KHALEN SAUNDERS AND NATHAN SHEPHERD 2023 SEASON ANALYSIS:
New Orleans Saints defensive tackles Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd entered the 2023 season as newcomers to the Black and Gold. With both players spending time with other teams the season before (Saunders with the Kansas City Chiefs and Shepherd with the New York Jets), their goal was to come in and solidify a defensive line that lost quite a few pieces during the offseason. The duo was successful in that mission, with Saunders even finding some run on the offense as a fullback in the red zone.
As far as the numbers go, Saunders finished the season with 57 total tackles, 24 of which were solo, and two tackles for loss. Shepherd finished the year with 50 total tackles, 26 solo, three sacks, and 5.5 tackles for loss.
BEST GAMES OF KHALEN SAUNDERS AND NATHAN SHEPHERD'S 2023 NFL SEASON:
The best game of Saunders' season was against the Chicago Bears in Week 9. He finished with five tackles and a tackle for loss. For Shepherd, his best game was in Week 18 against the Atlanta Falcons where he had three tackles and a sack.
BEST QUOTES OF KHALEN SAUNDERS AND NATHAN SHEPHERD'S 2023 NFL SEASON:
"We got tremendous players, but all got to learn how to play with each other, so this is a great year for that. We are still good...We are still learning each other so I can only imagine that next year it will be even more cohesion and even more learning each other's play styles."
-Khalen Saunders
"My biggest thing is perseverance. Perseverance and delayed gratification. Those were two things that I knew with my path I would have to come to terms with on a daily basis. Being able to continue to grind, put my head down, and wait for my opportunity. I didn't know where it was coming from all the time but sometimes I think that makes for the best case scenario."
-Nathan Shepherd on his untraditional path to the NFL
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive tackles Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd in action throughout the 2023 NFL season.
