Countdown to Kickoff: Chris Rumph II is the Saints Player of Day 58

We sit at 58 days before the New Orleans Saints play their first game of the 2026 season. New Orleans will open on the road, playing at the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13. Wearing No. 58 for the Saints is Chris Rumph II, a veteran edge rusher.

>Rumph was brought in by New Orleans during the 2025 offseason to provide quality depth. He played well enough that the team re-signed him to another one-year contract this offseason. We now have a closer look at Rumph, our latest Saints Player of the Day.

Name (age): Chris Rumph II (27) • >Hometown: Gainesville, Fla. • >Position: Edge rusher • >Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 244 pounds • >College: Duke Blue Devils • >Relative Athletic Score: 5.11 • >Drafted: Round 4, 118 overall in 2021 (Chargers) • >NFL experience: 5 years • >2026 salary cap hit: $2 millionRumph earned All-State recognition at F.W. Buchholz High School in Florida and committed to play college football at Duke over offers from other schools like Appalachian State, Vanderbilt, and UCF. He was picked as a freshman All-American by USA Today and finished his Duke career with 17.5 sacks, 35 tackles for loss, ad 125 combined tackles in 36 games. He's struggled to match that production in the NFL, but has still proven to be valuable.

>Drafted by Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley when he was the Chargers' head coach back in 2021, Rumph spent the first three years of his career in L.A. working in Staley's defense, but a foot injury ended his 2024 campaign before it started (after a broken bone in his foot cut his 2023 season short). Likely enticed by his familiarity with Staley, Rumph was signed to a veteran minimum contract by New Orleans during the 2025 offseason.

>Rumph appeared in every game for the Saints last season. He didn't get any official starts, but his 330 defensive snaps were the most of his career while adding another 351 on the special teams units. As expected, he provided stout run defense. Rumph also had 2 sacks and 4 QB hits. His 47 total tackles, including 3 for loss, was also the highest production of his career.

>New Orleans saw enough out of Chris Rumph II that they re-signed him to another one-year contract at season's end. He'll have to compete for a role. The Saints return edge rushers Chase Young, Cameron Jordan, and Carl Granderson. They also traded for Tyree Wilson, signed Anfernee Jennings, and added Michael Heldman as an undrafted rookie. Competition at the remaining edge rusher spots is expected to be fierce, but Rumph has enough versatility to keep him in the thick of the race.

>This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Chris Rumph II is the Saints Player of Day 58