The New Orleans Saints’ defense has some high-profile changes in the locker room. This offseason. The departure of starting linebacker Demario Davis was balanced with the return of multi-year team captain Kaden Elliss and dominated the news cycle along with the return of defensive end Cameron Jordan as far as defensive transactions go.
But it’s re-signing in the secondary that could be a massive difference-making decision for New Orleans in 2026.
Safety Julian Blackmon will lead the team in interceptions this year.
Our first defensive prediction centers around an era the Saints would like to see greater production this year: takeaways.
The Saints generated 20 turnovers last year, with only eight coming by way of interceptions. The team recovered the second-most fumbles in the league last season, which helped to bolster the overall takeaway count.
Blackmon was set to be a reliable contributor in this area when signed ahead of the 2025 season, however a labrum injury quickly ended his season after just one game.
The veteran safety is setting out to prove the team is now making the right decision signing him for a second time.
The Saints haven’t seen a player finish a season with more than four interceptions since former cornerback Marshon Lattimore corralled five during his rookie season. Matching that count in 2026 could make Blackmon the most productive turnover generator of the season for New Orleans.
