As Pete Werner tells it, the New Orleans Saints defense probably should get penalized for too many men on the field when No. 92 is out there.

No. 92 is Davon Godchaux, the Saints defensive tackle who is making life a whole lot easier for linebackers such as Werner.

“He looks like there are two players, an extra D-lineman out there,” Werner said.

Godchaux, obtained in a March trade with the New England Patriots, could be the biggest acquisition this offseason.

And not just because of his 6-foot-3, 330-pound frame.

More so for the run-stuffing strength that comes with that body.

The Saints were one of the worst teams last season in stopping the run. Opponents gashed through the defense with ease, averaging 141.4 yards rushing per game. Opponents were basically half way to a first down (4.92 yards per carry) every time they ran the ball. The Carolina Panthers were the only team in the league worse than that in defensive yards per game and yards per carry.

The Saints are counting on Godchaux to help fix that.

“My bread and butter is stopping the run,” he said.

Just seven practices into training camp, he’s already earned the respect of his teammates.

“He’s a double-team eater,” center Erik McCoy said. “He’s a beast.”

Godchaux, a Plaquemine native who played at LSU, is entering his ninth NFL season. He recorded 67 tackles last season, good enough for fourth among all defensive tackles.

He credits his success to his experience in the league, but that strength helps, too.

“I’m in Year 9, so I think it’s some of that old man strength,” Godchaux said. “Just keeping it going and just knowing different techniques to stay dominant upfront. It’s really about leverage and how to use your leverage. I feel like I’ve seen everything when it comes to run defense. I know the schemes and how teams are going to try to attack.”

Godchaux showcased his physicality in Wednesday’s practice, fighting off a McCoy block to halt running back Kendre Miller in his tracks on one play.

Handling offensive linemen is the easy part. Handling all the ticket requests when you’re now playing just 85 miles from family and friends is the hard part.

“Everybody wants tickets to the games,” Godchaux said. “I can only give this amount every game. We can’t have 30 people at every game.”

Godchaux is figuring out how to disperse his allotment of tickets. Meanwhile, his teammates are figuring out how to play with him. Werner recalls a recent conversation he had with fellow linebacker Demario Davis.

“Man, with this D-line play, I don’t even know where my gap is sometimes,” Werner said to Davis. “I’m just fitting on the ball because they are doing so well upfront. To have a guy like that who can play two gaps is really good for our defense.”

Godchaux is just as good for the locker room, giving the unit another veteran leader. After Sunday’s practice, a few of the other defensive linemen were headed to get some of the snowballs that were provided by the team. Godchaux brought that to a halt and told them to save that until after they did their developmental session to end practice. They obliged, a sign that Godchaux’s voice already holds weight among his peers.

Now he wants to throw his weight around on the football field. His ability to do that can go a long way in the Saints run defense improving.

“When you say D-line, you think tone-setters,” Godchaux said. “You think about guys coming to wreck some shop. Coming to make their lives a living ‘H’. I’m excited to set the tone and let people know that New Orleans Saints football is back.”