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The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its NFL All-Decade Team, and three players familiar to New Orleans Saints fans made the cut. Right guard Jahri Evans and defensive end Cameron Jordan were joined by “flex” running back/punt returner Darren Sproles, who played 48 of his 195 career games (including the playoffs) in black and gold.
Evans and Jordan have spent nearly every NFL snap of their careers in New Orleans, with Jordan not missing a game since his rookie year in 2011. Originally drafted 24th overall out of California, Jordan has gone on to post historically-great numbers for the Saints. His 87 career sacks rank second-most in franchise history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Rickey Jackson (115). If he keeps up the pace, that’s a title Jordan could claim for himself in a few years.
As for Evans: his NFL career turned out to be greater than anyone could have imagined, given where it started. He joined the Saints in 2006 as that year’s 108th overall pick out of Bloomburg, a small school in Pennsylvania. Five appearances on the All-Pro list (four times on the first team), six Pro Bowl nods, and a Super Bowl victory later, he has to be seen as one of the greatest offensive linemen in team history. It’s awesome to see him earn this recognition.
But it’s disappointing to see Drew Brees passed over in favor of Aaron Rodgers, who has accomplished less with a significantly better supporting cast over the last decade. Rodgers has been fortunate to work with a rotating cast of Pro Bowl wide receivers including Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Greg Jennings throughout the 2010’s, while none of Brees’ wide receivers reached the all-star game until Michael Thomas did so in 2017.
And that’s before you get into the defensive help; Rodgers was able to lean on Pro Bowl talents like defensive linemen B.J. Raji, Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, Za’Darius Smith, and linebacker Clay Matthews (selected to five Pro Bowls), as well as defensive backs including Charles Woodson, Sam Shields, Nick Collins, Tramon Williams, and HaHa Clinton-Dix. Meanwhile, Brees was tearing his hair out while saddled with several of the worst defenses in NFL history.
So, sure, these selections are based off of individual performance. But you have to think Brees’ last ten years are perceived differently if he could have counted on his defense to hold a last-minute lead every now and then. Maybe the 2020’s will begin on a different note.
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