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With Tanoh Kpassagnon out for the season, the 2nd round pick’s time is now.
When the New Orleans Saints selected edge Isaiah Foskey with the 41st pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, expectations for the all-time Notre Dame sack leader poured in. Foskey had an underwhelming rookie season, totaling just 0.5 sacks and 5 solo tackles. After suffering a quadricep strain on the opening kickoff of their Week 9 matchup with the Chicago Bears, which caused him to miss seven games, Foskey couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm.
With the loss of DE Tanoh Kpassangnon to an Achilles injury in late May, Isaiah Foskey is going to get his chance to prove his doubters wrong in 2024. Kpassagnon has been a reliable backup defensive end since he signed with the Saints as a free agent in the 2021 offseason, tallying 9.5 sacks in the black and gold over that span.
Foskey, who is 6’5” 265 lbs. and runs a 4.58-second 40-yard dash, has all the tools to become a dominant edge rusher in the NFL. Throughout the offseason, the 23-year-old pass rusher emphasized his lack of confidence during his rookie season. In an interview with NOF network, Foskey stated that he hesitated to make plays and that he was often “in his own head trying not to make a mistake.” However, after an impressive offseason, Foskey is ready to put his versatility on full display. Not only as a pass rusher, but as a run stopper as well.
According to Pro Football Focus, Isaiah Foskey finished his rookie season with an overall grade of 62.2 and 0.5 sacks. Saints’ legend and future Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Cam Jordan, who finished his rookie season with an overall grade of 64.0 and 1 sack, made the jump to 8 sacks and a 70.6 overall grade in just one offseason. The Saints are hoping to see a similar increase in production with Foskey, and with the loss of Kpassagnon, the door is wide-open for someone to take the next step.
With the Saints free agent signing of DE Chase Young to a one-year $13 million deal this offseason, Foskey may have to compete for snaps once again. However, Foskey being more familiar with the defense should serve as an advantage in his development and role with the defensive line unit as a whole.
Do you think Isaiah Foskey is going to take advantage of this opportunity, and will we see an increase in his production?