Nose tackle Khalen Saunders feels almost instantaneous joy following trade to Jaguars
'Where to?' Saunders replied.
Jacksonville.
'The (team) we just played?' Saunders added. 'It was a surprise.'
The postgame deal sent Saunders, a two-time Super Bowl champion nose tackle with Kansas City, to the Jaguars in exchange for backup center Luke Fortner. The trade had been in the works for days, long before the teams played to a 17-all tie in the Superdome on Sunday. Jacksonville had been looking to strengthen its defensive front while New Orleans was in the market for offensive line depth.
Now both players are getting a fresh start with a much better chance of making an opening-day roster.
'It was almost instantaneous the joy that came in,' Saunders said. 'It's fast moving, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.'
Saunders was one of three defensive additions for the Jaguars on Tuesday. Defensive tackles Arik Armstead (back) and Maason Smith (calf) practiced with the team for the first time since training camp opened.
'Both guys have done everything they can in order to get on the grass,' Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. 'To see them out there is a great sign. … Both guys have done nothing but worked their tails off to get back. Pleased about that progress for sure.'
Armstead, Smith and Saunders are expected to play in Jacksonville's preseason finale at Miami on Saturday, although it likely hinges on how much work they get during a joint practice with the Dolphins on Thursday.
Coen already has a good feeling about what to expect from the 324-pound run-stopper, having watched Saunders twice last season while he was offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay.
'A guy that … I've got respect for as a vet that's played a lot of meaningful down in this league, has won Super Bowls, has been on teams that know how to win and there's no question he can help up in the middle there at times,' Coen said.
'He's hard to double-team and move in there at times and also has some ability to kind of redirect and has some initial (quickness), so I do believe he'll help add some meaningful competition and depth in that room.'
Saunders started 27 games for the Saints over the last two seasons after a four-year stint in Kansas City. He became expendable after the Saints switched to a 3-4 defense under coordinator Brandon Staley and signed free agent Davon Godchaux from New England.
Fortner, a third-round draft pick from Kentucky in 2022, started 34 games for Jacksonville during his first two seasons. But he was benched in favor of veteran Mitch Morse last year and was considered a long shot to make Jacksonville's roster behind Robert Hainsey and rookie Jonah Monheim.
Saunders, a third-round draft pick in 2019, has 181 tackles and 6 1/2 sacks in 68 career games. He's expected to slot in as a backup to DaVon Hamilton on Jacksonville's depth chart.
Saunders arrived in town midday Monday, meet his new teammates and then spent several hours with coaches learning the defense.
'He brings a lot of experience, a lot of good depth and we're lucky to have him,' defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said.
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