Malcolm

Roach

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Roach can earn up to $8 million on his deal. Roach spent four years with the Saints after making the team as a UDFA in 2020, and now gets a chance to reunite with Sean Payton. Roach has appeared in 41 games throughout his career, totaling 90 tackles, seven TFLs, and one sack. Coming off his best season as a pro, Roach will likely serve as a rotational player along the line.

Roach appeared in 29 games over the previous three seasons for the Saints, five of which were starts. Expect him to continue to serve as a depth option in the interior defensive line after averaging under 39% of the team’s defensive snaps during that time.

Roach (6’2/297) was a captain and four-year starting defensive end at Texas who was an All-Big 12 honorable mention as a senior after compiling 3.0 sacks and 9.0 TFLs. He plays with a high motor and was a 93rd percentile athlete at the NFL Combine, but his lack of length (7th percentile arms) and pass-rush moves have prevented him from being a more productive player. Arguably too small for a full-time role in the NFL, Roach will settle for a rotational role where he can maximize his 4.84 speed and pedal to the metal playing style.