Tag: Demario Davis

Demario Davis has made his retirement plans, but he isn’t leaving just yet

Demario Davis has made his retirement plans. He knows exactly how many more seasons he wants to play in the NFL, hopefully with the Saints:

How much longer will Demario Davis play for the New Orleans Saints? He gave a definitive answer to Matt Moscona for After Further Review: “My goal is to do three more years and then I’m out of here.”

Davis is in an interesting place in both his career and his positioning with the team. The Saints are more than likely going into a youth movement. Davis remains one of the best players on the Saints’ defense. If there were a veteran to predict would be safe, it’s him. There’s still the unpredictability factor of a new coach wanting to clean house.

For the first time in five years, Davis didn’t make an Associated Press All-Pro team. For all of the criticism that he has received this year, Davis still received an All-Pro vote. He still played at a high level, but he didn’t perform to the standard he set over his tenure with the Saints.

Because of that, you’ll often hear that he’s losing a step. He’s 36 years old and the oldest linebacker in the NFL, so his athleticism taking a dip is to be expected. He isn’t performing poorly, however. An athlete playing well but not at the standard they previously set is a difficult thing to grapple with.

Davis isn’t in the position where you are placing him in the “farewell tour” category, but you are preparing for life after him or getting an athletic linebacker to pair with him.

Davis plans on three more seasons and told Moscona, “I’m not planning on no drop-off going out of here.” That would place him near 40 years old and we’ve already seen a slight drop off in athleticism. We should also point out his contract expires after the 2025 season, so he’ll need another extension to bring this vision to fruition.

There seemed to be an uptick in physicality this year. Allowing Davis to not have to be as rangy by pairing him with an athletic partner could allow him to be equally as effective. It won’t be as flashy, but it could help Davis and the Saints defense in the long run.

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Saints LB Demario Davis named finalist for NFLPA 2025 Alan Page Award

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis has been named a finalist for the NFLPA’s 2025 Alan Page Community Award:

Demario Davis has been a force for the New Orleans Saints ever since he came to the team back in 2018. He’s racked up plenty of accolades for both, and could be adding another.

Davis was recently announced as a finalist for the NFLPA’s 2025 Alan Page Community Award per a press release shared by John Hendrix of Saints News Network.

The award is handed out to a player who ‘goes above and beyond’ to perform acts of community service. His fellow finalists are Camryn Bynum, Derrick Henry, Ryan Kelly and Darius Slayton. The winner receives a $10,000 donation from the NFLPA toward his foundation. For Davis, that would likely be his Devoted Dreamers non-profit foundation.

He would be the third Saints player to win the honor with Archie Manning receiving it in 1978 and Drew Brees more recently in 2012.

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Demario Davis sees his All-Pro streak snapped at age 35

Demario Davis had made the All-Pro team every year since turning 30. But that streak was broken after five stellar seasons:

Demario Davis has been an ageless wonder for the New Orleans Saints, but nothing lasts forever.

For the first time since 2018, Demario Davis has failed to be named a first- or second-team All-Pro. Outside of J.T. Gray, who made second-team All-Pro, Davis and rookie punter Matthew Hayball were the only Saints to get any All-Pro votes. Two voters put Davis on their first team.

Davis came to the New Orleans Saints from the New York Jets at 29 years old, with no Pro Bowl or All-Pro teams under his belt. When the calendar hit on his 30th birthday, Davis shifted gears into a different mode.

His birthday is in January, and Davis had his season-high in tackles and lone interception of the 2018 season in the playoffs after turning 30 years old.

The following season Davis made first-team All-Pro. It took a little bit longer for the Pro Bowls to start rolling in. From that 2019 season until this year, Davis made five consecutive All-Pro teams. He was a second-team member from 2020-2023.

Davis may have had 136 tackles, a career-high, but he didn’t seem like himself. If you reflect back to last offseason, one of the biggest reasons Davis was being called one of the best linebackers in the NFL was his ability to get behind the line of scrimmage.

Davis recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons. That number dropped to two sacks. Take out his three-game rookie season, Davis’ two quarterback hits are the lowest of his career. Davis only racked up five tackles for loss. He hasn’t dropped under 10 any other season in New Orleans.

Davis blitzed 38 times this year, compared to 39 times in 2023 and 26 times in 2022. The production simply has been different and likely contributed to the snapping of his five-year All-Pro streak.

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NFL special teams tackles leader reps Saints on the All-Pro team

J.T. Gray may not have made the Pro Bowl, but he earned a spot on the AP All-Pro team as one of the best special teams aces in the NFL:


New Orleans Saints captains J.T. Gray and Demario Davis have become overly familiar with inconsistent recognition at the national level. Gray was snubbed from the Pro Bowl, but he was announced as a member of this year’s Associated Press All-Pro team. Gray earned a place on the All-Pro second team.

The same thing happened to Davis his first three years in New Orleans. The linebacker was a first-team All Pro in 2019 and second-team All Pro in 2020 and 2021. In none of these seasons did he make the Pro Bowl.

For Gray, this is the second time he’s made All-Pro without making it to the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl is often looked at as a popularity contest, and special teams aces aren’t the most popular players outside of their fanbase. Gray has done really well for himself as a former undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State.

This is Gray’s third appearance on an All-Pro team, and his first one since being first-team All Pro back in 2021. In addition to leading the league in special teams tackles, 22 total with 10 solo, Gray added a blocked punt to his resume and downed a couple of punts deep in enemy territory. He’s a force in the kicking game.

And that nearly won Gray a spot on the All-Pro first team; it was a close call between him and the New England Patriots’ Brenden Schooler. Schooler had one more first-team vote and just five more cumulative points. That slim margin was the difference between Gray and Schooler claiming the title of the best special teams ace in the league.

Davis received six points from two All-Pro votes by the Associated Press, while rookie punter Matthew Hayball also received two votes.

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Saints’ projected salary cap space after Ryan Ramczyk news

Ryan Ramczyk agreed to cut his 2025 salary this week, which sets him up for retirement. But how does it set up the Saints and the salary cap?

Ryan Ramczyk agreed to cut his 2025 salary this week, which sets him up for retirement. But how does it set up the New Orleans Saints and the salary cap? Let’s break it down.

To start, Ramczyk agreed to waive his $18 million base salary for the 2025 season in exchange for the veteran’s minimum at $1,255,000. Because he’s being forced into a medical retirement, he isn’t getting that money either way, but doing it like this gives the Saints immediate savings of about $16.7 million.

That left Ramczyk with a $12.3 million cap hit, and it puts the Saints at roughly $326 million in cap commitments for 2025. The NFL hasn’t yet announced where the cap will be this offseason but most experts agree it will fall at about $270 million. That means the Saints are probably in the hole by $56 million, or somewhere close to it.

This was just the first of several expected moves they’ll make this offseason. Restructures are coming for young, productive players — guys like Erik McCoy (saving up to $6.7 million), Cesar Ruiz ($5.2 million), and Carl Granderson ($5.2 million). Tougher decisions are ahead for older veterans like Cameron Jordan, Taysom Hill, Demario Davis and Tyrann Mathieu, all of whom have salary cap hits between $20 million and $10 million.

And the elephant in the room is Derek Carr. He has the biggest cap hit on the team at $51.4 million, and he’s made it clear he won’t accept a pay cut. The Saints could restructure his deal and save $30 million but that effectively locks him in as their starting quarterback for 2025 and 2026. Don’t bet on him waiving his no-trade clause to join a new team, either. It’ll cost as much to cut him as to keep him, at least until June 2, but that would mean finding a way to get under the cap and work through free agency and the NFL draft with a $51.4 million albatross around the neck. That just isn’t realistic.

The decisions Mickey Loomis has made have put the Saints in a bind. Overpaying Carr like this and restructuring aging players so many times has taken a toll, and now the Saints have to pay it.

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Tom Brady reveals which Saints defender he would’ve loved to play with, not against

Tom Brady says he would’ve loved to play with, not against, Demario Davis. The Saints linebacker continues to impress:

Tom Brady is one of the most heralded quarterbacks in history with a reputation of being able to go against the best off them.

But if you can’t beat them, you had better join them. And the New Orleans Saints defender he would have loved to have played with, not against, is Demario Davis. Brady had his chances to spar against him as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he was on the call for FOX Sports during Sunday’s season finale at Raymond James Stadium.

“Would’ve loved to have played with Demario Davis,” Brady said on the game’s broadcast, reacting to a big tackle by Davis in the first quarter. “It’s a toughness thing, your teammates know you’re always reliable.”

His record against Davis when the signal-caller was with the Buccaneers was 3-4. The Saints have had some solid luck against the Tampa Bay in general just looking throughout history, leading the overall series with a 40-26-0 all-time record.

The Saints are not the only team Davis has played for, though, and the Bucs are obviously not the only team that Brady played for as one of the best New England Patriots ever. Brady went 6-2 against Davis and the Jets over that time period, having better luck against him then. It’s clear to see he gave Brady some headaches, though on both squads.

Davis played a single season with the Cleveland Browns in which Brady got the edge in the lone matchup they faced each other in. So, all-time, Brady went 9-7 against Davis — with most of those losses coming once they both arrived in the NFC South.

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Advanced stats highlight one of the Saints’ biggest defensive faults

Tackling has been one of the biggest issues for the Saints run defense. These advanced stats showcase another reason for the struggles.

The New Orleans Saints struggling run defense has been a constant topic of conversation. There was a point where it appeared to improve. Over the last two weeks, however, the issues have darted back to the forefront.

