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Saints Training Camp Preview: Isaiah Stalbird
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- Saints Training Camp Preview: Isaiah Stalbird
One of the most interesting spots on the New Orleans Saints roster going into the season is the linebackers. The Saints lost Demario Davis in free agency, and that should never be overlooked. Davis was arguably the best player on defense for the past few years, and his leadership kept this group afloat. Losing him is going to have a massive impact on this defense right away, and although long-term it can hopefully get better, this may be a reason why the defense struggles in 2026.
Although the Saints did make the addition of Kaden Elliss. He is not Davis, and expecting him to be will likely bring disappointment, but he is still very good. Elliss is captain material, can play OLB in Brandon Staley's defense, and is better than Davis in pass coverage. He is an extremely important player, but the depth will need to step up.
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Due to Elliss' versatility, there's going to be plays where two other LBs are on the field with him. The Saints are likely going to bring five LBs into the regular season just like they did last season. Right now, those players should be Elliss, Pete Werner, Danny Stutsman, Isaiah Stalbird, and either Jaylan Ford or Jackson Sirmon. The issue is Werner struggled a bit last season, which led to Stutsman and Stalbird having more reps than expected. That's not a horrible thing because we saw great moments from those two, but it does bring up the potential problem of LB depth. Still, there is also a good chance Stalbird and Stutsman can step up, and today, we will focus a bit more on Stalbird.
After the 2024 NFL Draft, Stalbird was signed to the Saints as a UDFA. He didn't make too much of an impact in 2024/25, but he shined last season, as I mentioned. Stalbird showed athleticism and speed that the room was missing, and what makes him a really interesting option is his ability to also play safety. Stalbird, as a player, is completely different from the other LBs, and it's why he plays himself onto the field. Instead of being a potential cut like last season, Stalbird is likely going to be on the roster, and his snaps should only go up.
Werner is probably going to be LB2 again, and he may be able to improve from last season, but we could very well see the Saints go with younger options. Stalbird could have a big season in 2026.
