“It was almost instantaneous the joy that came in… It’s fast-moving, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Khalen Saunders recently after being traded to the Jaguars’ camp. Imagine you are running through the opposition in the afternoon, and by nightfall,the opposition is your own team. Makes up for great ice breaker. That’s exactly what happened to Saunders. He suited up for the Saints against the Jaguars in a preseason game, and by nightfall, he was in the Jaguars’ camp. And keeping up with the preseason pace, the Jaguars wasted no time putting him to work. 

The defensive end showed up at the Jaguars’ training camp wearing No. 68, and the team welcomed him with a post on X. They shared a photo of Khalen Saunders crouched in practice gear, ready for action, with the caption: “Happy to have you, @khalenNOTkaylen 🤝 #DUUUVAL.” And it didn’t take long for Saunders to fire back with his own message to the team.

The two-time Super Bowl champion just took to X to quote the post by his team to write, “Who knew I’d like teal this much my GOODNESS.” He even joked about being ready to run through “a BRICK WALL AT 8:43 PM ON A TUESDAY EVENING 😤💪🏾”. And he did not forget to sign off with the trademark “#DUUUUVALLLLLL”. The big man looks locked in already to take on any offense for the Jaguars. Pretty aggressive, right? But also exciting, considering his resume.

When asked about the trade, Coen was full of praise for the defensive tackle.“Just look at a guy that we played against twice last year in Tampa that I’ve got respect for as a vet that’s played a lot of meaningful downs in this league,” Coen said. “Has won Super Bowls. Has been on teams that know how to win, and also, there’s no question that he can help us in the middle, there at times. He’s hard to double-team and move in there at times and also has some ability to redirect and has some initial quick. I do believe that he will help add some meaningful competition and depth in that room.”

Since being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he has appeared in 68 career regular-season games. His stats include 181 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT, 4 pass breakups, and 4 stops for loss. Not bad for a guy who once played quarterback in middle school. That little bit of versatility makes him even more interesting.

Also, let’s not forget Khalen Saunders’ championship experience. He played on a Kansas City defense that knew how to win at the highest level. That’s the kind of leadership the Jaguars want in their young defensive unit. Having a player who has been there and done that in championship-level games makes a huge difference in a locker room. Head coach Liam Coen certainly seems to think so. Sounds like the Jaguars see Saunders as both a leader and a key contributor in the trenches. While that’s what the Jaguars required, it’s only part of the reason that the defensive end had been traded. 

Why did Khalen Saunders get traded by Kellen Moore’s Saints?

According to reports, Saints HC Kellen Moore had planned to trade Khalen Saunders for a while. The Saints needed more OL depth, while the Jaguars wanted to make their defensive front more solid. That made Saunders the odd man out for Moore. The timing also made sense for the Saints. They needed reinforcements after projected starting guard Trever Penning hurt his foot in the preseason opener, putting his regular-season availability in serious doubt. Under DC Brandon Staley, the Saints had recently switched to a 3-4 defense. Plus, nose tackle Davon Godchaux was also acquired by the team through a deal with the Patriots.

The deal then sent the nose tackle to Jacksonville in exchange for backup center Luke Fortner, a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Fortner started 34 games in his first two seasons for the Saints. But after the Jaguars signed veteran Mitch Morse, Fortner slipped down the depth chart. The Jaguars also had confidence in rookie Jonah Monheim to step up as a backup for Robert Hainsey. With that comfort, they felt free to trade Fortner, even if QB Trevor Lawrence became emotional while parting ways with the player. In return, they got a proven defensive lineman. 

Moreover, this trade looks like a win-win for both sides. The Saints got the OL boost they wanted, and the Jaguars added toughness inside their defense. While Khalen Saunders may not start right away for the Jaguars, he provides strong depth. He’ll likely be a backup to DaVon Hamilton on the depth chart and serve as another run-stuffing presence. But if he’s ready to run through a “brick wall” on a random Tuesday night, imagine his mindset when the Jaguars face AFC contenders this fall.