​We are 58 days away from the New Orleans Saints kicking off the 2026 season. The Saints will begin on the road, facing the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 13. Wearing number 58 for New Orleans is Chris Rumph II, a seasoned edge rusher who has earned his place on the roster.
Rumph joined the Saints in the 2025 offseason to add depth and quality experience to the defensive front. His performance during that season was strong enough to earn him a new one-year contract, ensuring his continued presence in New Orleans for another year. This has given us a closer look at Rumph as our latest Saints Player of the Day.
Name (age): Chris Rumph II (27)
Hometown: Gainesville, Florida
Position: Edge rusher
Height, weight: 6-foot-2, 244 pounds
College: Duke Blue Devils
Relative Athletic Score: 5.11
Drafted: Round 4, 118th overall in 2021 (Los Angeles Chargers)
NFL experience: 5 years
2026 salary cap hit: $2 million
Rumph earned All-State recognition at F.W. Buchholz High School in Florida and chose Duke over offers from several programs, including Appalachian State, Vanderbilt, and UCF. As a college player, he was named a freshman All-American by USA Today and finished his Duke tenure with 17.5 sacks, 35 tackles for loss, and 125 combined tackles across 36 games. While translating that production to the NFL has been challenging at times, Rumph has still proven to be a valuable asset.
Drafted by Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley when he led the Chargers, Rumph spent his first three NFL seasons in Los Angeles within Staley’s system. A foot injury prematurely ended his 2024 campaign after a broken bone in his foot cut his 2023 season short. It’s likely that the familiarity with Staley helped entice Rumph to sign with the Saints on a veteran minimum deal in the 2025 offseason.
Last season, Rumph appeared in every game for New Orleans. He didn’t record any official starts, but he logged a team-high 330 defensive snaps and added 351 snaps on special teams. He contributed solidly to run defense and finished with 2 sacks, 4 quarterback hits, and 47 total tackles, including 3 tackles for loss—marking the best statistical year of his NFL career.
New Orleans decided to bring Rumph back on another one-year contract at season’s end, indicating that he has earned a continued role with the defense. He will compete for a spot among the Saints’ edge-rush personnel, a unit already featuring Chase Young, Cameron Jordan, and Carl Granderson. The Saints also added Tyree Wilson via trade, signed Anfernee Jennings, and brought in undrafted rookie Michael Heldman. With multiple veteran and young players in the mix, competition for the remaining edge-rusher roles figures to be intense. Rumph’s versatility could help keep him in contention as training camp unfolds.
Note: This piece is part of the Saints Wire Countdown to Kickoff series, highlighting Chris Rumph II as Saints Player of the Day for day 58 ahead of the 2026 season.