Calin Saunders, Nathan Shepard compared to the Saints they replace

age: 26

expertise: 38 games in 4 years (plus 6 playoff games)

to rise: 6 feet – 0

Weight: 324 pounds

Relative math score: 7.59

2022 Defensive Picks: 511 (39.5% against running, 58.7% against passing), 26.9 snaps per game

PFF Run Defense Score: 55.8

PFF Pass Burst Score: 57.2

PFF (Productive Public Relations) Fast Win Rate: 6.7 (4.0)

Average processing depth vs. running in PFF: 3.1

a contract: Three years, $14.5 million ($4.8 million per year), TBD guarantee

Saunders played small role with the Chiefs during his first three years, recording career-highs in defensive snaps (511), quarterback pressures (18), tackles (30), and PFF defensive stops (22) last season. He’s a consistent player who does more against the run than against the pass, so it’s strange to see that Kansas City has played him that many passes in the past year. The Saints can best dictate that by adding more depth to the line and carefully rotating it on and off the field. But Saunders is a great athlete for his size and he has to do a lot to help the New Orleans defense win at the line of scrimmage. He’s made plenty of plays and has been surprisingly effective at containing a portable quarterback looking to play out of the pocket.