Even with the return of defensive end Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints edge rusher Carl Granderson is approaching another opportunity for a breakout season this year.
Last year, Granderson wrangled six sacks in his fourth-consecutive with five or more in a single year. His best year in sack production came in 2023, a season wherein he notched 8.5 on the year. Another season of that caliber would be a welcome one in 2026.
New Orleans has been waiting for another big season from Granderson while Jordan and Chase Young have either complemented or been in rotation with him. But he’s yet to capture that elusive double-digit sack season.
This year, his second in defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s system, could provide him both the comfort and familiarity to reach a breakout pace as a pass rusher in 2026.
However, Granderson’s contributions are not only to that of the pass rush game. He has been a solid contributor as a run defender, as well for many years.
Since 2021, the former Wyoming defensive end has been one of the highest graded run defenders for the team. That is, until last year, where he fell out of the top-10 in Pro Football Focus’s run defense grading scale for the club.
Bounding back into the top-10 in 2026 and producing more consistently as a pass rusher could put Granderson in breakout territory, something the Saints have been waiting for since that productive 2023 season.
Should Granderson do that, he and Young (another player with high expectations in 2026) should be able to become one of the better edge rusher tandems in the NFL. Accompanied by Jordan, who is set to embark upon his final NFL season, New Orleans could repeat last year’s pass rushing success, their first season since 2022 with 40 or more sacks in a year.
