Top 10 Best New Orleans Saints Players of All Time

Who are the best Saints players of all time? The New Orleans Saints have been one of the better teams in the NFL for the last two decades. Part of that has to do with the Saints players who have made the franchise so great.

Of all the Saints who played in New Orleans, more than a few have left a mark in their career. Whether through the draft or free agency, the New Orleans Saints history is littered with All Pro and Hall of Fame players: Cameron Jordan, Drew Brees, Sam Mills, Jahri Evans, la’Roi Glover, Morten Andersen, Pat Swilling, Malcolm Jenkins, Archie Manning, Demario Davis, Marques Colston, Willie Roaf, and others.

Who are the 10 greatest players in New Orleans Saints history? Check the best New Orleans betting tips here.

Top 10 New Orleans Saints Players

#10 – Morten Andersen

Kickers aren’t exactly revered in NFL history. Yet without them, league history would look quite different. Big kicks have won Super Bowl titles more than a few times and Morten Andersen spent more than two decades as one of the best kickers in NFL history.

The first of many Hall of Fame members on the list, “The Great Dane” set the NFL record for points scored when he retired. He made several All Pro teams, even more Pro Bowls, and is even on the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Teams.

The fourth-round draft pick was a weapon in the Saints offense during even the toughest times. Though kickers might not get the love in league history that they deserve, there is little doubt that Saints history would look different without Andersen booting timely field goals through the uprights.

Stats and Honors: 82.5 career sacks, 13 career fumble recoveries, 1x All Pro, 1x Pro Bowl

Happy birthday to the Great Dane, Morten Andersen! ⚜️#Saints | @Invisalign pic.twitter.com/uLdCJawYTD

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 19, 2023

#9 – Wayne Martin, DE

A member of the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame, Martin made an impact almost immediately. Though there are others on the list that made a bigger impact in the NFL as a whole, it can’t be understated how good Martin was.

In 171 career games with the Saints, the former first-round pick in the NFL Draft racked up 82.5 sacks over his 12-year career. By the time he retired in 1999, Martin had a Pro Bowl nod, an All Pro nod, and even received votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992.

The Saints are more known for their litany of linebackers but strong defensive players like Martin have left a mark on Saints history as well. There are games that Wayne completely disrupted and changed the course of.

Happy birthday to legend Wayne Martin! 🎊⚜️@Invisalign | #Saints pic.twitter.com/6zP24KWiin

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 26, 2020

#8 – Eric Martin, WR

A seventh-round draft pick, Martin played 153 games with two teams over 10 years in the NFL. Though he may not have been among the best receivers in the game, he was a staple during the down years of the 1980s.

From 1988 (his Pro Bowl year) through 1993, he racked up 800 yards or better, including three seasons of 1,000 yards or more. He was one of the most consistent threats during a time in Saints history when the offense wasn’t exactly high-flying.

Playing a premium position in the NFL certainly puts you in a more memorable position within the franchise. Martin made some great plays for the Saints and has one of the more unheralded careers in the history of the franchise.

Stats and Honors: 8,161 career receiving yards, 49 career receiving TDs, 1x Pro Bowl

Saints-Eagles Week 💪

We continue to look at the best plays in the series, including this 1-handed TD grab by Eric Martin! 👋

📺: Saints at Eagles this Sunday (Noon CT on FOX) pic.twitter.com/AOX5Siz43E

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 17, 2021

#7 – Pat Swilling, LB

There are few players in both NFL and Saints history more fearsome than Pat Swilling. A third-round draft pick, Swilling became one of the best linebackers in the game at the height of his career.

From 1989 through 1993, Swilling was as dominant a linebacker as there was in the game. He made the Pro Bowl five times, was an All Pro four times, and even won the 1991 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Though Swilling ended his career with the Oakland Raiders, he will be forever remembered for his time in New Orleans. He has left an indelible mark on Saints history and set the standard for what great linebackers of the early 1990s should be.

Stats and Honors: 5x Pro Bowl, 2x First-Team All Pro, 2x Second Team All Pro, 1991 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 107.5 career sacks

Pat Swilling is so unheralded when it comes to the all-time great pass rushers….

