Two former Saints in the running for Defensive Player of the Year

Zack Baun is getting Luke Kuechly comparisons. Trey Hendrickson led the league in sacks. The Saints let two DPOY finalists walk out the door in free agency:

Zack Baun and Trey Hendrickson making first-team All Pro was a great reminder of the talent the New Orleans Saints let walk out of the building. As if that wasn’t enough, both men are also finalists for Defensive Player of the Year.

In a season, where there wasn’t a defensive player, or players, who clearly stood over the rest of the pack, this award seems up in the air.

Baun winning the award feels like a long shot due to his position. He was great in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles, but Luke Kuechly was the last linebacker to win this award over a decade ago.

Ironically, Baun’s 2024 is very similar to Kuechly’s DPOY season in 2013. Kuechly also endorsed Baun as the player he’d pick to win the award this year on the Rich Eisen Show.

Hendrickson registered 17.5 sacks for the second season. This year it was good enough to lead the NFL in sacks. He also registered 19 tackles for a loss. Hendrickson earned his first first-team All Pro, and his stats give him a good chance of being Defensive Player of the Year for the first time as well.

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Demario Davis nominated for 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

The New Orleans Saints nominated LB Demario Davis for the 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, recognizing him for his leadership.

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The NFL released its list of nominees from all 32 teams for the 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, with the New Orleans Saints nominating linebacker Demario Davis. Davis, a third-year team captain who earned All-Pro recognition in 2019 and signed a long-term contract extension the night before the Saints’ season-opener.

Nominees will wear unique helmet decals for the rest of the 2020 season and receive a $50,000 donation to a charity of their choice. The award’s winner, which will be announced during the annual NFL Honors event preceding this year’s Super Bowl, will also receive another $250,000 donation in their name.

This honor is awarded to players who have earned it through their exemplary leadership on and off the field, and Davis fits the bill: besides his achievements during games, he has been a champion for civil rights and criminal justice reform in New Orleans and his home state of Mississippi.

Davis’ teammate Drew Brees is one of a few active players to have won the award (doing so back in 2006); each of them is recognized with a gold jersey patch depicting the trophy. Other recent nominees from New Orleans include left tackle Terron Armstead, running back Mark Ingram, and defensive end Cameron Jordan.


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