An undrafted rookie out of Tennessee in 2019, Shy Tuttle surprisingly worked his way into the New Orleans Saints defensive tackle rotation almost immediately. His acrobatic interception and stiff arm of Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan in a 2019 Thanksgiving night game is also one of the most iconic plays in franchise history.
Tuttle wasn't much of a pass rusher. He had just two sacks, both as a rookie, and 14 QB pressures over his first three years. However, he was an integral part of one of the league's best run defenses over those three seasons.
Expectations didn't change much for the Saints defensively as they entered 2022 with Tuttle and other tackles David Onyemata and Malcolm Roach returning. Reality would be a little different.
Shy Tuttle
Saints Year-In-Review
The 27-year-old Tuttle started strong. He was in on his first sack since his rookie year in Week 2, when he also had a career-high nine combined tackles, and recorded a career best five solo stops in Week 3. However, those numbers were overshadowed by a season-long problem by the entire defensive tackle position.
New Orleans ranked a lowly 24th against the run in 2022, giving up an average of over 130 yards per game. The Saints allowed over 140 yards on the ground nine times, going 4-5 in those contests. It was the worst New Orleans fared against the run since 2015, when a 31st ranked defense gave up 129.5 yards on the ground
At the forefront of those issues was the team’s defensive tackles. Opponents were able to push around the New Orleans interior all year long. Their ability to run inside on the Saints often nullified the team’s ends and linebackers. New Orleans also got little interior impact as pass rushers. The tackles were responsible for just 11 of the defense's 48 sacks.
Tuttle had been arguably the team’s best interior run defender. He appeared in all 17 games and played a career-high 558 of his team's defensive snaps. Tuttle's 49 tackles were also a career best, with his two sacks equaling his rookie year high. However, he had only one tackle for loss and struggled to get interior penetration throughout the year.
At 6'3" and 300-Lbs., Tuttle is a powerful defender who ties up multiple inside blockers. He may not be an explosive player, but his strength and ability to get interior push helps disrupt opposing offenses.
An unrestricted free agent, Spotrac.com estimates that Tuttle's next contract will be an average of around $6.3 million per year. It's an affordable number if the Saints chose to bring him back.
Tackles Onyemata and Kentavius Street are also free agents. Expect the Saints to make some big changes at a position that was a liability in 2022. However, Shy Tuttle is an affordable option that would be an effective defender against the run in the rotation if re-signed.
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