Jaguars bolster defensive line: Acquire Khalen Saunders from Saints

The Jaguars have finalized the acquisition of experienced defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, coming from the New Orleans Saints, in exchange for center Luke Fortner, according to league sources. The interior defensive line has been a focus for the Jaguars in the last two seasons. The team hoped to strengthen this area with the return of Arik Armstead and the development of Maason Smith. However, Armstead has been dealing with a back injury and has yet to participate in training, while Smith suffered an injury during the pre-camp conditioning tests and was recently cleared from the physically unable to perform list. DaVon Hamilton, another veteran defensive tackle, hasn’t shown the same performance as in 2022, after a back infection that kept him out of nine games in the 2023 preseason. Saunders, who is about to start his seventh season in the NFL, played the last two seasons with the Saints, after four years with the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft. During his career, Saunders has accumulated 6.5 sacks and 181 tackles, as well as winning two Super Bowl titles with the Chiefs. In a game against the Chiefs last season, Saunders achieved an interception that resulted in a 37-yard return.

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Saunders started for the Saints in the preseason game against the Jaguars in New Orleans, showing a good performance in the 17-17 tie. The situation of Nathan Shepherd, another Saints defensive tackle, seems to indicate that his place on the 53-man roster is at risk. Fortner, selected by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2022 draft, played every snap as a rookie and started in all 2023 games. However, his performance subsequently declined, leading the team to replace him with Mitch Morse, who retired in March. The Jaguars then signed Robert Hainsey and also selected Jonah Monheim in the April draft. The news of Saunders’ acquisition by the Jaguars was initially reported by NFL Network.