Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The 2021 NFL draft is just ten days away, so it’s a great time to look back on the last ten years of Saints draft picks, starting with 2011.
The 2021 NFL draft is just ten days away, so it’s a great time to look back on the last ten years of Saints draft picks. Between setting realistic expectations of what the Saints could do on draft day and illustrating how far we’ve come, it’s a good exercise to look back with a critical eye.
The New Orleans Saints are 3-3 on Nov. 1, All Saints Day. Here is a look back at every game on the anniversary of the franchise’s founding.
The New Orleans Saints have seen Drew Brees, Cameron Jordan, and Thomas Morstead represent them in more games than nearly any other players
[sendtonews_embed video_id=”DItsQEePy1-1002761-7498″]
Who has played the most games wearing a New Orleans Saints jersey?
Drew Brees, of course. The Hall of Fame-bound quarterback has taken the field 221 times in black and gold, and counting. He’s both the all-time leader and actively extending his lead, having passed legendary pass rusher Rickey Jackson (195) to claim that team record. You can find the full list at Pro Football Reference, sorted by games played (descending).
But they aren’t alone at the top. Saints punter Thomas Morstead is steadily climbing higher week by week, with 179 games behind him. Four more and he’ll tie the great Jim Wilks for the fifth-most games played for New Orleans. If he sees the 2020 season to its conclusion, Morstead will finish the year with 190 games played — trailing only Brees and Jackson, having passed up Wilks (183), Stan Brock (186), and Frank Warren (189).
Cameron Jordan is another name to watch. The defensive end is on his way to joining Brees and Morstead near the top, though he’s currently tied 1980’s cornerback Dave Waymer at 149 games. Jordan quietly surpassed the always-underrated Marques Colston (146) earlier this year. If he plays in every game this year, he’ll overtake Waymer, Jim Dombrowski (151), and Zach Strief (158).
Jordan is making headway in another category, too: all-time sacks. Jackson owns that record (115) but Jordan is gaining on him with 88.5 sacks so far. With teammates Trey Hendrickson and Marcus Davenport demanding attention opposite him, Jordan’s production should continue to tick up after he bagged just 1.5 sacks in his first five games.
But those three players are on an island. Brees, Morstead, and Jordan are the only active members of the team to play more than 112 games (the equivalent of seven full seasons) in New Orleans, though tight end Josh Hill is close. He’s their only teammate with 100-plus Saints games to his credit, having tied kicker John Carney and running back Dalton Hilliard with 108 games so far. Former Saints running back Mark Ingram appeared in 106 games before signing with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency last year.
You have to dig deep to find the next-most active players. Left tackle Terron Armstead has played 80 games for the Saints (passing up Jimmy Graham’s 78 games). Defensive backs Patrick Robinson (78) and Malcolm Jenkins (77) are close despite having spent years away from the team. Kicker Wil Lutz and guard Andrus Peat have both played 69 games.
Linebacker Craig Robertson (67) and wide receiver Michael Thomas (64) are the only active Saints to appear in 60-plus games, while Sheldon Rankins (56), Ryan Ramczyk (52), P.J. Williams and Marcus Williams (51 each), and Alvin Kamara (50) can each join them by finishing out this season. None of their teammates have played 50 or more games in black and gold.
It says a lot about the makeup of this team. There aren’t many long-timers around outside the trio of Brees, Morstead, and Jordan, and Brees and Morstead are probably on their way out the door in the next year or two. That would leave Jordan as the elder statesmen of the team, with veterans like Hill, Armstead, and Jenkins around to show the youngsters the ropes.
And it falls on keystone players such as Kamara, Thomas, and Ramczyk to keep the offense going once Brees isn’t under center anymore. They’ll be critical pieces to the engine that keeps things moving for years to come. And maybe someday they’ll start to climb high in these all-time rankings themselves.
[vertical-gallery id=39038]
The New Orleans Saints lost a legend to the novel coronavirus, when former kicker Tom Dempsey died of complications from the infection.
