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USA Today
19 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
98 days until Saint's season opener: Every player to wear No. 98
98 days until Saint's season opener: Every player to wear No. 98 Everyone from Payton Turner to Sheldon Rankins and Sedrick Ellis There are 98 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2025 season, and we're continuing to count down the days by looking back on every player to wear that jersey number in Saints franchise history. Defensive end Chris Rumph II claimed No. 98 this spring, which previously belonged to defensive end Payton Turner. He picked it up when another former Saints first-round pick, Sheldon Rankins, left in free agency the same year Turner was drafted. It's been a popular choice for first-round defensive linemen in Saints history; Sedrick Ellis also wore it as the team's top pick back in 2008. With 98 days to go until kickoff, here's a look back at each player to use No. 98 with the Saints (via Pro Football Reference): Chris Rumph II (Present) Payton Turner (2021-2024) Sheldon Rankins (2016-2020) Mike Mohamed (2015) Parys Haralson (2013-2014) Sedrick Ellis (2008-2012) Renaldo Wynn (2007) Willie Whitehead (1999-2006) Ron Warner (1998) Jim Hanna (1994) Milford Hodge (1986) Reggie Lewis (1982-1984)
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints veterans like what they see from Kellen Moore: 'It's culture over everything'
Saints veterans like what they see from Kellen Moore: 'It's culture over everything' Justin Reid is impressed by Kellen Moore's first months on the job The New Orleans Saints didn't make a ton of high-profile additions in free agency, but their biggest pickup was veteran safety Justin Reid. Reid spoke with local media after the team's second open practice at organized team activities, and he expressed confidence that first-year head coach Kellen Moore is running things the right way. "First and foremost, it's culture over everything," Reid said, as transcribed by Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "The culture that's built here and Coach Kellen, they just won the Super Bowl last year with Philly. He brought his strength staff over and a lot of those guys are familiar with winning. We have a lot of guys here who are familiar with winning. But the great thing, because I've been on mediocre teams, I've been on bad teams, I've been on great teams. And the culture in this locker room is right right now. We've got guys that believe in the system, that buy in. We don't have bad character guys. And that's the first step that you need in order to build a real team to go out and win." Described as a "world class tone-setter," Reid signed a three-year deal with the Saints this offseason just months after Moore and the Philadelphia Eagles beat Reid's Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. So he knows what Moore is capable of as a play caller. Seeing the first-time head coach running practice every day has won him over. Reid also likened his experience at OTA's as more like what he's seen at the college level than on some other teams he's played for -- coaches are preaching fundamentals, attention to detail, and emphasizing the importance of their strength and conditioning program. The NFL's collective bargaining agreement limits what teams can do at this time of the year, but from where Reid stands, his team is focusing on the right things. After a series of years where the Saints were dysfunctional on the field, led by an unpopular quarterback and with so many younger players making mistakes and not lining up at the right spots, it makes sense that Moore is working to right the ship. We've seen too many players sidelined by injuries in recent years, too, and he's taken action to better prepare his guys for Sundays. Let's hope it makes a difference and the positive culture Reid sees building in front of him results in plenty of wins this season.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints share highlight videos from team paintball outing: 'It's all strategy'
Saints share highlight videos from team paintball outing: 'It's all strategy' Kellen Moore participates with players in team paintball game NFL teams try all sorts of team-building strategies this time of the year -- there's a reason it's called "organized team activity" and not "practice" when players report for work. In previous years, the New Orleans Saints have buddied up to go bowfishing, bowling, or try other group activities. This year players went out to play paintball, and head coach Kellen Moore joined them. It looks like a great time; the Saints shared a couple of videos highlighting the players' reactions and some of the day's funnier moments. For his part, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders regretted leaving cover, laughing and holding up his yellow paint-smeared helmet for the camera: "I ran out in the middle and got smoked. It hit me square in my eyeball." Other guys saw it as a great learning opportunity. Quarterback Spencer Rattler said afterwards, "It's all strategy, it's all the will you've got. It's tiring and it's hot out here too." Seeing guys covering each other and coordinating movement through the obstacles on the field is entertaining, but it goes a long way towards building up camaraderie in the locker room, too. And here's a better look at the different teams: Hopefully it makes a difference. The team is in a rough state five years into the post-Drew Brees era, having fired their last head coach and parted ways with who they thought could be their franchise quarterback, and they need new leaders to step up. Moore participating means a lot. Maybe live-fire experiences like this can help guys learn to trust each other, work together, and win a lot of football games in the fall.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Sean Payton regretted his Alvin Kamara comparison at the time, but may have got it right
Sean Payton regretted his Alvin Kamara comparison at the time, but may have got it right Kamara's numbers, play style mirror Marshall Faulk's career We're entering the part of the offseason where we start to get kind of wistful. A little nostalgic. Introspective, maybe. Look back on years past, and consider how comments made before look with the benefit of hindsight. Back when he was leading the New Orleans Saints as their Super Bowl-winning head coach, Sean Payton had a blunt reaction to being asked about comments he'd made comparing rookie draft pick Alvin Kamara to Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk, who he had coached in college at San Diego State. Payton had complimented how quick a learner and adept a receiver both players had been (similar body types helped; Faulk played at 5-foot-10 and 211 pounds, while the Saints list Kamara at 5-foot-10 and 215), but that's where the comparison stopped. "Stop," Payton told reporters back in 2017. "Marshall Faulk's a first ballot Hall of Famer. We're not doing that to a rookie running back. This kid has got really, really good football intelligence. He has good transitional speed. But even when I made the comparison back in training camp it was prefaced with, hey, not