Tag: Jabari Greer

Super Bowl XLIV champ Jabari Greer inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame

Super Bowl XLIV champion cornerback Jabari Greer was inducted into the New Orleans Saints team Hall of Fame on Sunday:

The New Orleans Saints honored former cornerback and Super Bowl XLIV champion Jabari Greer by inducting him into the New Orleans Saints’ team Hall of Fame during the game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 14.

Greer spent 2009-2013 in New Orleans after being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2004 out of Tennessee. During his career he racked up 413 tackles, 13 interceptions, four touchdowns, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Greer played a key role in the playoffs during the Super Bowl run that the Saints made, eventually beating the Indianapolis Colts. He racked up four pass breakups during the playoff run, including two in the Super Bowl.

He’s the 11th player from that team that has been inducted into the Hall of Fame

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Super Bowl XLIV-winning CB Jabari Greer chosen for Saints Hall of Fame

Super Bowl XLIV-winning cornerback Jabari Greer to be inducted in the New Orleans Saints’ Hall of Fame:

Congratulations are in order for Jabari Greer, who will be inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame this year, the team announced. A well-traveled Milwaukee native, Greer played college football at Tennessee and started his pro career as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills, but rose to prominence with New Orleans after signing a lucrative free agent contract in 2009.

Greer made an immediate impact in the Saints’ secondary in 2009, returning from a midseason injury to play a critical role in their Super Bowl XLIV playoff run. A knee injury in 2013 forced him into an early retirement, but Greer hung up his cleats ranked third in passes defensed (tracked since 1999) in the Saints’ record books. He tied for the 20th-most interceptions (9) despite having played in just 63 games over four years.

“I am in awe and in gratitude and utmost humility of what God has done in my life,” Greer said during a Thursday press conference celebrating the occasion. “I came to the best place on earth to play football. To be on the center stage in front of 90,000 people when ‘Stand Up and Get Crunk’ comes on is something that is so special. This became home.”

Additionally, the Saints named videographers Steve Paretti and Bob Parkinson as the recipients of this year’s Joe Gemelli “Fleur de Lis” award, recognizing “their vast contributions to the organization.” Here’s a round of congratulations to all involved.

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Best New Orleans Saints undrafted free agent signings since 2006

We’re recapping the best New Orleans Saints undrafted free agent signings since 2006, from Pierre Thomas to Rashid Shaheed and everyone in-between:

The New Orleans Saints have a proud history of finding diamonds in the rough during undrafted free agency, signing rookies who weren’t fortunate to be picked during the selection event. It’s something that they’ve always valued with Mickey Loomis as general manager, but which really took off as a point of emphasis once Sean Payton took over as head coach. With the next wave of undrafted rookies looking to make their mark, it’s a great time to look back on the players who came before them.

We’re only counting players who signed with the Saints as rookie free agents — so guys like Delvin Breaux (who played in Canada) and Lance Moore (who started out in NFL Europe) were not included, even if they’re similar success stories who did not hear their names called from the stage on draft day. That’s also the case for former undrafted free agents like Chase Daniel and Brian De La Puente who landed in New Orleans after getting their pro starts elsewhere around the league.

Two Saints fan-favorites made the cut for PFF’s All-Undrafted Team since 2006

A pair of Saints fan-favorites were recognized on the All-Undrafted Team since 2006 from Pro Football Focus: Pierre Thomas and Jabari Greer.

So much focus is given to the players picked in the annual NFL draft (we just recapped all 101 of the New Orleans Saints’ picks since 2006) but there’s a lot to be said for the undrafted rookies who make the most of their very limited opportunities. Some of the best players in NFL history started out as undrafted free agents, and that extends to the Saints.

Two of their own were listed on the All-UDFA offense and defense teams by Pro Football Focus. Fan-favorite former Saints running back Pierre Thomas was ranked as the best player at his position out of former undrafted rookies, with a career player grade of 92.1. Thomas started an exclusive club of players with 5,000 career yards as both runners and receivers in his time with the Saints, always seeming to get the most out of his rushing attempts while refining the screen play into an art form. Not bad for someone who wasn’t drafted after a solid run at Illinois.

Greer, with a career grade of 90.2, was listed as a flex defender. That’s kind of a stretch, seeing as he played 4,882 of his 5,425 career snaps from 2006 to 2013 out wide at cornerback rather than in the slot or at safety, but we’ll take it. He was an underrated player in New Orleans and deserves his flowers. He always tackled well, played clean coverage, and competed hard on passes thrown his way. It’s a shame that his career was cut short by an ugly knee injury in 2013, but he made a lot of great memories with the Saints as a key player on their 2009 Super Bowl-winning team. He’s done well for himself after the Buffalo Bills took a chance on him coming out of Tennessee.

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Ranking the best free agent signings in recent Saints history, behind Drew Brees

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.

5. Darren Sproles

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.

4. Jabari Greer

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.

3. Larry Warford

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.

2. Demario Davis

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?

1. Drew Brees

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.

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New Orleans Saints 2010s All-Decade Team: Defense

The 2010 New Orleans Saints’ All-Decade Team is headlined by Cameron Jordan, Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Demario Davis, and Jabari Greer.

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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:

Defensive tackles

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.

Defensive ends

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.

Linebacker

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.

Cornerback

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.

Safety

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.

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Former Saints CB Jabari Greer shares his thoughts on always-evolving offense

Jabari Greer practiced against the New Orleans Saints offense every day for almost four years, and he’s noticed changes in today’s team.

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Jabari Greer was one of the unsung heroes of the 2009 New Orleans Saints squad, which won Super Bowl XLIV and brought the city its first Lombardi Trophy. The veteran cornerback started several years for New Orleans and consistently manned up against the best receivers in the league.

His playing career ended with a torn ACL, but Greer has found success in covering NFL games in Canada for TSN and contributing to the SEC Network as a college football analyst, a role he’s enjoyed as a proud Tennessee Volunteers alum.

When prompted by a fan to discuss the changes in the 2019 Saints offense against the unit Greer played alongside from 2009 to 2013, Greer acknowledged the differences seen today while praising Saints coach Sean Payton and his staff for creatively working with the personnel they have, and not trying to put players in positions they aren’t suited for.

“Great question! I believe the Saints have adjusted their offense based on the personnel they have available, and not draft based on the system that is in place,” Greer wrote from his official Twitter account. “That is good coaching! Humbly asking ‘Who do we have, and how can we make ‘em shine.'”

A great illustration of Greer’s point would be Taysom Hill. Nominally a quarterback, the Saints have developed Hill’s positional versatility to a point where he’s scoring multiple touchdowns (both on the ground and through the air) while making an impact on special teams with blocked punts, all in the same game.

Obviously it would be great if the Saints had the personnel to where Payton doesn’t have to scheme up so much smoke and so many mirrors. If they had, for example, another wide receiver to make plays opposite Michael Thomas then things would be going much more smoothly — but their best options, Ted Ginn Jr. and Tre’Quan Smith, have caught just 38% of their targets since the bye week.

The Saints will have opportunities to improve that position group in the offseason. But for now, it’s like Greer said — good coaching and creative adjustments to personnel are helping the Saints win the day, week in and week out.

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