[jwplayer EgKuk940-ThvAeFxT]
The novel coronavirus has claimed another member of the New Orleans Saints family. News broke late Saturday night that legendary former Saints kicker Tom Dempsey passed away due to health complications suffered after he contracted the infection, dying in hospice at 73. He was diagnosed with the coronavirus in late March, as were many other residents of the Lambeth House assisted living facility he resided in.
Dempsey only played a few years with the Saints early in the team’s history, but just about every Saints fan knows someone who claims to have been in the old Tulane Stadium in 1970 when Dempsey hit a walk-off, 63-yard field goal to defeat the Detroit Lions. That kick became an NFL record that lasted 43 years, until it was outdone by a single yard in the thin air at Denver’s Mile High Stadium. And that victory over the Lions was just the second and final game the Saints would win that year.
What’s fascinated so many fans is Dempsey’s story. He entered the NFL as an undrafted kicker and defensive lineman, leaving scouts unimpressed at workouts when he weighed in at 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds. Medicals didn’t help his case — Dempsey played football despite a birth defect that left him without toes on his right foot or fingers on his right hand. Despite his deformities, he put in the work and rose to the occasion when Saints fans desperately needed a hero.
And New Orleans treated him like a hero. Dempsey became the toast of the town, but things sort of got out of hand, and poor performance eventually sent him on a tour of the NFL.
“Instead of lifting weights, I was lifting too many forks and spoons and knives,” Dempsey later told the Associated Press. He went on to play for four different teams during a nine-year career, working odd jobs after his NFL days were over, but he and his family never left the New Orleans area. At one point he worked at a car dealership owned by one Tom Benson; years later, Benson purchased the Saints.
It’s such a shame that the coronavirus is threatening America’s most vulnerable, and hitting so close to home for so many Saints fans. Hopefully this public health crisis will pass sooner rather than later.
Tom Dempsey, the historic New Orleans Saints placekicker, died tonight after a battle with the novel coronavirus. He was 73.
On the kicker who overcame astronomical odds to set what was once thought to be a virtually unbeatable record | https://t.co/ZdYgHqINak
— Ramon Antonio Vargas (@RVargasAdvocate) April 5, 2020
[lawrence-related id=14685]
The New Orleans Saints family has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus, with legendary kicker Tom Dempsey recently testing positive.
[jwplayer JhaqJD6F-ThvAeFxT]
The novel coronavirus has spread rapidly throughout the nation, hitting vulnerable populations like the elderly harder than most. That group includes big figures in New Orleans Saints lore such as the legendary Tom Dempsey, whose NFL-record 63-yard field goal at the old Tulane Stadium stood for 43 years. On Monday, the Times-Picayune’s Ramon Antonio Vargas reported that Dempsey tested positive for the coronavirus.
Dempsey, 73, has been a resident of the New Orleans-based Lambeth House Retirement Community, one of many nursing homes battling coronavirus infections. Because he is battling both Alzheimer’s and dementia, his family and the Tulane University Medical Center (which tested him for the coronavirus) agreed that he should continue to stay at Lambeth House.
Vargas added that Dempsey’s family reports he has so far dealt with just mild symptoms of the coronavirus, and that he has responded well to initial treatment. Still, it’s a very serious situation, which the families of other former Saints players can speak to.
Bobby Hebert Jr. lost his father, Bobby Hebert Sr., after testing positive for the coronavirus. Hebert Jr. played for both the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons during his 11-year NFL career and currently works as an analyst for WWL Radio in New Orleans.
Saints coach Sean Payton said last week that he was clear of infection after previously testing positive himself, though he’s remaining careful to stay at home during this public health crisis. With greater availability of testing raising the total number of cases daily, it feels like it’s only a matter of time until more members of the Saints family are affected by the coronavirus.
[vertical-gallery id=30751]
The New Orleans Saints have signed some big-time veterans in unrestricted free agency, with Drew Brees clearly on top. But who’s behind him?
