That didn’t take long.
The New Orleans Saints took a big hit on the defensive line Monday, the first day of the NFL’s legal negotiating window, when defensive tackles David Onyemata and Shy Tuttle agreed to contract terms with two different NFC South rivals — Onyemata to the Atlanta Falcons, Tuttle to the Carolina Panthers.
That left one defensive tackle under contract on the Saints roster: Prince Emili, who has never played a defensive snap with the Saints.
Fret not, New Orleans.
On Wednesday, before the new league year technically began at 3 p.m., the Saints agreed to contract terms with two other defensive tackles, bringing on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Khalen Saunders and the New York Jets’ Nathan Shepherd.
Both free agents are expected to sign three-year deals, according to reports from NFL Network. Saunders’ deal is worth up to $14.5 million. Shepherd’s deal is $15 million with $10.18 million guaranteed.
News of Shepherd’s addition broke first. He is a 6-foot-4, 315-pound 29-year-old heading toward his sixth year in the league with only his second team. He appeared in 73 regular-season games in the past five seasons with the Jets.
In 2022, Shepherd played in all 17 games, starting five, and recorded 1½ sacks, four tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and a career-high 33 total stops. His career highs are 2½ sacks in 2020, five tackles for loss in 2019 and eight quarterback hits (2020-21).
Shepherd has rarely missed game, except for 2019 when he was suspended six games for performance-enhancing drugs.
The Jets selected Shepherd from Fort Hays State in the third round of the 2018 draft.
Less than an hour later, the Saunders news broke.
The 26-year-old Saunders (6-0, 324) is about to enter his fifth year in the NFL, having appeared in 38 regular-season games in the past four seasons with the Chiefs.
Last month, Saunders helped the Chiefs to a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. He was responsible for a sack and two tackles in the victory, playing 52% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps.
During the 2022 regular season, Saunders notched a career-high three tackles for loss, 3½ sacks, eight quarterback hits and 48 combined stops. His previous career highs were one sack, two quarterback hits and 22 combined stops in 2019 — another Super Bowl-winning season for the Chiefs.
Saunders either inactive or on injured reserve for much 2020 and ’21. He played in just 10 games between the two seasons, notching a combined 11 tackles.
The Chiefs picked Saunders out of Western Illinois in the third round of the 2019 draft.
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