Top 10 New Orleans Saints from 1965 on

Image Courtesy of Bing

The on field history of the New Orleans Saints started in 1967.   As with most professional expansion teams, success took a while in coming.  While the Saints have had some colorful characters in their past, it’s only more recently they’ve had more success on the field.  That’s reflected in this list.  And here we go.

 10. Marques Colston:  It seems like the Saints have had a gaggle of good receivers, but none who are head and shoulders above the others.  Marques Colston put together an excellent 10 year career in New Orleans but somehow managed to avoid being selected to a Pro Bowl team.  During his career, Marques caught 711 passes for 9759 yards and 72 TDs.  Colston had six seasons of 70 or more catches.  His best season was 2007 when he caught 98 passes for 1202 yards and 11 TDs.  Marques quietly put together an outstanding career.

9. Jimmy Graham:  Graham spent five seasons with the Saints as a TE/WR and showed a real aptitude as a red zone threat.  In 2013 Jimmy led the NFL in TD receptions with 16.  Graham was named to the Pro Bowl and All Pro team that season.  In all, Graham was named to three Pro Bowls with the Saints.  From 2012-14 Graham’s reception totals were 85-86-85.  Jimmy made his presence felt in his time with the Saints.

8. Sam Mills:  Sam Mills isn’t a guy that would impress you getting off the team bus.  Mills stood 5’9’ and weighed 229 pounds.  More importantly, Mills would impress you if you watched him on the field.  Sam spent nine seasons with the Saints and was named to four Pro Bowls.  Mills recorded 10.5 sacks, forced 16 fumbles and recovered 17 during his saints career.  He also picked up four interceptions.  Most impressively he was credited with 934 tackles.  Sam was just an inside linebacker who could really play the game.  Mills was named to the Pro Football Reference All 1990s second team.

7. Joe Horn: Joe Horn’s career with the Saints is somewhat similar to that of Marques Colston, only with a few more bells and whistles.  Joe was named to four Pro Bowls in his seven year stint with the Saints.  Joe had five seasons with 78 or more catches with the Saints.  In all, Horn caught 523 passes for 7622 yards and 50 TDs.  Joe had four seasons of more than 1200 yards in receiving.

6. Pat Swilling:  Swilling was an excellent outside linebacker with a knack for getting to the QB.  In 1991, Pat led the NFL in sacks with 17.  For his seven seasons in New Orleans, Swilling accumulated 76.5 sacks.  He also forced 24 fumbles and recovered seven.  In addition, he intercepted three passes.  Pat was named to the Pro Bowl four times and was named All Pro twice.  He was also named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1991.  Swilling’s impressive seven year run gets him to the number six slot on this list. 

5. Archie Manning:  If you go by Manning’s stats, he shouldn’t be on this list.  Of course it’s hard to roll up big numbers when you’re running for your life or flat on your back.  In 11 seasons in New Orleans, Archie’s passer rating was 67.4 and he was named to the Pro Bowl twice.  Actually, I‘d rank him second among the three Mannings who played QB in the NFL, behind Peyton and ahead of Eli.  Manning’s career is one of those cases of wondering what could have been.  For most of his career, Archie was hard pressed to make the Saints semi-respectable.  Manning led the NFL in being sacked his first two seasons in the league.  The fact he continued on to have an excellent career after that speaks well for his toughness.

4. Rickey Jackson:  And here’s another outstanding Saints linebacker.  Jackson was another line backer who could pressure a QB.  Rickey rolled up 115 sacks in his 11 seasons in New Orleans.  He also had a knack for forcing fumbles, forcing 38 in his time with the Saints.  Rickey recovered 27, leading the NFL in that category with seven in 1990.  He also managed to pick off seven passes as a Saint.  All that was good enough to be named to the Pro Bowl six times.  He was also named to the Pro Football Reference All 1980 first team.

3. Willie Roaf:  Willie spent nine years, in New Orleans, primarily as the Saints left offensive tackle.  He was really good at his job, being selected for the Pro Bowl seven times and All Pro twice.  While Roaf wasn’t selected to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season in 1993, he was selected to the NFL All Rookie Team.  Roaf is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame All 1990s first team, as well as The Pro Football Hall of Fame All 2000’s first team, though a lot of that was based on his work with the Kansas City Chiefs.  Willie was one of the best, if not the best offensive linemen in Saints history.

2. Jahri Evans:  If Roaf isn’t the best offensive lineman in Saints history, maybe this guy is.  Evans played right guard for the Saints from 2006-16.  Evans was selected to the Pro Bowl from 2009-14 and All Pro from 2009-12.  That’s a really impressive run.  In 2008 the Saints allowed only 13 sacks, the lowest in franchise history.  Evans was a part of that offensive line. 

1. Drew Brees:  No surprise here.  I’ve expected Brees to be in decline for the last few seasons.  Brees has shown me up each time. Brees’ numbers for his 13 seasons in New Orleans are staggering.  His passer rating as a Saint is 100.6.  He’s been named to 11 Pro Bowls and All Pro once.  Most importantly, he led the Saints to their only Super Bowl win.  Drew has led the NFL in passing yards seven times and TYD passes four times.  Drew Brees is clearly the most important player in Saints history.