making a comparison to Marshall, I'm just saying he's a guy that learns very quickly and that's how Marshall was. I just don't want to see Marshall Faulk headlined with Alvin Kamara, that's all." But you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube, and Payton's comparison has only looked more apt with time. He's right that Faulk was a different caliber of player than Kamara, but he was also right to compare the two in the first place. At this stage in his career, Faulk had appeared in 121 games, totaling 2,155 carries (17.8 per game) with 548 receptions (4.5 per game), amassing 14,889 yards from scrimmage with 79 touchdown runs and 31 touchdown catches. He had also been selected for six Pro Bowls, was a six-time All-Pro, had won league MVP, and was named Offensive Player of the Year three times. Kamara doesn't have as many accolades, but his five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro appearances are nothing to sneeze at. Through his first eight years he's appeared in 115 games, recording 1,543 rushing attempts (13.4 per game) and catching 573 passes (4.9 per game). He's gained 11,541 yards from scrimmage. So while they have averaged the same number of yards per carry (4.4), the four extra rushes per game that Faulk got made a very big difference. And now Kamara is on the verge of doing something special. He's 238 receiving yards away from joining Faulk, Marcus Allen, and Tiki Barber to become the fourth running back in NFL history to gain at least 5,000 yards as both a rusher and receiver. Look at the numbers: Marshall Faulk: 12,279 rushing yards, 6,875 receiving yards Marcus Allen: 12,243 rushing yards, 5,411 receiving yards Tiki Barber: 10,449 rushing yards, 5,183 receiving yards Alvin Kamara: 6,779 rushing yards, 4,762 receiving yards It feels like a safe assumption that Kamara will go the distance and join those great players in the 5,000-yard (10,000?) club, but just how far can he go? Kamara's contract is set to run out after the 2026 season, so he has at least two more years to keep building on his legacy. He's talked before about not wanting to play football until his body breaks down, and his abundance of interests away from the field gives him options. If he decides to keep playing after this contract runs out, he might close the gap with Faulk in the end. Maybe. And here's one more stat for the road. Since the two-point conversion was adopted in 1994, just two players have successfully converted it seven times. Those two players? Marshall Faulk, and Alvin Kamara.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Most Underrated Saints Player Highlighted By PFF
The New Orleans Saints haven't gotten much respect from oddsmakers or through the national media this offseason. Some of that is valid. The Saints are coming off a 5-12 season and four years without a playoff appearance. New Orleans has a new coach in Kellen Moore and a new opening day starting quarterback in either Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler. Advertisement The Saints do have some talent. Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed are explosive offensive threats. Erik McCoy is one of the finest centers in the game, and tackle Taliese Fuaga is a rapidly rising young talent. On defense, Demario Davis remains one of the league's best all-around defenders. Bryan Bresee is becoming a disruptive force, with defensive backs Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor looking poised to take the next step among the NFL's best. Bresee, McKinstry, Olave, and Shaheed are often overlooked in national circles. However, Pro Football Focus (PFF) identifies another New Orleans player that might be the most underrated on the Saints roster. Carl Granderson, DE Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96). Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images In an article through PFF last week, writer Jonathan Macri highlights the most underrated player on every NFL roster heading into the 2025-26 season. Former Saint David Onyemata was Macri's choice for the Atlanta Falcons. Here was why Macri identified Granderson for the Saints. ''Granderson's teammate Cameron Jordan has long been a poster boy for the league's most underrated players, but with Jordan reaching the end of his career, Granderson has taken over that lead edge defender role and is potentially an underrated player in his own right. Over the past two regular seasons, Granderson has delivered 119 quarterback pressures — the 16th most among all players at his position. He not only adds much-needed pass-rush upside, but his 80.7 PFF run-defense grade since 2022 ranks tied for 12th at the position.'' Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is pressured by New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96). Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Granderson, 28, was signed by the Saints as an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming in 2019. He was a rotational or situational player over his first four seasons. Despite limited snaps in 54 games, he still managed 14.5 sacks, 28 QB hits, and 20 tackles for loss. Advertisement Since 2023, Granderson has started all 34 contests and appeared in over 75% of the Saints' defensive snaps. In 2023, Granderson had 8.5 sacks, 20 QB hits, and 14 tackles for loss to lead the team in all three categories. Last season, Granderson's 9 stops for loss again led all New Orleans defenders. He also had 5.5 sacks and 13 QB hits to finish second on the team. New Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is expected to incorporate more 3-4 concepts in the team's defense. This may fit Granderson's best attributes even better as the Saints look to improve on a defense that ranked a lowly 30th overall and managed only 39 sacks. New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) rushes against the Green Bay Packers. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images At 6'5" and 261-Lbs., Granderson is a lengthy athlete with a long reach and excellent bend around the edge. His run defense has improved through his career, but he's most impactful to the Saints defense as a pass rusher. Advertisement New Orleans did not address their edge rusher position until the seventh round of the draft and not at all through outside free agents. They did re-sign Chase Young, who had a similar statistical output as Granderson in 2024 with 5.5 sacks, 21 QB hits, and 8 tackles for loss. The Saints logic clearly was that they expect Carl Granderson and Chase Young to be more disruptive as stand-up rushers in Brandon Staley's system. For this to work, Granderson must transform from underrated player to one of the league's most disruptive pass rushers. Related: Undrafted Delaware Back Marcus Yarns Has The Skills To Crack New Orleans Saints Roster Related: Undrafted Edge Jasheen Davis Could Add Speed That's Lacked In Saints Pass Rush Related: New Orleans Saints 2025-26 NFL Schedule Breakdown Related: Undrafted Chris Tyree Has Skills To Become Another Of The Saints Overlooked Gems Related: Rutgers Linebacker Tyreem Powell May Be An Undrafted Gem For Saints Defense Related: Undrafted Omari Thomas Looks To Continue His SEC Success With Saints