1991 NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 17 sacks….. pic.twitter.com/AnPrNUCW4p

— PolyesterPalace (@PolyesterPalace) January 17, 2023

#6 – Sam Mills, LB

Mills goes to show that you don’t need to be picked in the NFL Draft to make an impact in the league. At the height of his career, the Saints had two of the nastiest linebackers in the game between Swilling and Mills.

As accomplished as Swilling was, Mills arguably did more in his 131 games with the Saints. He is one of the most dominant players in Saints history, reaching the Pro Bowl five times, making the All Pro team three times, and earning Defensive Player of the Year consideration three times.

Mills finished out his career as a member of the Carolina Panthers, but everyone will remember his impact on Saints history. He is a member of both the Saints and Panthers Hall of Fame, showing just how great a player he was.

Stats and Honors: 3x NFL All Pro, 5x Pro Bowl, Saints and Panthers Hall of Fame, 1,265 career tackles, 23 fumble recoveries

BOTD Sam Mills#Saints pic.twitter.com/aaHXWBlv5w

— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) June 3, 2024

#5 – Marques Colston, WR

A seventh-round draft pick, Colston would emerge as one of Drew Bree’s best targets and one of the best receivers in the game. In 10 seasons with the Saints, Colston was the number one target in one of the league’s best offenses.

Colston was dynamic during his 10 years with the Saints. A member of the Saints Hall of Fame, he came at a time when the team relied on the offense rather than great defensive players like Rickey Jackson and made life easy on special teams players like Thomas Morstead.

Colston would finish his career with more than 700 receptions, 9,700 yards, and 70 touchdowns. Most importantly, he was a critical member of the most important team in Saints history: the Super Bowl XLIV champions.

Stats and Honors: Super Bowl champion, 711 career receptions, 9,759 career receiving yards, 72 receiving touchdowns.

Marques Colston, a NFL player on the National Football League, one of the best Saints players of all time.

#4 – Jahri Evans, OG

Though the former fourth-round draft pick finished his career with the Green Bay Packers in 2017, Evans is in the conversation for the greatest offensive lineman in New Orleans Saints history. Evans did everything a guard could possibly do in the NFL, even more impressive for a fourth-round draft pick.

As a rookie, Evans set his place in Saints history as a member of the Super Bowl XLIV champion team. Over the next decade, he would do it all. Evans made five All Pro teams, six Pro Bowls, and even the NFL 2010s All-Decade team.

Evans retired after the 2017 season with the Green Bay Packers but will be a member of the Saints for life. He’s so ingratiated with the franchise that he is now an offensive coaching assistant with the team. His impact with the Saints has likely only just begun.

Stats and Honors: Super Bowl XLIV champion, 6x Pro Bowl, 5x NFL All Pro, New Orleans Saints 50th Anniversary Team

With the @Saints, Jahri Evans played in four Pro Bowls and was a Super Bowl champion.

He's now a Semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. pic.twitter.com/gnQp5T8m7E

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) November 28, 2023

#3 – Willie Roaf, OT

When talking about the greatest offensive linemen in Saints history, the conversation begins and ends with Willie Roaf. Though players like Rickey Jackson and Drew Brees have arguably done more in their careers, Roaf left the game as one of the greatest offensive linemen ever.

The 8th overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, Roaf made an immediate impact. From 1994-96, he made the All Pro first team for the Saints. He would finish his illustrious career (nine years with the Saints, four with the Kansas City Chiefs) with a whopping nine All Pro selections and 11 Pro Bowls.

Though Roaf left the NFL just a few years before the Saints would ultimately capture a Super Bowl title, his mark on the history of the franchise is undeniable. The 6’5” Pine Bluff native left a bigger mark than his already massive frame. And for that, he’s one of the greatest players in New Orleans Saints history.

Willie Roaf, Retired National Football Leagues (NFL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) with the Kansas City Chiefs comes to show support for the military troops on Camp Basra in Basra, Iraq, Feb. 3, 2009. Willie Roaf made 11 Professional Bowls in 13 seasons and is sure to be a future NFL Hall of Famer.

#2 – Rickey Jackson, LB

When you think of Saints linebackers, Rickey Jackson is the first name that comes to mind. Long before Mills and Swilling dominated, Rickey Jackson was the standard-bearer for the Saints defense. He also managed to win a Super Bowl, albeit with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX.

