Saints Retain Key Depth Player for 2026 Season
The New Orleans Saints made a solid move on Thursday night by re-signing veteran pass rusher Chris Rumph II for the 2026 season.
The team announced the decision, with Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis confirming the deal. Rumph, 6-2 and 244 pounds, is a five-year NFL veteran, originally drafted in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers out of Duke. Over his career with the Chargers (2021-24) and one season with the Saints (2025), he’s played in 54 regular-season games, registering 64 tackles (36 solo), five sacks, two pass breakups, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 24 special teams stops. Notably, he added a special teams stop during the 2022 AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Rumph made an impact in his first season with New Orleans in 2025, playing all 17 games for the first time in his career. He set career highs in total tackles (35), solo stops (19), tackles for loss (three), special teams stops (14), and recorded his first career forced fumble. He also tallied two sacks and one pass breakup.
Though he didn’t start any games for the Saints, Rumph was an important depth player, contributing with two sacks, 47 tackles, and four quarterback hits. He played 330 defensive snaps and 351 special teams snaps.
A fourth-round pick by the Chargers in 2021, Rumph spent three seasons in Los Angeles, accumulating three sacks and 39 tackles in 37 games. His 2025 season in New Orleans was more productive, solidifying his role as a reliable depth piece for the Saints moving forward.
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