The NFL revealed its 2021 Pro Bowl ballot (the numbering convention still doesn’t really make sense, does it?), and there are plenty of familiar names for New Orleans Saints to vote for. Pro Bowl veterans like Drew Brees (13 Pro Bowl nods), Cameron Jordan (5 appearances), Alvin Kamara (3 trips in 3 years in the NFL) each made the list of nominees alongside their teammates, including special teams aces Wil Lutz, Deonte Harris, and J.T. Gray, each of whom were selected for last year’s all-star event. 11 different Saints players were voted into the 2020 game, second-most in the league (the Baltimore Ravens had 13).
But there were a couple of glaring snubs: defensive end Trey Hendrickson and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders top the list, as were nickel back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and fullback Michael Burton. It’s ridiculous that Hendrickson didn’t get a mention. He’s tied with Jason Pierre-Paul for the sixth-most sacks in the league (7.5) but technically hasn’t been a starter with Marcus Davenport back in the lineup. The same issue holds true on offense, where Sanders has taken a backseat to Tre’Quan Smith, apparently because Smith plays more frequently, though not as well.
Another problem is the antiquated roster setup that puts players with very different responsibilities in conflict with each other, like outside linebacker Demario Davis, who is competing for votes against pass rushers like Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree. The issue is compounded by the NFL treating it as if every team fields three linebackers on a majority of downs. If the system they’re using makes backup linebacker Kaden Elliss (5 snaps played) eligible for the Pro Bowl and not Gardner-Johnson (503 snaps played), well, it clearly has some bugs to work out.
Now that our gripes are out of the way: here’s which Saints players you can actually vote for to be recognized at this year’s Pro Bowl, listed in order of appearance on the ballot: