Tag: Demario Davis

Tom Brady catches up with Alvin Kamara, Demario Davis before Saints-49ers

Former Patriots QB Tom Brady made the rounds before Sunday’s Saints-49ers preseason game, where he caught up with old rivals like Alvin Kamara and Demario Davis:

Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made the rounds before Sunday’s New Orleans Saints preseason game, where he caught up with old rivals like Alvin Kamara and Demario Davis. Brady is trying his hand in broadcasting with FOX Sports this season so this was San Francisco 49ers matchup was a good rehearsal opportunity, though he won’t make his TV debut until Week 1 in September.

Brady spent 20 years with the Patriots, where he competed often against Davis when the All-Pro linebacker was a member of the New York Jets. Brady also spent a couple seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he lost four games to Davis, Kamara, and their Saints teammates. New Orleans was the only division rival to sweep Brady in a two-game season series in his long NFL career, and they did it twice.

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Demario Davis was ready to retire before coming to the Saints

Demario Davis was ready to retire after a frustrating season with the Browns. But he’s made the most of an opportunity to rewrite his career with the Saints:

When will Demario Davis choose to retire? It’s a fair question. He’s one of the oldest defenders in the NFL and one of the most-experienced pros regardless of position. The New Orleans Saints linebacker’s 180 career starts  are tenth-most among active players. Some day, sooner or later, he’s going to step away from the game.

And when Colin Cowherd asked him when that might be, Davis reflected on his career to this point. He acknowledged that retirement was something he’s considered before, back when he was a member of a struggling Cleveland Browns team. He’d been worn down by four years of wear and tear with the New York Jets before signing with the Browns, who went 1-15. He’d asked himself if continuing on was worth it.

“I mean I go back to 2017, I was in Cleveland, like I was ready to retire,”  Davis recounted. “And I said to God, I said ‘My body is broken down, my mind is broken down. I can’t do it anymore. But if you want me to go forward I’ll keep going.'”

Davis credits his Christian faith for giving him the resilience to keep going — the Browns traded him back to the Jets that summer and he signed with the Saints as a free agent the next year. The rest is history. He made the Associated Press All-Pro first team in 2019 and has been recognized on the second team every season since. He’s the oldest linebacker in the NFL and still playing at a high level as he invests in a six-figure support staff to help him prepare to fight Father Time.

And his perspective on retirement is the same. Davis says it won’t the team’s performance or gut instinct that determines when he should hang up his cleats: “I think it’s all about identity and knowing who you are. I’ve been so blessed by this game, I’ve played a lot longer than I ever thought I would. I’ve had a chance to experience so much. And to be able to be where I am, and to have set my family up for far longer after I leave this place. You know, why am I still playing? It’s because God is not done with what he’s doing with me in the game yet. I’ll play as long as he tells me to keep going.”

The Saints have already laid the groundwork for continuing on without Davis when he chooses to call it a career. Pete Werner signed a three-year extension this summer that ties to the team through 2027, ensuring some consistency at linebacker once Davis is ready to rest. But for now he’s working hard to lead the team himself. Davis has acknowledged before that the Saints have not met their standards or fans’ expectations in recent years. He can’t control everything, but he’s endeavoring to perfect as much as he can, so he can help as many people as he can and make a positive impact on his teammates. Leaving a legacy he can be proud of doesn’t stop at the football field.

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Watch: Tyrann Mathieu delivers Saints pregame speech vs. Cardinals

New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu took over pregame speech duty in lieu of Demario Davis this week — against his old Cardinals team:

The New Orleans Saints’ tradition of legendary pregame speeches continues. For many years we saw some absolutely amazing motivational speeches from Drew Brees before games, and there is no doubt that this had a significant impact on games. When he ended up retiring, we saw another Saints legend Demario Davis take over, who has also been absolutely phenomenal at doing so.

With Demario Davis’ injury, he will not be playing in Saturday’s preseason Week 1 game. In lieu of this injury, Louisiana icon Tyrann Mathieu took over the duty for this week as the pregame speech master. He did a great job at doing so as well, continuing the streak of pretty impressive teamwork building through speeches.

Mathieu will be going up against his former team, the Arizona Cardinals this week, after being drafted by them back in 2013 and playing there for five seasons. After being picked in Round 3, he would go on to have one Pro Bowl and one All-Pro first team appearance with the Cardinals before moving on to the Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs, and now his hometown Saints.

