The Saints have made two additions to their defense. The team has announced the signings of defensive end Taco Charlton and safety Justin Evans. 
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Charlton was highly touted when he began his NFL career in 2017 with the Cowboys. He only lasted two years in Dallas, though, posting four sacks in 27 games. That led to his release in September 2019, which began the streak of current one-year stints he is now on.
The Michigan graduate joined the Dolphins after his release from Dallas, and enjoyed his best campaign there. He recorded five sacks in 10 games, but that wasn’t enough to extend his stay with the team. He next found himself in Kanas City, then Pittsburgh last year. Between those two campaigns, he totalled 2.5 sacks in 18 contests. Still only 27, Charlton could fill at least a depth role in the Saints’ edge-rush department.
Evans, meanwhile, hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2018 season. A second round pick in 2017, he dealt with injuries throughout his brief tenure in Tampa Bay. Starting 21 of 24 games, the 26-year-old made 125 tackles, adding four interceptions and eight passes defensed. If he can stay on the field, his production shows that he is capable of being an impact defender; given his time removed from the game, however, a backup role would be a more realistic expectation.
With areas of last season’s top-five scoring defense having undergone significant, these two moves will add depth for the Saints, while providing, potentially, upside at each position.
Mmmmm. Tacos. A player I can get behind.
Still a bit baffling that the Saints seem to have zero urgency to upgrade at linebacker.
Agreed. Unless that was the basis of the trade yesterday, to move ahead of other LB needy teams to maybe get Devin Lloyd or Nakobe Dean, or maybe even the OT Trevor Penning, and move RR to LT? They’ve got solid backups on the OL, and Penning is a mountain of a guy, and Allen has said he wants to run the ball a little more. If it’s LB, I can see signing a veteran, like they did with Alexander, and then bringing along a rookie. Werner and Braun are decent STs/Backup role types, but they’re not NFL starters. IMHO.
I agree with you. Braun is certainly not good enough to start. Werner seems a bit better but doesn’t posses any of the skills that are required to make a stud starting LB. He seems like a body who will get a lot of tackles and nothing else.
Unsubstantiated rumors have the Saints interested in supplementing TACO CHARLTON
with:
Burrito Barnes
Enchilada Edwards
Quesadilla Quinn
Menudo Miller
Chili Conqueso
Huevos Rancheros
Fajita Fredricks
Nacho Nickerson
Chalupa Charles
Sopapilla Sanders
Chimichanga Carlson
Guacamole Garrison
Tamale Tucker
Empanada Erickson
Tostada Thompson
Pozole Peters
Chilaquile Chester
Champurrado Cline
Mojarra Frita