 

• D'Marco Jackson 

• Isaiah Stalbird

• Carl Granderson (EDGE)

Team Free Agents 

• Willie Gay Jr.

• Chase Young (EDGE)

• Nephi Sewell (exclusive rights)

Davis has lost a step but is still undoubtedly one of the best linebackers in the game. His 136 tackles last season were the most of his 13-year career as he also added an interception and 7 passes broken up. 

It must also be pointed out that Davis is 36 and the oldest player on the team. Of his 136 stops, only five were for negative yardage. That's his lowest since 2014 with the Jets. He also had just 2 sacks and 5 pressures, his lowest since 2016 with the Browns. 

Pete Werner is steady but unspectacular. He's particularly strong against the run and capable in zone coverages. However, he struggles in space and makes few momentum changing plays for his defense. 

Ford saw no defensive snaps as a rookie fifth-round pick last season and just limited special teams action over eight games because of injuries. However, the former Texas Longhorns playmaker was still kept on the active roster every week. This showed that the previous coaching staff thought highly enough of him that they were afraid another team might poach him from their practice squad. 

Jackson has been mostly a special teamer throughout his three-year career. The same for Orji, Stalbird, and Sewell, all formerly undrafted players. It will be interesting to see if any fit better under Staley's new system. 

Gay was a disappointment after signing a one-year deal in free agency last offseason. A versatile linebacker through his first four years with the Chiefs, there may be a fit for him here if the Saints elect to try and bring him back on a cheap deal.

Granderson and Young have been defensive ends throughout their career in a 4-3 front and neither are traditional linebackers in any sense. Either could be stand-up rushers in a 3-4 scheme.  

Pass rushers are a major need for New Orleans no matter what. However, there are questions how Granderson fits in this system and whether the team should or could re-sign Young. 

The Saints desperately need an upgraded pass rush, but it's hard to imagine them being able to afford Mack, Reddick, or even Judon. It would also take some major financial juggling for a more traditional linebacker like Greenlaw, even though he'd bring the type of boost that Demario Davis did when he arrived to New Orleans. 

Perryman and Reeder are names to watch having played for Staley previously. Burks, Spillane, Deablo, Rozeboom, Jones, Walker, and Baun have also excelled in similar systems. Baun feels highly unlikely to return to the Saints, despite being a much better fit in the scheme now than he was in his first four years with the team.