Jackson began his career as a second-round draft pick in 1981 and stayed with the team for 13 years. During that time, he became a five-time All Pro, seven-time Pro Bowler, and cemented himself a consistent force among NFL linebackers.

Jackson made more than 1,100 tackles during his career but was a sack machine. His 136 total sacks set the standard and made him one of the most dangerous pass-rushing linebackers in the league. There were few like Jackson, both in NFL and Saints history.

Stats and Honors: 6x Pro Bowl, 5x All Pro, 136 career sacks, 1,180 career tackles, Super Bowl XXIX champion

@Saints 🙏 pic.twitter.com/J6Q5cTXfyH

— Rickey Jackson ⚜️ (@Rickey57Jackson) August 11, 2023

#1 – Drew Brees, QB

The unquestioned greatest player in team history. When you think of New Orleans Saints odds over the last two decades, you think of Brees. Now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Brees did everything for the Saints. The Saints reached and won their Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLIV) with him at the helm, the highest honor in Saints history.

Individually, Brees did everything you could in a career. A second-round pick in the NFL Draft, Brees signed with the Saints and never looked back. He finished his illustrious career with 80,000 yards (many of them with the Saints offense), 571 touchdowns, and more. The Saints ring is the most important thing and what will make his career legendary in New Orleans Saints history.

Brees is known for his accuracy, as evidenced by his NFL record for the highest completion percentage in a season. Though making it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is important, Brees and head coach Sean Payton will be forever remembered for bringing the first Saints ring to New Orleans.

Stats and Honors: Super Bowl XLIV Champion, 13x Pro Bowl, 5x All Pro, 7x NFL passing yards leader, Pro Football Hall of Fame member, 80,358 passing yards, 571 touchdowns.

Drew Brees at the 2013 Pro Bowl

Best Saints Players Of All Time: Honorable Mentions

Though only 10 players have played their way onto the list of the greatest players in Saints history, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t others who deserve to be mentioned.

Cameron Jordan is already a vital part of Saints history. A first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Jordan has been a critical part of the Saints defense. An All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler, Jordan has had a career like few others in Saints history.

Alvin Kamara, also a current member of the Saints, still has many games to play with the franchise. In his Saints career, Kamara has regularly been one of the best running backs in the league. As far as honorable mentions in Saints history, Kamara has as good a case as anyone who has ever played in New Orleans.

Key Takeaways

Though players like Thomas Morstead, Danny Abramowicz, and others may not have made the list, the impact of the players on New Orleans Saints history is undeniable. Frequent trips to the playoffs, electric teams that left the home crowd thrilled, and games that will be remembered forever.

These players left their mark on Saints history in one way or another. Players like Rickey Jackson, Marques Colston, and Willie Roaf are remembered in Saints history because of the impact they had on the team.

In the end, there will be more to leave an indelible mark on New Orleans Saints history. Which of those players make the Hall of Fame and NFL history in the process remains to be seen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What criteria were used to rank these players?

Ranking the greatest New Orleans Saints in history comes down to a few things. What kind of impact did they have on the team? How often did they help the team make the playoffs? What were their career stats like? Were they an All Pro, did they make the Pro Bowl, or did they help the team to a Super Bowl title? These factors contributed to the best players in New Orleans Saints history. Some players were first-round draft picks, others made impacts as a second-, third-, or even fourth-round draft pick.

Who is the greatest New Orleans Saints player of all time?

Drew Brees is the greatest to ever play for the New Orleans Saints. Brees won Super Bowl XLIV, the team’s only Super Bowl title, made the Pro Bowl 13 times, and has several regular season records (including the NFL record for highest completion percentage in a season with 74.4%). Brees played 15 highly successful seasons in New Orleans, routinely leading the team to the playoffs, and making them a contender throughout his career.

How have these players impacted the team’s success?

To be on the list of the greatest players in New Orleans Saints history, each player needs to have been not only arguably the best player on the team but has to have been among the best in the league. Stats are important but there are far better ways to make an impact on Saints history.

Are there any active players who might make this list in the future?

Of the current New Orleans Saints players, there are a couple of names that will likely be on the list of the greatest players in team history. Running back Alvin Kamara is a multi-time All Pro.

Cameron Jordan has been an anchor on the defensive line and may be more important than any other player on the roster. Marshon Lattimore has been one of the best corners in the league since and a critical part of the Saints defense since being drafted.

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