Feb. 27, 2026, 1:30 p.m. CT

New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley brought a new scheme to the New Orleans Saints when hired last offseason. Among the several players whose fit was questioned in the new system was Bryan Bresee, their third year defensive lineman. Bresee was one of the few bright spots from the New Orleans defense in 2024, but was now facing a different role up front.

A first round choice from the Clemson Tigers in the 2023 NFL draft, Bresee had progressed nicely over his first two years. He had 12 sacks, 32 pressures, and 14 tackles for loss with 9 tipped passes over those two seasons. In Staley’s system, Bresee would switch from an inside spot to more outside responsibilities on a three-man front.

Bryan Bresee Year in ReviewPosition: Defensive tackleAge: 24Height: 6-feet, 5 inchesWeight: 305 poundsNFL experience: 3 years (with Saints)2025 season: 15 games (15 starts)

Bresee was looked at as one of the key young players in the New Orleans front seven. Settling into a new spot quickly, Bresee was part of an improved run defense from the onset of the season. His pass rush numbers, however, would suffer a bit. Bresee did not have his first sack until Week 4 and had multiple QB hits in only one game all year. While the production was down, it didn’t mean he wasn’t effective. He was part of a swarming group against the run and would routinely flush opposing quarterbacks from the pocket.

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On the year, Bresee played 668 defensive snaps over his 15 contests, a career-best 69% on that side of the ball. He had 2.5 sacks, 8 QB hits, 13 pressures, 5 tackles for loss, but a career-high 37 total tackles. Those aren’t mind-blowing numbers, but Bresee was an important factor to the New Orleans improvement up front.

Bryan Bresee is heading into the fourth year of his rookie contract. The Saints must make a decision this offseason on whether to pick up his fifth-year option. An underrated defender and young building block, expect the Saints to either pick up that option or negotiate a contract extension in hopes of him being a big part of the future.