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Saints to play starters in their preseason debut vs. Cardinals

The Saints are changing their strategy from last preseason. They plan on playing their starters for a couple of series against the Cardinals:

When the New Orleans Saints make their preseason debut with the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, expect to see all of the starters play, likely for a couple of series. This is the plan as reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.

Plans do vary dependent on length of drives. A double digit drive clearly results in more plays than a three and out. It will be weighed as such. One long drive may be enough for Saints coaches. Last year, the Saints starters played one series all preseason. Derek Carr should be happy with the increase in snaps.

We were curious if the Saints would change their approach after less than satisfactory results last season. The answer is yes. Even if they don’t play after this game, New Orleans’ starters will see more reps than a year ago.

Demario Davis, Rashid Shaheed, Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo and Pete Werner are among the list of players who likely won’t suit up due to injury. But we’ll watch pregame warmups carefully to get an idea for who else may be sidelined.

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Madden NFL 25 ranks Saints’ Demario Davis the third-best linebacker in football

Madden NFL 25’s initial launch ratings rank New Orleans Saints star Demario Davis as the third-best linebacker in football:

Every year, EA Sports releases a brand-new update for their Madden NFL video game franchise. As the game gets closer to being released, the development team shares the overall ratings of players in the game.

On Friday, they dropped their top ten linebackers, and Saints fans found a familiar face on the list. The 35-year-old ranked as the third-best linebacker in the game.

Davis comes in with a 92 overall rating at launch, two higher than the previous year. He absolutely deserves it with the year he is coming off of. The Arkansas State product had one of his best seasons, tallying 121 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks.

His 92 overall rating will likely be the highest overall player for New Orleans. He joins teammates Tyran Mathieu and Cameron Jordan as top-10 overall players at their respective positions. The game’s worldwide release is set for Aug. 16, with premium preorders opening early access up on Aug. 13.

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Chris Olave returns to Saints practice, but Demario Davis leaves

Chris Olave returned to New Orleans Saints practice on Wednesday after a hard fall, but Demario Davis left early with what Dennis Allen says is a hamstring injury:

Let’s start with the good news. Chris Olave returned to practice at New Orleans Saints training camp on Wednesday, having exited the previous day’s session after a scary fall. And he was in good enough spirits to scrap with his teammate Paulson Adebo when drills got too chippy. It’s safe to say the Saints’ leading receiver isn’t missing a beat.

Now the bad news. Star linebacker Demario Davis left Wednesday’s practice session early with what head coach Dennis Allen said afterwards was a hamstring injury. Soft tissue injuries like these are common early in camp, and the intensity has picked up with players running at full speed in pads, so  it’s not too surprising.

But it also goes to show that we may be taking Davis for granted. He’s the oldest linebacker in the NFL — not just among starters, but the entire position group. He’s been remarkably consistent since coming to New Orleans but he won’t be here forever. We’ll monitor his progress in recovery, but this is a big opportunity for Pete Werner and Willie Gay Jr. (both of whom are free agents in 2025) to show why they could be the future of the position for the Saints.

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Cameron Jordan narrowly misses the NFL Top 100 list

Cameron Jordan narrowly missed NFL Network’s list of the Top 100 Players of 2024, but it’s more surprising to see Tyrann Mathieu snubbed:

For the first time since 2017, New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has missed out on the NFL Top 100 Players list, which has become a summer tradition since 2016. That was also the last time Jordan missed the Pro Bowl until 2023. It’s no coincidence the rankings and the years align.

Jordan had the worst year of his career since his rookie season. He hasn’t hit sack numbers, tackles for a loss, or total tackles this low since he entered the league in 2011. He did deal with an ankle injury, so this coming season will go a long way in deciding what may be the trajectory of Jordan’s career.

Despite these struggles, Jordan narrowly missed the Top 100 list. NFL Films released essentially an honorable mention list of the 10 players who make up 101-110. Jordan made that list.

Demario Davis will likely be the only Saints player on the list. There isn’t anyone on offense who was a viable candidate. Jordan and Tyrann Mathieu were the most likely players to make it next to Davis.

It’s surprising to see Mathieu snubbed like this, assuming he doesn’t make the top 30. He is still playing at a high level and truly settled in as a leader for the Saints. Outside of the intangibles, Mathieu has amassed seven interceptions over the last two seasons. He also returned one of his four picks for a touchdown in 2024. If he isn’t on the list, it’s even more surprising to see him not be an honorable mention.

