Could Keion White Have Saved the Saints’ Season? The Critical Deadline Mistake That Could Cost Them
The New Orleans Saints entered the NFL trade deadline in seller mode but may have missed an opportunity to bolster their defense. With a 1-7 record and glaring depth issues up front when Chase Young is off the field, New Orleans needed to explore low-cost options to strengthen its pass rush. Instead, another contender made the kind of smart, inexpensive move that could’ve fit perfectly into the Saints’ rebuilding strategy.
Cheap Defensive Trade Highlights New Orleans Saints’ Missed Deadline Move
With only one win to its name, it makes perfect sense for New Orleans to acquire more draft capital, but sometimes young players are available and could be valuable to a rebuilding team. Usually, the player could be traded for cheaper draft capital.
One of these players in particular was EDGE Keion White, who, before today, played for the New England Patriots. The former second-round pick had five sacks last year, but with the new coaching staff in town, his role was significantly minimized.
The Saints should have been interested because of their pass rush issues, and maybe they were, but the San Francisco 49ers struck first.
Why the Saints Should Have Made the Trade
Throughout this season, there have been massive issues with the Saints’ pass rush, specifically when Young is not on the field. New Orleans had a clear issue getting pressure early in the season when Young was out with an injury, and when he returned, that issue was fixed. But when Young is off the field on certain plays, the issue returns.
Depth at the pass rusher must be addressed for the Saints’ future success. Trading for White could have been an answer to this issue, and for how cheap it was, New Orleans should have easily done it.
Going a step further, this trade also removed a potential trade partner for the Saints. EDGE Carl Granderson has been the subject of trade rumors so far this season, and the 49ers were one of the possible teams that were looking for pass-rush help.
They were desperate for help since star EDGE Nick Bosa went down with an injury that knocked him out for the year. Granderson could have been the perfect player to trade for, but now that San Francisco traded for White, they don’t need to make another move to improve their pass rush.
The Browns defense has one flaw that’s keeping it from reaching elite status
Through three weeks of the NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have the best defense in the NFL. While the team is only 1-2, the Browns have held opponents to 204.3 yards a game — the lowest mark in the NFL by over 20 yards. Cleveland has the best rushing defense, allowing just 57.3 rushing yards a game, and the fourth-best passing defense, giving up 147 yards per game. The Browns are also tied for third with 11 sacks through three games — one spot off the lead.
If Cleveland can keep this up for the rest of the season, it will undoubtedly be a great defense. However, it is one thing keeping them from elite status. Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi highlighted that one issue in ESPN’s recent power rankings. Cleveland’s ranking was up four spots to No. 26, and Oyefusi pointed out that the team’s biggest issue on defense is that it only has one takeaway on the season.
Browns defense can go to another level by forcing turnovers
Cleveland’s lone takeaway this season came on Sunday when safety Grant Delpit intercepted Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love in the fourth quarter. The interception set the Browns up for a game-tying score, which put them in position to win the game. Without the turnover that created a short field for the offense, Cleveland would probably be 0-3.
That’s why the Browns really need to start taking the ball away. With a conservative offense that isn’t producing much, the defense needs to be extra special for Cleveland to win games. The defensive unit is already doing its part in slowing opponents down, but the next step is forcing turnovers.
Unfortunately, this has been an issue for the Browns. Last season, the unit only had 12 takeaways, which was the second lowest in the NFL — that included a league-low four interceptions. In 2023, however, when the defense was playing similarly to how it is now, the group had 28 takeaways. Hopefully, the Browns will be closer to that number than the number from a season ago.