Which free agent additions rank highest in the Sean Payton era? The New Orleans Saints have signed many contributors off the open market, but their misses (Jairus Byrd, Brandon Browner, Jason David) haven’t convinced them to change an always-aggressive approach. Seriously, the list of veterans added since 2006 is long — just off the cuff, the names that come to mind include Keenan Lewis, Curtis Lofton, Nick Fairley, Ben Grubbs, Delvin Breaux, Brodrick Bunkley, David Hawthorne, Craig Robertson, and Scott Fujtia.
While Jonathan Vilma is one of the greatest Saints in the recent era, it’s important to remember that he was acquired in a trade with the New York Jets, not as a veteran free agent.
But which five players would you pick out as the greatest free agent signings in recent Saints history — since 2006, when Payton took the job and ushered in a new era of football in New Orleans? We gave it our best shot in the ranking you’ll find below.
Where were you when Sproles played his first game with the Saints, in the 2011 season-opener? He inspired a furious comeback effort with a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown, and didn’t let off the gas during his 48-game stint for New Orleans. While he stuck around for just three years before getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles (where he went on to play six seasons before joining their front office), Sproles was an electric jolt to the Saints offense as both a receiver (averaging 45 receiving yards per game) and as a runner (logging 5.7 yards per carry), despite his smaller stature.
Greer has a case to make as the best non-Marshon Lattimore cornerback to play for the Saints since 2006. If not for his ugly, unfortunate 2013 knee injury (which ended his career with just 66 games played for New Orleans, including the playoffs), Greer would be remembered even better as someone the Saints recruited in free agency before their 2009 title run. But the stats speak for themselves: Greer’s 68 regular season pass deflections rank second-best in Saints history.
While he did take a step back in 2019, there’s not much to complain about with the overall steadiness of Warford’s play since he joined the Saints. He’s a solid pass protector (who, like many guards, should not be tasked with single-blocking Aaron Donald) and a great run blocker, who almost single-handedly enabled a few touchdown runs in the 2018 playoffs by pushing Carolina Panthers defensive tackles out of the back of the end zone. Warford has made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in each of his first three yars in New Orleans; let’s see if he can make it four-for-four.
Davis deserves serious props for stepping up his game since landing in New Orleans. The Saints signed him expecting a productive linebacker and a good locker room presence; instead, he’s beaten those expectations by becoming the best three-down linebacker in the NFL, a vocal leader of the team, and a tireless advocate for justice off the field. If not for Brees himself, Davis would be the easy choice for top free agent signing in recent Saints history. Now can they please work out a contract extension to ensure he retires in black and gold?
Brees has done it all. He won the first Super Bowl victory in Saints history. He elevated the team’s national brand from a Cleveland Browns-esque laughing stock to an annual title contender. He’s broken just about record out there, surpassing other NFL greats like Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee and maybe the best free agent signing of any team in the history of this league, much less New Orleans.
[lawrence-related id=14685]
The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is set to begin, where New Orleans Saints stars like Alvin Kamara and Demario Davis have impressed in the past
[jwplayer rXjlHeyd-ThvAeFxT]
Athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine will kick off tonight, so we took a deep dive into the current New Orleans Saints roster to find how they performed in years past. For this exercise we will only use data from combine history, but will give a few honorable mentions to those players who only participated in pro day workouts.
We collected all of our data from Pro Football Reference and NFL.com. The events we’re focusing on include the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump and the three-cone drill.
Here’s a quick refresher; thankfully, the 40-yard dash is self-explanatory. For bench pressing, each athlete must see how many times they can lift 225 pounds. The vertical jump tests their highest leap, while the broad jump measures how far they can leap horizontally, both from a standing position. Finally, the three-cone drill test agility and quickness in a short area.
Honorable mentions: Keith Kirkwood (4.45) and Deonte Harris (4.48), who would ranked inside the top five with the results from their pro days. Because testing conditions are not standardized at pro day workouts throughout the country, we’re only considering combine results for the top spots.
Honorable mentions: Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and right guard Larry Warford, who each recorded 28 bench press reps at the combine.
Honorable mentions: Cornerback Marshon Lattimore (38.5) and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith (37.5). Tight end Josh Hill also recorded a 36.5-inch vertical jump at his pro day.
Honorable mention: Tight end Josh Hill and wide receiver Keith Kirkwood, who each leaped 127 inches at their pro days and would have ranked inside the top five among active Saints players.
Honorable mention: Linebacker Kaden Ellis, who timed this drill in just 6.63 seconds during his pro day, which would have ranked best among every Saints player on the current roster. Wide receiver Deonte Harris (6.82) also would have ranked inside the top five based on his pro day results.
[vertical-gallery id=28191]
The New Orleans Saints’ win in Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts was ranked the 17th best title game in NFL history by USA Today.
[jwplayer mlJB5bgV-ThvAeFxT]
The New Orleans Saints were recognized for their victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV by that game being ranked the 17th-best title game in NFL history by USA Today. It remains the most memorable game in Saints history, thanks to huge plays ranging form Pierre Thomas’s crafty running on a screen pass touchdown, to Thomas Morstead’s “Ambush” onside kick, to Lance Moore’s just-in two-point conversion and Tracy Porter’s famous interception returned for a touchdown. The writeup from USA Today’s Nate Davis summed it up well:
The Saints ended decades of futility courtesy of MVP Drew Brees’ pinpoint passing, coach Sean Payton’s surprise onside kick to start the second half and CB Tracy Porter’s game-sealing pick six of Peyton Manning.
This win in Super Bowl XLIV brought the first NFL championship to New Orleans in franchise history, providing the high point in the greatest era of Saints football. It ended a decades-long championship drought for the city and ushered fans into a new time where competing for another title has been the expectation, not the long-shot hope.
It’s not something the NFC South-rival Atlanta Falcons can boast. That team still hasn’t won a Super Bowl, and their loss in Super Bowl LI ended up earning the top spot in the USA Today rankings. We’d be remiss to forget how that game saw the Falcons surrender a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter in the most epic collapse in the championship game’s history. You love to see it.
[vertical-gallery id=27422]
The 2010 New Orleans Saints’ All-Decade Team is headlined by Cameron Jordan, Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Demario Davis, and Jabari Greer.
[jwplayer U3xTcIR1-ThvAeFxT]
Let’s get this out of the way early: the New Orleans Saints defense has been the team’s weaker unit over the last decade. They turned in some of the worst defensive performances in NFL history during the 2012, 2014, and 2015 seasons, forcing Drew Brees and the Saints offense to put the world on their shoulders. It led to a series of disappointing 7-9 seasons.
But it wasn’t all bad, and the Saints defense has arguably outplayed the offense during the last few years. Cameron Jordan is one of the best players in team history, and seems to only be improving with age. Other recent additions like Demario Davis and Marshon Lattimore are lso deserving of praise. So we’ve considered everything from on-field production to leadership value and longevity of careers in putting this list together.
Here is the defense of the Saints’ All-Decade Team:
First team: David Onyemata, Sheldon Rankins
Onyemata has turned into a very reliable starter for the Saints, appearing in 63 games from 2016 to 2019 while bagging 9.5 sacks and 26 quarterback hits (sixth-most among all Saints defenders of the 2010’s), and 11 tackles for loss. However, Rankins has been the real star along the interior line, despite his limited appearances (51 games from 2016 to 2019, due to several injuries). Rankins racked up 16 sacks and 35 quarterback hits (fourth-most in the 2010’s). Rankins recorded 22 tackles for loss, fifth-most of this era.
Second team: Tyeler Davison, Brodrick Bunkley
Davison may have not put up gaudy box score numbers during his four-year stint with the Saints, but he rarely missed a start. He logged 61 game appearances from 2015 to 2018 and was rock-solid in run defense. Before he came to the scene, though, Bunkley set a high bar for nose tackle play in New Orleans from 2012 to 2014 (playing 38 games). The defenses Bunkley played on were vulnerable against the pass, but he did his part to hold up against the run.
First team: Cameron Jordan, Will Smith
Jordan is one of the greatest Saints players of all time, and he’s still in his prime. He’s only missed one game from 2011 to 2019, appearing in 144 matchups, while leading New Orleans in sacks (87) and hits (168), and tackles for loss (113). He’s also bagged 10 forced fumbles and deflected 47 passes at the line of scrimmage. That said, Smith deserves to be remembered well for what he accomplished with the Saints. Smith spent the bulk of his career playing in the 2000’s, but the three years he turned in during the 2010’s are noteworthy. He ranks third in sacks (18) and hits (39) among all Saints players in this era.
Second team: Junior Galette, Alex Okafor
Galette would rank higher if he hadn’t lost his mind and gotten arrested following a series of violent off-field incidents, cutting his Saints career short and devastating the locker room on his way out. His problematic behavior aside, Galette does deserve some props for ranking second-best in sacks (31.5), hits (62), and tackles for loss (34) in the 2010’s. Okafor only played two years with the Saints, but he was a reliable presence opposite Jordan who did a lot to elevate the defense in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
First team: Demario Davis, Jonathan Vilma
Davis has an argument to make with Brees as the greatest free agent signing in team history. The ex-Jets and -Browns linebacker has revolutionized the position after years of sub-par play, giving fans something to cheer about in run defense, pass coverage, and designed blitzes to get after the quarterback. On top of that, he’s a vocal leader off the field who shows everyone in the locker room how to be a pro. Another ex-Jets linebacker, Vilma was iconic in the Saints’ Super Bowl run, but he continued to play well from 2010 to 2012, and hung up his cleats after creating many great memories for Saints fans.
Second team: Craig Robertson, David Hawthorne
Robertson deserves some real props for sticking around for so long and wearing so many different hats for the Saints — he’s logged 62 game appearances from 2016 to 2019, playing outside linebacker and rising to the rank of captain on special teams. His presence gives the Saints depth to rival any team in the league. Additionally, Hawthorne was the best linebacker on some rough units from 2012 to 2015, appearing in 50 games and turning in several memorable splash plays.
First team: Marshon Lattimore, Jabari Greer
When he’s been at his best, Lattimore has played at a level just a handful of cornerbacks can rival around the league. And he’s so young that it’s realistic to expect him to grow and develop into a real force as his career continues. His 8 interceptions and 44 pass breakups are rank third-best in this era, but he’s also shown a knack for creating fumbles (5) and recovering them (4). Back in the early 2010’s, however, Greer was one of the most-productive defenders on the team with 7 interceptions (fifth-most) and set the high-water mark for everyone with 55 pass deflections from 2010 to 2013.
Second team: Patrick Robinson, Keenan Lewis
It took some time for Robinson to carve out a role for himself with the Saints, and it required a three-year sojourn around the league with stops in different teams for him to develop into a solid slot defender. But he’s always had ball skills, as seen in his 9 interceptions and 48 pass breakups. Robinson is a depth player these days, but he’s put up plenty of hides on the wall for the Saints to point to. Lewis was also a nice player for the Saints from 2013 to 2015, when he appeared in 38 games and gave Saints fans a home-town hero to root for. We’d be remiss to not mention Delvin Breaux, another New Orleans legend who played well for the Saints before injuries cut his NFL career short.
First team: Marcus Williams, Roman Harper
Some fans won’t want to hear this, but Williams intercepted more passes (10) than any other Saints player from 2010 to 2019, and he’s only played 46 games from 2017 to 2019. His tackling may be suspect at times but Williams is gifted with rare ball skills. Contrast that with Harper, who seldom got his hands on the ball, but provided solid tackling and great leadership in his 9-year Saints career (we’re all going to pretend his stint with the Carolina Panthers didn’t happen).
Second team: Kenny Vaccaro, Vonn Bell
Vaccaro didn’t turn into the long-term answer at safety the Saints envisioned, but he was still an effective player. He created plenty of splash plays in his 68 appearances from 2013 to 2017, collecting 8 interceptions, 30 pass deflections, 4 forced fumbles (with 3 recoveries), 7.5 sacks, 19 hits, and 23 tackles for loss (with 283 solo tackles in his career). It’s a shame things didn’t work out, but we’ll always have his game-winning pass breakup in his first career start against the Atlanta Falcons. Bell has similarly taken a long time to find his footing, having intercepted his first pass in his fourth year with the team, but his other stats speak for themselves. In 61 games, Bell has made 240 solo tackles and forced 7 fumbles and recovered 7 more.
