The New Orleans Saints had their top-five defense from 2022 gutted on the interior with the departures of defensive tackles David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle in free agency.

New Orleans countered the loss with the additions of Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders. The latter is fresh off of his second Super Bowl title with the Kansas City Chiefs, and a career season with 48 tackles and 3.5 sacks. 

As he prepares for his first season in New Orleans, Saunders is certainly not regretting his decision to sign with the Saints. Why? It's simple, he's loving what head coach Dennis Allen likes to do defensively. 

“It’s a lot of attacking,” Saunders said, via NewOrleans.Football. “I feel like there is a lot more looping and just disguises in (coach Dennis Allen’s) defense, which I like, because I love using disguise and deception. Using quickness, people don’t expect me to have it being a nose and being the way that I am, but being able to move quickly and disguise things and stuff like that is a big part of his defense, and I’ve been liking it a lot.”

Before Allen became the headman in New Orleans in 2022, he was the team's defensive coordinator for seven seasons (2015-2021) and finished with back-to-back top-10 finishes in his final two years running the show. So, he knows a little something about defense. 

The disguises will surely involve stunts with the defensive tackles and defensive ends where the former loops to the outside and the latter goes inside which confuses opposing offensive lines. 

With Saunders being pretty nimble on his feet, and this style fitting the way he plays, he has a chance to possibly have his best season yet.

Opposing teams still have to deal with future Hall of Famer Cam Jordan on the edge when they play the Saints. Plus, guys like Malcolm Roach and rookies Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey will be factors. So, with all the disguises that the Saints will use, and having plenty of bodies to work with, Saunders could find himself in some favorable situations to be effective in 2023.

The Saints are currently getting an odd dose of disrespect

They don’t deserve it.

Feature image via Cheryl Evans/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK