NFL Thursday has spent a few weeks in New York, and now it heads to the Bayou to examine the best players in the strange history of the New Orleans Saints. We say that because this team took 20 years to make its first postseason, 13 more seasons to win its first playoff game, and 9 additional campaigns to win its only NFL title. With 7 postseason spots in the 14 years since the Super Bowl win? The Saints be solid now.

No. 10: Wayne Martin, DL—86 AV (1989-1999)

A first-round pick who made 1 Pro Bowl in his career, Martin was a durable and flexible player who started at 3 different positions along the defensive line with the Saints. With 82.5 career sacks in the regular season, his best year came in 1992 (15.5). However, he posted 10 AV in 3 different seasons as well: 1991, 1992, and 1994—the last of which was the Pro Bowl season. But, he only got to participate in 2 postseason games for N.O.

No. 9: Sam Mills, LB—88 AV (1986-1994)

A leading member of the first playoff team in franchise history (1987), Mills was a stalwart on defense in New Orleans. He made 4 Pro Bowls with the team, while compiling 934 tackles in his 9 seasons as a Saint. That included 16 forced fumbles and 10.5 sacks over 133 regular-season games. The team was 0-4 in the playoffs with Mills, but that wasn’t his fault: without his reliable play at linebacker, no playoffs happen.

No. 8: Pat Swilling, LB—89 AV (1986-1992)

Along with Mills, he held down the defensive fort over the first run of organization success in Saints history. With 76.5 sacks in his 7 seasons with New Orleans, Swilling was frightening to all opposing quarterbacks. He also posted 24 FFs in that time frame, too, while making 4 straight Pro Bowls in his final 4 seasons with the Saints. But like Mills, he never got to taste a postseason victory with the franchise. Bummer.

No. 7: Marques Colston, WR—89 AV (2006-2015)

He never made a Pro Bowl in his 10 seasons with the team, but he averaged 71 catches, 976 yards, and 7 touchdown catches a year with the Saints. In 10 playoff games, Colston contributed 58 more receptions for 788 yards and 4 TDs, as he helped New Orleans to multiple postseason victories, including Super Bowl XLIV. He posted 6 seasons of 1,000-plus yards receiving and 2 more of 900-plus yards as well. Dynamo!

No. 6: Willie Roaf, T—90 AV (1993-2001)

The No. 8 overall pick in the draft made 7 consecutive Pro Bowls from 1994-2000, as the anchor of the offensive line that helped the Saints to their first-ever postseason win (2000). Three different years, Roaf posted at least 14 AV on his way to the Pro Bowl (1994, 1995, 2000). That one playoff experience was the only one he had in his time with the New Orleans franchise, but obviously it was quite memorable on the Bayou.

No. 5: Stan Brock, T—92 AV (1980-1992)

As the No. 12 pick in the draft, Brock suffered through a 1-15 rookie season before ultimately being a foundation piece of the first playoff team in organizational history. He never made a Pro Bowl, but Brock did appear in 4 postseasons with the Saints. His appearance this high on the list is due to quantity not quality, however, as he never reached double-digit AV in any regular season of his career in the NFL.

No. 4: Cameron Jordan, DE—137 AV (2011-present)

A first-round pick, Jordan has earned his spot in this clear Top 4 for the franchise: 8 Pro Bowls, 117.5 sacks, and 15 FFs over the years demonstrate this. He slowed down a bit this last season at age 34, but he has a lot of quality mileage on the odometer as he still posted 9 AV in 2023. Overall, his time on the team includes 11 playoffs games with 5.5 sacks and 8 TFLs. He’s posted double-digit AV 7 times in his life (2013, 2017-2022).

No. 3: Jahri Evans, G—138 AV (2006-2016)

He was key in protecting a Hall of Fame QB for years in New Orleans, making 6 consecutive Pro Bowls from 2009-2014. Evans also posted double-digit AV for 7 straight years (2008-2014)—and again in his final year with the Saints (2016). He peaked in 2011 with 20 AV, actually, which was tied for the best on the team with 2 other players (see one below). Evans was a member of multiple playoff squads, including the 2009 champs.

No. 2: Rickey Jackson, LB—144 AV (1981-1993)

A second rounder who paid off tremendously, Jackson earned 6 Pro Bowl nods while helping the defense establish the franchise as a whole in the late 1980s. With 123 sacks in the New Orleans uniform, he posted 38 FFs with the Saints. He had 2 different 4-season stretches of double-digit AV (1982-1986, 1990-1993) for the organization as well. His peak was 17 AV in 1992, and Jackson had 6 seasons in double-digit sacks, too. Wow.

No. 1: Drew Brees, QB—228 AV (2006-2020)

Strangely, his career is very underrated for irrational reasons, but Brees was a revelation for the Saints, making 12 Pro Bowls in his 15 years with the team. His 151-94 record as the New Orleans starter included 9 playoff victories, including that SB championship. We also named him our NFL MVP in 2009, as well. The stats are nuts, as he posted a 101.5 QB rating with the franchise—among numerous other records: godsend.