A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough question. This week’s prompt: Which Saints player should concern the Bucs the most?

Scott Reynolds: Carl Granderson Is Saints’ Best Pass Rusher

Saints DE Carl Granderon and Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: USA Today

There used to be a time when Cam Jordan was New Orleans’ most feared pass rusher. The eight-time Pro Bowler was a powerful force who had five seasons with double-digit sacks. But he notched just two sacks in 17 games last year, and at age 35 he’s not the player he used to be. Carl Granderson, a sixth-year pass-rushing defensive end, is the Saints’ leading sacker along the defensive line with three sacks. He had a career-high 8.5 sacks last year, which led the team in 2023.

I liked Granderson coming out of Wyoming, and he’s followed a similar path to that of former Saints designated pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who had 20 career sacks in four years in New Orleans, including 13.5 in 2020. Granderson is an active, high-motor, 6-foot-5, 261-pounder, but he’s not the ultra-quick athlete that Hendrickson is. He’s more of a power rusher, but at age 27, he’s got more speed than Jordan presently has.

And Granderson, who had seven tackles against the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, has been more productive than Chase Young, a high-profile defensive end who signed with New Orleans in free agency. Young, the second overall pick in 2020 by Washington, has just 1.5 sacks through the first five games of the year. The Saints will use Granderson on either side of the line of scrimmage, rotating with Young and Jordan, and expect New Orleans to try to get him matched up on either right tackle Luke Goedeke or reserve Justin Skule if Goedeke isn’t cleared to play this week. If Baker Mayfield gets pressured he doesn’t play well. The Bucs must keep Granderson in check.

Matt Matera: Rashid Shaheed Is A Legit Deep Threat

Third-year wide receiver Rashid Shaheed has truly developed into a weapon for the Saints this season. The Bucs are going to have their hands full with not allowing him to make the big play. So far on the year Shaheed has caught touchdown passes from distances of 59 yards, 70 yards and 43 yards, which happened in New Orleans’ latest game on Monday Night Football.

Saints WR Rashid Shaheed, Bucs CB Jamel Dean – Photo by: USA Today

At any moment Shaheed can change the outcome of a drive, or better yet a game, with a single play. His speed is very threatening, which is also why he made the Pro Bowl last season as a returner. This year he’s doing it more as a receiver, giving an extra way for the Saints to attack opponents. The Bucs, and specifically Todd Bowles, hate allowing the big play. They’d rather cover everything deep and let a quarterback throw short passes underneath a let defensive players rally to the football.

The problem for the Bucs is that they’ve done a poor job tackling this season. It’s also not known yet which safeties will be available when it pertains to keeping Shaheed in front of their unit. Jordan Whitehead exited last Thursday’s game with a groin injury and Antoine Winfield Jr. has been in out since Week 1. If each of them are missing, or even just Winfield is out again, Bowles may over-commit to not allowing the deep ball with Christian Izien and potentially Kaveon Merriweather back there with responsibilities.

This will open the door for New Orleans to slice and dice the Bucs’ zone-heavy defense the way Kirk Cousins did for over 500 yards last game. Tampa Bay can’t afford to do that again. Shaheed can cause the Bucs defense several issues.

Bailey Adams: Tyrann Mathieu Is Still Making Plays

Bucs TE Cade Otton and Saints S Tyrann Mathieu – Photo by: USA Today

Even at age 32, Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu is still a concern. He’s off to a great start in 2024, first forcing and recovering a fumble in Week 1 before picking off passes in Weeks 2 and 3. In other words, even in Year 12, the three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro is still living up to the Honey Badger moniker he earned at LSU.

Mathieu has graded out well so far according to PFF’s grading system, with an 80.2 overall grade and a 78.8 coverage grade. The Saints defense has started the season well, but Mathieu is coming off his worst-graded game of the season Monday night in Kansas City. He allowed just one catch out of his two targets, but it went for 50 yards.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield needs to know where Mathieu is at all times, as he’s always lurking and looking to make a game-changing play. Tampa Bay’s offense has been at its best when it’s maximizing its possessions and avoiding turnovers. If Mathieu makes a big-time play on Sunday, it could swing the game in the wrong direction.

Josh Queipo: Alontae Taylor Has Quietly Become A Dude

Saints CB Alontae Taylor Photo By: USA Today

Coming into this season I wasn’t sure if nickelback Alontae Taylor would even be a starter. His first two seasons were a bit lackluster, and the Saints had just invested a second-round pick in cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. With Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo both entrenched as starters on the outside, it made sense that Taylor would be the odd man out.

Not only has that not been the case, but Taylor has quietly had himself a very good start to the season. Heading into the Saints’ Week 5 Monday Night Football matchup against Kansas City, Taylor has allowed about 40 yards per game in coverage and forcing three incompletions. Versus the Chiefs, the physical cornerback had five tackles and forced a fumble.

In a day and age where the slot corner position has evolved beyond just coverage Taylor is proving he can do a bit of everything. He leads the Saints in sacks with 3.5, as he has become a plus blitzer in a scheme that is blitzing more than in the past. He is also proving he can contribute in run defense. Taylor will primarily be matched up against Bucs receiver Chris Godwin, who is the engine that keeps Tampa Bay’s offense going. The Bucs will need to be mindful of the improvements in Taylor’s game and have a plan to both account for him as well as attack him.

Adam Slivon: Bucs Need To Prepare For An Alvin Kamara Takeover

Saints RB Alvin Kamara and Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

Yes, Alvin Kamara is now 29 years old, an age when most running backs begin their descent into obscurity. However, Kamara has turned back the clock in a major way this season. Through five games, he has 91 carries for 388 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns and has added 23 receptions for 214 receiving yards and another touchdown. His 114 total touches lead the league, and Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has made Kamara a focal point of the offensive gameplan.

Many of his numbers this season have been the best since his Pro Bowl 2020 season, including an average of a career-high 77.6 rushing yards per game. Coming off three straight losses, there may be a renewed point to get Kamara the football, as it paid dividends in two huge blowout wins to begin the season, including when they beat the Cowboys 44-19 thanks to the veteran do-it-all running back finding the endzone four times.

There is no doubt that New Orleans will try to get him involved on Sunday afternoon, and while the Bucs have had his number throughout his career, they still need to find ways to keep him in check. Last season, Tampa Bay prevented him from having much success, as he had just 21 carries for 96 rushing yards and 15 receptions for 37 receiving yards across the two games. However, coming off a disastrous defensive performance against the Falcons, the Bucs’ defense appears more susceptible to giving up chunk plays while they battle personnel issues.

Despite New Orleans’ loss to the Chiefs last night, they are still averaging 28 points per game, the fourth-highest in the NFL. Much of that has been because of Alvin Kamara, and a big concern and point of emphasis will be scheming up ways to prevent him from taking over Sunday’s game.