Bryan Bresee's Numbers Got Weird Last Year, and New Orleans Needs Answers Fast

Alright, you 12s, it's 90 days until the Saints kick off their season! Mark September 13, facing the Detroit Lions on the road. While we're fired up for our own squad on the Lumen Field turf, it's worth peeking at what's brewing around the league. A big question mark hangs over Saints defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, No. 90. Entering his third year, after a serious production dip last season, New Orleans has to be sweating. He was a first-round pick, they need him as a cornerstone, not a head-scratcher.

From Clemson Star to NFL Force, Mostly

This isn't some scrub, folks. Bresee was a high school beast, winning two state championships. He chose Clemson over traditional SEC/Big 10 powerhouses, immediately earning first team All-ACC and ACC Freshman of the Year in 2020. Even with injuries limiting play in 2021-22, he still snagged 2nd Team All-ACC honors. In 26 Clemson games, he piled up 9 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and an interception. The Saints took him 29th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, a pick from trading Sean Payton's rights to Denver. He was the third DT off the board for a reason, right?

He delivered as a rookie! Bresee played every game, taking 49 percent of defensive snaps. He put up 4.5 sacks, 13 pressures, 7 tackles for loss, and batted down 6 passes. Solid start. His second season in 2024? Even better. He played all 17 games, his snap count jumped to 60 percent, leading New Orleans defenders with 7.5 sacks. He hammered QBs for 14 hits, brought 19 pressures, had another 7 tackles for loss, and tipped 3 throws. The guy was on an upward trajectory, a serious threat to backfields.

The Production Problem Nobody Saw Coming

Then 2025 happened, and things got… strange. The Saints brought in DC Brandon Staley and his new scheme, leaning into more 3-man fronts. Bresee often played end. He still played 15 of 17 games, seeing a career-best 69 percent of defensive snaps, 668 total. He even had a career-high 37 tackles, with 5 for loss. More snaps, more tackles, that's good, right? Except his pressure numbers tanked: 2.5 sacks, 8 QB hits, and 13 pressures. That's the lowest output of his three-year career! How do you play more and get less production in critical pass-rushing areas?

Despite that major drop-off, the Saints picked up his fifth-year option, meaning he's locked in through the 2027 season. But here's the kicker: his salary cap hit will skyrocket to nearly $14 million in 2027! If this guy wants a long-term deal, if he wants to prove he's worth that cash, his production HAS to bounce back to those first two years, immediately. We're talking about a former first-round talent showing a worrying trend. New Orleans can't afford that kind of regression on their D-line.

So, come September 13 against the Lions, then Week 2 at Baltimore, Week 3 against the Raiders: all eyes will be on Bryan Bresee. Can he dominate? Can he recapture that pass-rushing spark? His future, and a huge chunk of the Saints' defensive identity, depends on it. Get ready, folks. This is gonna be a fascinating watch.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.