[vertical-gallery id=26010]
The 2010 New Orleans Saints’ All-Decade Team is headlined by Drew Brees, Mark Ingram, Marques Colston, Michael Thomas, and Terron Armstead.
[jwplayer U3xTcIR1-ThvAeFxT]
The New Orleans Saints saw a period of mostly sustained success throughout the last decade, with a few hiccups along the way during four seasons of 7-9 futility. However, the offense always maintained its dominance, as it ranked top-10 in total offense in nine of the last ten years. Even during those 7-9 seasons, New Orleans boasted an elite offense, and the efforts of Drew Brees and company were all that kept those teams competitive.
With so many key playmakers to choose from throughout the last decade, it was difficult to decide who would make the cut. Let us know what you think we got right, and what you would change.
Now, here is the offensive-side of the Saints All-Decade Team for the 2010s:
First team: Drew Brees
Easiest choice in the entire All-Decade team. Brees has averaged 4,677 yards passing per season this decade. Four of his five record-setting 5,000-plus yards passing seasons came in this decade, with two of them occurring during a 7-9 season, proving he had to shoulder the work.
On top of his otherworldly passing yards, Brees has been a record-breaking machine in the 2010s. During that time, Brees has 29 NFL records including all-time leader in career passing yards, all-time leader in career passing touchdowns and all-time leader in percentage completion. Now, he is looking to add one more achievement to the decade list: another Super Bowl win in Miami.
Second team: Teddy Bridgewater
Other options for the second team could have included Chase Daniel, Taysom Hill, or Luke McCown. None of these options stepped in and helped save a season from sure disaster after Brees went down in Week 2 of the 2019 NFL season like Bridgewater did. Plus, could Bridgewater be the 2020s All-Decade first team quarterback in ten years? Stay tuned.
First team: Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara
A Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama, Ingram was selected by New Orleans in the 2011 draft. For eight seasons the running back roamed the New Orleans back field, with the 2014-18 seasons being his most productive. After Pierre Thomas’ departure from the team after the 2014 season, Ingram’s role increased dramatically. He soon posted back-to-back seasons of 1000-plus rushing yards in 2016 and 2017.
Not only was Ingram’s production a reason why he landed on this list, but also his leadership in the locker room with the younger players. Despite his veteran status, he was able to form a phenomenal relationship and friendship with current Saints running back Alvin Kamara during his rookie and sophomore campaigns. That leadership Ingram helped provide turned Kamara into one of the most feared backs in the league.
Kamara in his three seasons with the Saints has already eclipsed Thomas’ decade total with 2,408 yards of rushing, and has added another 2,068 yards of receiving. Kamara’s arrival also coincided with the resurgence of New Orleans as an annual Super Bowl contender. No coincidence there.
Second team: Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles
The second team came down to two running backs: Pierre Thomas. In the five seasons Thomas spent in New Orleans during this decade, his best season saw him rush for 562 yards in the 2011 season, and had 2,075 yards of total rushing in this decade. Couple his rushing production and his prolific role in the passing game, Thomas was just edged out by Kamara for first team honors.
First Team: Michael Thomas, Marques Colston
Since arriving in New Orleans by way of a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Thomas has set the league on fire. In all four seasons, he has recorded over 1000 receiving yards, and in three of them has had over 100 receptions. In 2019, Thomas led the league in receiving yards with 1725 yards, and set the record for most receptions in a single NFL season with 149.
The Saints offense has run through Thomas in the last four seasons like no other player in recent history. His production is possibly the best explanation for why New Orleans is in the position they are in this year despite losing Brees in Week 2.
The Quiet Storm was easily the best Saints receiver in the 2000s, and his production during the 2010s still warrants him a place on this list. Colston’s best production came when Brees had to throw the ball for 5,000 yards every single season in order to make up for the lack of a defense during the 7-9 seasons. The one advantage Colston does have over Thomas in this list is his touchdown production. However, it was not enough to claim the top spot.
