Every Wednesday from now until preseason I’ll be going through each position group in the NFC South. I’ll rank them from worst to first. Here is a list of the positions already covered:

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers 

Tight Ends 

Offensive Tackles

Offensive Guards

Centers

Defensive Tackles

Next up is possibly the most important position group on the defensive side of the ball. EDGE.

1. Saints

Cam Jordan

Chase Young

Carl Granderson

Payton Turner

Isaiah Foskey

The Saints have invested heavily in their edge group and get solid, if unspectacular production out of it year-in and year-out. Cam Jordan, the villain in every Bucs fan-fic novel still hangs around at age 35. But he is anything but the former dominant pass rusher that roamed the field from 2015-2020. This version Jordan is still a very good early-down run defender. But New Orleans would be wise to get him off the field in late and long situations. From week 12 on last year Jordan only created three pressures in 102 pass rushes.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan and ex-Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: USA Today

With scant-little cap space the Saints spent most of what they had betting on a motivated Chase Young to try and use 2024 to vault into a big long-term contract. Early last year it looked like Young was on his way to that very payday, but he fell off after a mid-season trade to the 49ers. Still, his 66 pressures in 2023 is the second-most by any edge rusher in the NFC South this year and his upside is that of the best pass rusher in the division. If he can stay healthy like he did last year he is a good bet to hit that upside.

Carl Granderson is an awesome story, moving from undrafted free agent to consistent pass rusher who got a decent payday just before the 2023 season. He rewarded the Saints for that contract and increased playtime by having the best season of his career with 58 pressures, an 11.1% pressure rate and nine sacks (by Pro Football Focus’ measurement of the stat). He and Young on third down would comprise the best mix of talent and production in the division.

Behind the main three are two former premium draft picks in Isaiah Foskey (2nd round – 2023) and Payton Turner (1st round – 2021). Turner has struggled to get on the field due to a now prolonged injury history and Foskey struggled in his rookie year. It is clear the Saints aren’t counting on either to be a major factor this year given the signing of Young. Both are in the “Saints mold” of edge rusher in that they have large frames and like to win with size and power. But if either breaks out it should be considered more of a surprise than not.

2. Bucs

Yaya Diaby

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka

Chris Braswell

Anthony Nelson

Markees Watts

I have spent some time on the Bucs edge room, going into some detail on how many sacks I think the group may produce this upcoming year, and I am bullish on the room overall. And while I am high on the possibilities of the Bucs edge rushers, the fact remains it is still a largely unproven or underperforming group.

Yaya Diaby made the big splash last year with 7.5 sacks but given his snap-to-snap play he is unlikely to hit that number again unless he takes some big strides forward in his ability to win one-on-one. As it stands right now, Diaby is a linear rusher, who struggles to counter or put together multiple moves and lacks a pass rush plan. That’s not a great recipe for a #1 Edge.

Bucs OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Bears QB Justin Fields – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I still maintain Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is the best and most consistent rusher on the team, but the Bucs look to be phasing him out as evidenced by them not picking up a very reasonable 5th-year option and drafting Chris Braswell in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Tryon-Shoyinka finally started converting pressures to sacks at a league average rate last year only to be demoted for Diaby halfway through the season.

Braswell is an interesting player with plenty of splash plays at Alabama last year. The more I watch of him the more I like. He is one of two wildcards that could vault this edge room into first in the NFC South. The other wildcard is Markees Watts. He put on extra weight this offseason in an effort to elevate himself from situational pass rusher to regular rotational player. If he succeeds, he could be Shaq Barrett 2.0.

Anthony Nelson continues his “steady-eddie” role as a strong run defender who is limited as a pass rusher.

3. Panthers

Jadeveon Clowney

D.J. Wonnum

K’Lavon Chaisson

D.J. Johnson

Cam Gill

The Panthers moved on from talented pass rusher Brian Burns, trading him instead of extending him. In his stead the team signed veteran journeyman Jadeveon Clowney coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. Clowney is a strong run defender who took a jump at 30 years old as a pass rusher thanks to Mike MacDonald’s sim pressure-heavy scheme. If Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero can emulate that scheme Clowney may be able to replicate that production. The more likely scenario is that Clowney regresses back to a 40-50 pressure #2 option.

Panthers Edge D.J. Wonnum – Photo by: USA Today

The problem for the Panthers is that they are asking him to be an alpha. And that extends to their secondary edge D.J. Wonnum. Wonnum is a solid rotational depth rusher who is being asked to start. Wonnum’s 8.2%-win rate ranked tied for 89th in the NFL among qualified edge rushers last year. That doesn’t bode well for the Panthers.

The Panthers signed former first-round pick K’Lavavon Chaisson to a $2.5 million contract on the off chance that after four years there is something there that Jacksonville couldn’t find. Carolina over drafted D.J. Johnson in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He largely proved them wrong in year one, generating just three pressures.

Former Buc fan-favorite Cam Gill has a real chance to make the Panthers roster and get more consistent play time than the Bucs ever found for him. Gill has flashed a ton in Tampa Bay, but injuries have robbed him of creating a niche role for himself with the Bucs. He could find that with the Panthers if he can remain healthy.

The Panthers rank third in the NFC South on the back of a better top end rusher than the next team on this list.

4. Falcons

Arnold Ebiketie

Lorenzo Carter

Bralen Trice

Zach Harrison

James Smith-Williams

The Falcons passed on an opportunity to take the first edge rusher in the 2024 NFL Draft to select quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Time will tell whether that was a smart move or not, but until then the Falcons edge room remains underwhelming. Atlanta also opted to not sign one of the high-upside pass rushers available in free agency such as Danielle Hunter or Bryce Huff.

Falcons Edge Arnold Ebiketie – Photo by: USA Today

Instead, the Falcons are continuing to rely on 2022 second round outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie. In two years Ebiketie has less than 500 pass rush snaps. While he has flashed the likelihood that he is the top tier pass rusher Atlanta has been without for over six years now.

Lorenzo Carter is a strong early down run defender who is a limited pass rusher. The likely hope from the Falcons is that he falls back to a depth role as third round pick Bralen Trice ascends to the starting spot. Trice was extremely productive at Washington where his 66 pressures led all of college football for edge rushers. But he will have to overcome a weight, wingspan, arm length and hand size all profile in the 12th percentile or less for edge rushers.

Last year’s third round pick Zach Harrison underperformed for most of last year before showing some life late in the season when he had seven pressures in the season’s final three weeks. James Smith-Williams has had a successful career for a former 7th round pick as he is working on his 5th season as a capable depth piece.

The Falcons lack upside and floor with their edge room which leads them to ranking last in the NFC South.