Saints Pick Up Bryan Bresee’s Fifth-Year Option

The Saints drafted Bresee with the 29th pick, which they received from the Broncos in the teams’ Sean Payton trade. While Bresee arrived as Clemson’s top recruit in 2020, he did not have a dominant college career. A 2021 ACL tear had something to do with that, though Bresee has been durable since then. He earned second-team All-ACC acclaim in his final season with the Tigers, and he has since appeared in 49 of a possible 51 games with the Saints.

Bresee did not log any starts during a 17-game rookie season, though he notched nine QB hits, seven TFL and 4.5 sacks in a rotational role. The 6-foot-5, 305-pounder has primarily worked as a starter since then. He recorded career-best numbers in his second year, a 17-game, 11-start campaign in which he posted 14 QB hits, 7.5 sacks and another seven TFL.

Bresee missed the Saints’ last two games in 2025 as a result of a knee injury, but he started in all 15 of his appearances. However, his production declined. The 24-year-old put up eight QB hits, five TFL and 2.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus, which has never been especially fond of Bresee’s work, rated him a below-average 87th among 127 interior defensive linemen.

Bresee has typically earned good reviews as a pass rusher, but his run defense has lacked during his three-year career. The Saints have seen enough positives to keep him around for the entirety of his rookie contract, but it remains to be seen if they will extend him this offseason.