​With 63 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints officially open their 2026 regular season, the team will kick things off on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 13. As training camp opens, rookie edge rusher Michael Heldman is donning the No. 63 jersey for the Saints, signaling his entry into a defense eager to discover a young playmaker at his position.
Heldman entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie, which makes his path to a spot on the roster inherently challenging. Yet, the Saints are keen to see what he can bring to the edge a unit that features established veterans and young talent alike. He arrives in New Orleans with the chance to impress in Brandon Staley’s defense, where the pressure to contribute early is real even for a player who did not hear his name called during the draft.
A profile of the 23-year-old from Romeo, Michigan, helps paint the picture of what Heldman brings to the Saints. He is listed at 6-foot-3 and 268 pounds, with a solid build that combines power and length—an asset for racing around the edge and setting the edge against the run. He hails from Central Michigan University, where he spent three productive seasons and built a steady résumé as a disruptive force on the defensive front. In his first three years with the Chippewas, Heldman accumulated 8.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss, establishing himself as a persistent presence along the line. But it was his breakout 2025 campaign that truly elevated his profile: 10.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss earned him first-team All-MAC honors and highlighted his ability to affect plays behind the line.
From a scouting perspective, Heldman has the raw traits that NFL coaches tend to covet in a pass rusher. His Relative Athletic Score sits near 9.88, underscoring his athleticism and explosiveness. He can bend and twist to get under tackles, and he generates power that can translate into a stout run defender and a reliable edge threat. However, there are areas that require refinement if he is to maximize his chances of sticking with the Saints. Speed-to-power conversion and the consistency of his first step are two aspects that will be closely watched during practice and preseason games. Additionally, developing counter moves and a more polished repertoire of rush techniques will be critical as he faces more experienced offenses that game-plan to neutralize rookies early in their careers.
The Saints’ defensive lineup has a stable of edge players with Chase Young and Cameron Jordan occupying the top two spots on the depth chart. Veterans Carl Granderson and Tyree Wilson are among the early candidates to serve as backups, and Heldman will have to wrestle with Chris Rumph II, Anfernee Jennings, and Fadil Diggs for a role behind them. The challenge is significant: Jordan is heading into his 37th year and is in his 16th NFL season, while Wilson has not yet lived up to the lofty expectations that accompanied his first-round selection. In this context, Heldman’s best chance to earn a roster spot might come from his ability to stand out during training camp and the preseason, when coaches can see firsthand how he handles edge duties in a game-like setting.
Training camp will be the proving ground for Heldman, who will be evaluated on his ability to set an edge, pursue ball carriers with urgency, and display enough versatility to contribute as a rotational defensive end. His potential lies not only in rushing the passer but also in setting the run edge and contributing to the Saints’ overall depth on defense. If he can demonstrate a quick interpretation of complex schemes, a reliable motor, and a handful of effective rush techniques that translate to game speed, Heldman could position himself as a present-day contributor and perhaps a future option for sustained playing time.
As the Saints prepare for their season opener in Detroit, Heldman’s story is a reminder of how undrafted rookies often seize opportunities in training camp to make an impression. The early narrative suggests that while the odds are stacked against him, Heldman could catch the eye of the coaches with his motor, power, and athletic upside. If he can translate his MAC-era production into NFL-ready technique and consistency, he might carve out a meaningful role on a defense in search of a young playmaker to complement its veteran leadership.
This piece on Heldman serves as a snapshot of a player whose journey from undrafted rookie to contributor will unfold over the next several weeks. Saints fans will be watching closely to see if he can carve a niche for himself in Brandon Staley’s system and add potential value to a defense that could benefit from fresh, dynamic edge play. The excitement around training camp is fueled by the possibility that Heldman’s development could mark the beginning of a longer, brighter chapter in his professional career, one in which he earns opportunities to prove himself in meaningful game-action and establishes himself as a future piece of the Saints’ defensive puzzle.