The New Orleans Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to a trade with just three weeks to go until the 2025 NFL season gets underway.
The Jaguars are fortifying their defensive line by acquiring veteran defensive tackle Khalen Saunders from the Saints according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. In return, the Jaguars are sending center Luke Fortner back to the Saints. The two teams played each other in New Orleans during the second week of preseason action earlier on Sunday. Saunders started the game for the Saints, but he'll finish the day as a member of the opposing team.
Saunders, 29, is entering his seventh season in the NFL. Last year, he played in 13 games and started 10. He recorded 2.0 sacks, 43 tackles and had a memorable interception against the Chiefs.
He played the first four years of his career in Kansas City before joining the Saints in 2023, where he'd start 27 games across two seasons. Now, he'll head to Jacksonville and join a defensive tackles room consisting of Arik Armstead, DaVon Hamilton, Maason Smith and Austin Johnson, among others.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Saints Trade Veteran DT to Jaguars Hours After Preseason Clash.
