The New Orleans Saints selected defensive end Payton Turner with the 28th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Turner’s selection as a round-one pick shocked many as the 6’6” defensive end was a projected day-two pick.
In his three seasons with New Orleans, Turner has appeared in just 15 games, accumulating 3 sacks and 8 tackles for loss. In comparison, the Saints passed on defensive linemen Gregory Rousseau, drafted 30th overall by the Buffalo Bills, who has 17 sacks and 30 tackles for loss, and Odafe Oweh, drafted 31st overall by the Baltimore Ravens, who has 13 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in that span.
AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File
New Orleans has struggled to find first-round talent on the defensive line for some time including in 2018 when they selected edge rusher Marcus Davenport, trading two first-round picks to do so. Davenport has faced identical health problems to Turner, failing to remain on the field. Unlike Turner, however, Davenport had production when healthy earning him 1-year contracts with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions after the Saints let him walk in 2023.
Payton Turner has shown glimpses of potential through his time in the league, but health problems have held him back from being reliable enough, resulting in New Orleans declining Turner’s fifth-year option making him a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. The Saints would like nothing less than for Turner to become a consistent starter, but he’s currently being labeled as a potential cut candidate as the 2024 season approaches. Although getting cut is very unlikely due to other injuries at edge rusher creating an opportunity for the former first-round pick to take snaps with the first-team defense during OTAs, Turner’s time with the Saints may soon end.
As Turner enters the final year of his contract, he has to prove he can stay healthy and be a reliable piece on defense to earn a second contract. Marcus Davenport gathered just 21.5 sacks in his five seasons with New Orleans including a 0.5 sack season in 15 games in 2022. Still, he earned a second contract due to his favorable athleticism and previous production from earlier seasons. If Turner wishes to follow in these footsteps and sign a second contract with an NFL team, he has to prove he can stay on the field and produce with a goal of playing around 75% of games and racking up 5+ sacks for the 2024 season.