Second team: Brandin Cooks, Lance Moore
Cooks is quite possibly the fastest wide receiver to ever play in the Black and Gold. The wideout played for New Orleans from 2014-2016, and during his last two seasons, he put up some solid numbers. Over three seasons, Cooks averaged over 953 yards per season, and nearly seven touchdowns.
First team: Jimmy Graham
Graham helped revolutionize the tight end position when he arrived in New Orleans in 2010. For five years Graham was one of the most potent weapons in league, with his best being the 2011 season which ended in a heart breaker in San Francisco during the NFC Divisional Round. That year alone the tight end compiled 1310 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. His five-year stint with the Saints ended when he was shipped to the Seattle Seahawks for center Max Unger and a first-round pick.
Second team: Benjamin Watson
Tight end has been a revolving door for the Saints throughout much of the last decade. Only two names stand out that could possibly make the second team, Watson and Josh Hill. Watson wins out because in 63 games played, Watson has over 1,587 yards and 12 touchdowns. Couple those stats with his veteran leadership, and helping to reshape the locker room has helped put New Orleans back on track after some rough seasons.
First Team: Terron Armstead, Zach Strief
Armstead has steadily been one of the best offensive linemen in Saints franchise history. Since 2013, Armstead has locked down the starting left tackle job, and was voted to a Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2019 as well as a second team All-Pro in 2018. His only downfall has been his career-long issues with injuries.
Despite never making a Pro Bowl or being named All-Pro, Strief was one the best right tackles in the NFL. While Ryan Ramczyk may soon overtake Strief as the best right tackle to ever wear the Black and Gold, the All-Decade honor deservedly belongs to Strief.
Second Team: Ryan Ramczyk, Jermon Bushrod
Ramczyk only made the second team solely due to the fact he is in his third season. In 2019, Ramczyk held the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler, Nick Bosa and Shaquil Barrett in check. If he continues his current pace, he can easily surpass anyone on this list as one of the best Saints offensive linemen of all time.
First Team: Jahri Evans, Larry Warford
Evans was drafted in 2006 in the fourth round, and surprisingly became the immediate starter that following season. As one of the best draft picks in franchise history, Evans stacked up six Pro Bowl nods, four first-team All-Pro selections (2009-2012) and second-team All-Pro in 2013. Other than the quarterback position, this was this easiest selection for the All-Decade team.
Warford joined the Saints via free agency in 2017, and instantly solidified the right guard position. A Pro Bowler in 2017 and 2018, Warford has helped propel New Orleans’ offensive line to one of the strongest and most talented in the league.
Second Team: Carl Nicks, Andrus Peat
Nicks has a case over Warford in the first team, but Warford barely edged him out in part due to superior, sustained play. Nicks was a part of the 2009 Super Bowl run, and made the Pro Bowl in 2010 and 2011. But he left the Saints in 2013 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and retired early in 2014. His contributions to New Orleans in the early part of this decade cannot be dismissed, and earned him a spot on this list.
First Team: Max Unger, Brian De La Puente
Unger came to New Orleans by way of the blockbuster trade that sent Jimmy Graham to Seattle. In hindsight, this is one of the best trades New Orleans has pulled off in recent memory as Graham went on to Seattle and his decline began rapidly soon after. Unger however, would go one to become one of the best centers to ever play with Brees, and was rewarded with a Pro Bowl selection in 2018, the first of his career.
There is a huge drop off between Unger and De La Puente, but he held down the fort between the time Olin Kreutz surprisingly retired in 2011 until Unger arrived in 2015. De La Puente was there during the time Brees and the offense were shattering records, and the offensive line was potent, so that says something.
Second Team: Erik McCoy
McCoy was selected by New Orleans with their first pick in the 2019 NFL draft which came in the second round. As a rookie, he instantly took over the position from Unger, and is in the conversation for Rookie of the Year honors. His poise, maturity and skill will help him land on this list again in 2020.
[vertical-gallery id=26010]