You can point towards total yardage to hammer the point home, but advanced statistics get to the true root of the issue.

The Saints are one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to getting to rushers in the backfield. They have the second lowest contact rate behind the line of scrimmage, just 35.3%.

Demario Davis has more total tackles, but he’ll likely fail to get 10 tackles for loss for the first time since 2014. That stat is a great indication of New Orleans’ failures against the run, but it starts with the front line.

The lack of push from the defensive line allows opposing runners to average 1.5 yards before contact. That’s the third-most in the league. Compound that with tackling struggles, and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Teams are succeeding prior to the contact point and after contact has been initiated. These are two separate issues that can hamper a run defense individually. The Saints have both, and that’s the opposite of a recipe for success.

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Saints already connected to another Chiefs LB in 2025 free agency

The New Orleans Saints have already been connected to another Chiefs linebacker in 2025 free agency. Maybe Nick Bolton could be a worthy successor to Demario Davis:

The New Orleans Saints sit at 5-11 and don’t have a great draft pick to show for it. Their best chance for improvement next year will be by making some moves in free agency.

Bleacher Report recently released a 2025 overview, which included a potential free agent for the Saints to consider this offseason. That player was linebacker Nick Bolton, of the Kansas City Chiefs. Here is what they had to say about Willie Gay Jr.’s former teammate:

“Demario Davis turns 36 years old this summer and will be entering the last year of his contract. According to Over The Cap, New Orleans can get out of his contract and save $4 million of cap space with a post-June 1 cut, so Davis might be on his way out and the defense could afford to add a young linebacker.”

Bolton would certainly be an interesting player to watch in the New Orleans defense, especially if Demario Davis is on his way out. But you have to think he’d choose to retire rather than be released like this.

The 24-year-old already has 458 tackles with 32 going for a loss. He also has five sacks, showing he can get to the quarterback if he needs to. The Saints like to blitz their quarterbacks and he could fit the scheme if they go with a familiar face at head coach.

His run stopping skills are a little bit better than his aptitude in coverage, but he does have four career interceptions and eight passes broken up. Maybe he could help cover the tight ends that have plagued New Orleans’ secondary.

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Demario Davis shares uplifting message amid Saints’ late-season losing streak

Demario Davis shared an uplifting message to fans and his fellow players after the Saints’ late-season loss to the Raiders:

When the New Orleans Saints lost Drew Brees, they had another leader waiting in the wings. That would be linebacker Demario Davis.

Davis has seen almost everything there is to see in this league and uses his knowledge both on the field and off of it.

As the Saints go through the roughest patch since before Brees, he took to the media after the home loss to the Las Vegas to share what is going through his head.

“When things aren’t going the way that you want the, you cannot panic. You have to know that something greater is going to come,” Davis said. “We will get back to what we all desire to be. We have the right decision makers to do that. If you just look at the team, we draft well, we do great and free agency. And if you look across the game, that is what sustained teams over the long haul.”

If there is someone that know about coming out of the other side of adversity on top, it is Davis. He is from a small town in Mississippi and didn’t play under many spotlights at Arkansas State.

He was a third-round selection in the 2012 NFL draft. The two teams that he played with before coming to New Orleans were the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets. Those are two of the most seemingly cursed franchises in the league.

Of course, the Saints have had almost nothing but heart break since winning the Super Bowl as well.

No matter, Davis has played 13 seasons in the NFL and is one of the best linebackers in recent memory. He is especially one of the best leaders and players in Saints franchise history.

The 35-year-old could be seeing his career come to an end soon, but his mark on both the city and the team is clear.

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Demario Davis entered the top 25 solo tackle leaders in NFL history

Saints captain Demario Davis moved into the top 25 for all-time tackles, surpassing Paul Posluszny’s total of 882, with his 8th tackle in Week 17:

The New Orleans Saints have had a few record-breaking moments in recent years, both at the NFL all-time level and the franchise level. This continued in Week 17, as linebacker Demario Davis surpassed Paul Posluszny on the list of all-time solo tackle leaders. Posluszny set a career total of 882 total tackles in his 11-year career, and with Davis’ 8th tackle in Week 17, he surpassed this mark, entering the game with 875.

The next five up on the list within reach of Davis are as follows:

24. LB Mike Peterson – 896 tackles

23. DB Eric Weddle – 903 tackles

22. DB Brian Dawkins – 911 tackles

21. DB Rodney Harrison – 920 tackles

20. DB Antoine Winfield Sr. – 935 tackles

Demario Davis has been one of the greatest free agent signings in Saints history, and has provided the team with veteran leadership and elite level play for many years now. He will go down as one of the best Saints defenders alongside the likes of his current teammate Cameron Jordan. For now though, he still has plenty of gas in the tank, and will continue to climb the ladder of the best tacklers ever to play the game.

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