Cameron Jordan, a key player for the Saints, underwent surgery earlier this year to fix a severe ankle injury he sustained in November. Although he continued to play despite the injury, it noticeably hindered him during the latter part of the 2023 season, resulting in just two sacks—his lowest since his rookie year in 2011.
Luckily, Jordan is recovering well. He informed reporters, including Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, that he has started running again and taking part in walk-throughs. He hopes to begin on-field activities by the end of the OTAs and minicamp, with the final OTA session on June 6 and the mandatory three-day minicamp starting on June 11.
Even with the reduced sack total, Jordan maintained solid performance levels, earning a respectable 73.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking him 41st among 112 qualified edge defenders. This grade, though lower than his peak years from 2015-21, is similar to his 2022 performance. His overall score was lowered by a 63.8 pass-rush grade, but there is optimism that a fully healed ankle will allow him to match his 2022 stats, which included 8.5 sacks, 66 total tackles (13 TFL), and two forced fumbles.
Jordan, who will turn 35 in July, appears to have two more years left in his notable career. He signed an extension last August that keeps him with the Saints through 2025, which he anticipates will be his final season. In typical Saints fashion, the team restructured his contract in March to create cap space.
Joining Jordan on the defensive line is Chase Young, a free-agent acquisition who has not yet secured the lucrative contract he likely expected after being the No. 2 overall pick in 2020. Young, who won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors that year, has since struggled with a serious knee injury but still managed 7.5 sacks with the Commanders and 49ers in 2023. His one-year contract with the Saints could be worth up to $13 million, largely through per-game roster bonuses.
Young’s market value was partly affected by the neck surgery he needed this offseason. The Saints, confident in his recovery, knew he would need some time to heal. According to Triplett, Young will probably continue with “walk-through mode” through minicamp, consistent with earlier reports indicating he would be out until training camp in July.