NFC South First-Team Offensive Players
The NFC South's battle for the division crown begins September 13th between the Saints and Buccaneers. With an abundance of talent throughout the division, the South will be one of the league's most competitive. The Saints News Network examined the four NFC South teams' rosters to create the NFC South First-Team Offensive Players.
NFC South First-Team Offensive Players Preview
QUARTERBACK - DREW BREES, SAINTS
The NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards edges out the six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. In just 11 games last season, Brees finished T-5th in TD passes and completed over 74% of his passes. The Super Bowl XLIV MVP passed Peyton Manning in career passing TDs in 2019.
RUNNING BACK - CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, PANTHERS
Last season, McCaffrey became the third player in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season (Roger Craig, Marshall Faulk). The Panthers rewarded his efforts with a 4-year extension worth $64M. The former first-round pick will be leaned on heavily under a new offense scheme and QB.
RUNNING BACK - ALVIN KAMARA
Jan 5, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter of a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Kamara did not have the 2019 season most fans expected of him. He suffered a knee injury in the Jacksonville Jaguars contest in Week 6. Although injured, Kamara was still rather productive for New Orleans. He caught 81 receptions for a third-consecutive season and totaled 1,330 yards in rushing and receiving. Recent news of Kamara's unexcused absences from Saints Training Camp has emerged. Kamara is positioning himself for a contract battle with the Saints front office.
The Saints 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year looks great in training camp. Sean Payton's playbook features Kamara in creative and various formations. If New Orleans is without their star running back early in the season, it could derail the teams' plans to return to the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year. A healthy Alvin Kamara will make New Orleans very dangerous on offense. We expect he will return to form and challenge Christian McCaffrey for the top spot as the NFC South's best running back.
WIDE RECEIVER - MICHAEL THOMAS, SAINTS
2019 was a historic year for Michael Thomas, breaking the NFL’s single-season reception record (149 receptions). The Offensive Player of the Year has led the league in receptions and receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. The man nicknamed “Can’t Guard Mike” looks to continue his league dominance with a new running mate, Emmanuel Sanders.
WIDE RECEIVER - JULIO JONES, FALCONS
One of the NFL’s best receivers throughout his career, Julio Jones, joins Michael Thomas on the All NFC South First Team over Mike Evans. Despite only one season with double-digit TDs, Jones has complied over 1,300 receiving yards in each of the last six years. Jones, a model of consistency, will attempt to lead his team back to the playoffs in 2020.
TIGHT END - ROB GRONKOWSKI, BUCCANEERS
Out of football for a season, Gronk still cracks the division’s first team. A real menace when healthy, the Arizona product reunites with his old QB Tom Brady down in Tampa Bay. Paired with the best receivers he has ever played with, Gronk will find himself with favorable matchups throughout the season. Gronkowski's health and a year out of football will dictate if he finds himself on this list at the end of the season.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE - RYAN RAMCYZK, SAINTS
PFF’s top run blocker in 2019 has cemented himself as one of, if not the best, OT in the NFL. Along with his stellar run-blocking ability, Ramczyk did not allow a sack throughout the regular season. The Saints have built from the inside out and have themselves a top-notch tackle for 2020.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE - TERRON ARMSTEAD, SAINTS
The anchor for the Saints offensive line for the past half-decade, Armstead, is the other half of the best tackle pair in the NFL. Over the past five regular seasons, the Arkansas Pine-Bluff product has posted a PFF pass-blocking grade of 91.4. Armstead played through ankle injuries last season but is now healthy and again captain the Saints offensive line in 2020.
OFFENSIVE GUARD - ALI MARPET, BUCCANEERS
The former D-3 product has made a name for himself in the NFL. Marpet is one of the league’s best offensive linemen the average fan may not know. Playing last year at center, Marpet is expected to bounce back out to offensive guard in 2020. Marpet was the NFL’s sixth-highest rated center per Profootball Focus and was among the league’s best at offensive guard in 2018.
OFFENSIVE GUARD - ERIK MCCOY, SAINTS
After starting 16 games at center during his rookie season, it is unclear whether McCoy or Saints first-round pick Cesar Ruiz will start at center in 2020. During camp, McCoy said he “was cool” playing either interior offensive line spot. The young interior offensive line is one of the best in the NFC, earning the highest PFF grade amongst rookie offensive lineman last season.
CENTER - ALEX MACK, FALCONS
One of the smartest offensive line players in all the NFL, Mack finished second in the league in fewest penalties among center in 2019. The near 35-year-old played over 1,150 snaps for the Falcons last season and has continued to be a durable force since being drafted in 2009. The twelve-year NFL veteran is taking it “one year at a time” but remains among the league’s best, even in his latter years.
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