Although the New Orleans Saints’ interior defensive line has been battling injury throughout training camp, the team’s rushing defense has shown a number of signs of improvement.
In non-contact practices, the measure of success comes down to alignment, assignment and execution. And while ball-carriers around being taken to the ground, the action at the line of scrimmage is still physical and notable.
The Saints defense appears to be checking all of these boxes in their training camp environment.
Linebacker Kaden Elliss has been critical for the team in this area. He and the linebacker corps can be seen consistently fitting the run and shooting gaps with fellow backer Pete Werner being a consistent contributor to big stops at or behind the line of scrimmage.
Meanwhile, young interior defenders have proven to be a challenge to move off of their spots. Rookie defensive tackle Christen Miller has stood out as a player that’s hard to get moving backwards, showing a penchant for holding the line.
Meanwhile, the STAR/slot position has added additional reinforcements with Jonas Sanker, Jayden Price and Lorenzo Styles Jr. each getting involved in the run game. They’ve also been very active in attacking the short passing game, which often operates as an extension of the rush.
With injuries keeping veteran players like Davon Godchaux and John Ridgeway III sidelined in recent practices, there’s reason to believe things improve more upon their returns. But for now, young defensive linemen are set to get more exposure and time to develop in their place, which can be a positive for the continued progress of a surging rushing defense.