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Pete Werner responding well to competition with Willie Gay Jr.

Dennis Allen says Pete Werner has ‘responded exactly how I would’ve expected him to respond’ to a training camp battle with Willie Gay Jr.

Not everyone responds the same to being challenged. Some people shrink and shy away from it while others attack it head on. Pete Werner has taken the latter approach in his battle with Willie Gay Jr. during the offseason.

Werner has started next to Demario Davis for the last two years with the New Orleans Saints. Then, New Orleans brought Gay in from the Kansas City Chiefs for extra competition. From the outside looking in, Werner hasn’t had his confidence shaken through this process.

According to Saints head coach Dennis Allen, Werner has “responded exactly how I would’ve expected him to respond.” Allen specifically pointed out Werner’s quick reaction to a screen pass in the first couple days of training camp practice as an example of what he does best.

Werner’s actions date back to minicamp and organized team activities, which Allen described as tremendous for the returning linebacker.

The Saints still like Gay’s skillset, of course, but the pickup was not a two-week notice for Werner. It may have felt that way with how Gay’s arrival has controlled the conversation, but this is a true competition. Allen continued: “He’s taken to the challenge and I think he’s done a good job to this point.”

Gay was a standout on Day 1 and Werner has received praise from Allen. Gay versus Werner was one of our battles to watch entering camp, and it seems as if that will remain the case throughout the summer.

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Demario Davis lands in the top half of NFL Top 100 list

New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl linebacker Demario Davis has been named to the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024, landing in the top half of the list:

The New Orleans Saints have seen multiple former players on the NFL Top 100 list this week, including defensive end Trey Hendrickson (No. 77) and offensive tackle Terron Armstead (No. 67). Today, one of their own was added to the list, in legendary linebacker Demario Davis, who comes in at No.44 on the list.

This sets Davis ahead of players such as Ja’Marr Chase (No. 45), Aidan Hutchinson (No. 47) and Rashan Gary (No. 50). The next three up on the list from Demario are Kyle Hamilton at No. 43, Matthew Stafford at No. 42, and Lane Johnson at No. 41.

Davis has been one of the best signings the Saints have made in franchise history, pretty firmly No. 2 on that list behind Drew Brees. In six seasons with the Saints, he has accrued 98 games played (all of which he started) and put up the following statistics during that span of time:

  • 2 interceptions and pass deflections
  • 29 sacks, 61 QB hits, 81 pressures, and 67 tackles for a loss
  • 432 solo tackles, 243 assisted, 675 total

On top of that, he has accrued an All-Pro first team selection, four All-Pro second team selections, and two pro bowl selections. Even further, he has been one of the most vocal leaders of the New Orleans Saints during his time here, and has been one of the most prominent figures in team history. He is extended through the 2025 season as well, so he has at minimum two more seasons to add to these totals, and further cement himself into Saints history.

Davis is most definitely deserving of this recognition, and hopefully will continue to be a force of nature for years to come with New Orleans.

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Demario Davis doubles down on his belief in Derek Carr and Dennis Allen

The last few years haven’t gone in the Saints’ favor, but Demario Davis believes the team has the leadership they need to get where they want to go:

Demario Davis understands the results haven’t been there over the last few years. The New Orleans Saints haven’t made the playoffs since 2020, but Davis expressed his strong belief in his team’s leaders. He shared a strong endorsement of Dennis Allen and Derek Carr in the process.

Speaking like a true leader, Davis said that “We have all the right pieces and it’s up to us to execute.” There have been some changes, but Davis believes in the people in the room to turn the Saints’ fortunes around. He boiled it down to execution because he thinks the Saints have the right “pieces, coaches, offense, quarterback and defense” to get better results than what fans have seen.

What sticks out the most here is coach and quarterback. Allen and Carr are the two most criticized members of this team. It isn’t fully unwarranted, either. In his own way, this is Davis telling the fan base to trust the process.

Davis later doubled down on his belief in Allen by saying “He’s the right man for the job” and that his “belief and confidence is through the roof for Allen.” As a defensive player, he cultivated a deep relationship with Allen prior to the latter becoming head coach. This relationship goes back for nearly a decade and is likely the biggest reason for the confidence. We’ll just have to wait and see whether that confidence is truly warranted.

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