Saints' Former Players on NFL Playoff Teams

New Orleans may have missed the playoffs again this season. However, several former Saints could have a strong say in who takes the Super Bowl title this postseason.

Author:
Bob Rose
Publish date:
Jan 13, 2023 8:50 AM EST

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

For the second straight year, the New Orleans Saints will be watching the NFL playoffs from home. Even if you're a Saints fan, you'll still probably tune in for at least some of the postseason action. Perhaps you'll even find yourself rooting for, or against, a few specific teams.

Last season, many New Orleans fans ''adopted'' the Cincinnati Bengals during their postseason run because of the presence of several former Saints and former LSU stars Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.

The Bengals are back in the postseason party this year and are among the league's hottest teams. Maybe you'll find yourself pulling for the Buffalo Bills after the near-tragedy to S Damar Hamlin. Or perhaps an underdog like the New York Giants or Jacksonville Jaguars.

Perhaps you're specifically rooting against a hated rival, like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, or Dallas Cowboys. Older Saints fans still find it impossible to root for the San Francisco 49ers.

If you're a hard-core Saints fan, then maybe you'll simply cheer for former New Orleans players. Here are the former Saints players who will be in action for the respective playoff teams this postseason.

AFC

Kansas City Chiefs

Michael Burton, FB

Burton is a hard-nosed fullback who played for the Saints during the 2020 season and has been with the Chiefs the last two years. He's never had flashy statistics, just seven touches for 18 yards in 2022. However, he's an outstanding lead blocker and underrated weapon in the red zone.

The 14-3 Chiefs were awarded the AFC's top seed and have a first-round bye.

Buffalo Bills

A.J. Klein, LB

Klein was a valuable defender for New Orleans from 2017 to 2019. He's in his second stint with the Bills after being signed off waivers at mid-season.

An experienced depth piece for the Buffalo defense, Klein had 11 tackles in limited duty over the last six contests. The 13-3 Bills host Miami in a wild-card matchup this Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals

Trey Hendrickson, DE

Vonn Bell, S

Eli Apple, CB

Trey Hendrickson signed with Cincinnati in 2021 after spending his first four seasons in New Orleans. He followed a breakout 13.5 campaign with the Saints in 2020 with 14 sacks and a Pro Bowl berth with the Bengals last season. This year, Hendrickson led the team with 8 sacks and 35 pressures on his way to another Pro Bowl.

Vonn Bell also started in New Orleans, where he was a standout defensive back from 2016 to 2019. Since signing with Cincinnati, he's forced five fumbles and had 12 tackles for loss among 288 tackles in three seasons. Bell broke up 8 passes and had a team-high 4 interceptions for the Bengals in 2022.

Seventh-year CB Eli Apple spent two of those years with the Saints in 2018 and 2019. He's been with Cincinnati the last two seasons and broke up 8 passes while giving up 57% completion rate when targeted this season.

The 12-4 Bengals will start defense of their AFC title by hosting Baltimore on Sunday in a wild-card matchup.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Dan Arnold, TE

Chris Manhertz, TE

Arnold and Manhertz are two blocking tight ends behind starter Evan Engram. Arnold, who was with New Orleans in 2018 and 2019, has nine catches for 135 yards this season. Manhertz, a Saint in 2016, has six receptions for 42 yards.

Jacksonville, the AFC South champs at 9-8, host the Chargers in a Saturday wild-card game.

Los Angeles Chargers

Chase Daniel, QB

Will Clapp, C/G

Tyeler Davison, DT

Joe Lombardi, Off. Coordinator

Lombardi was on Sean Payton's staff in New Orleans from 2007 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2020. He's in his second season as the Chargers offensive coordinator featuring QB Justin Herbert and several explosive weapons for a 3rd-ranked passing attack.

Clapp is a key reserve for the team’s offensive line after serving in the same capacity for the Saints from 2018 to 2021. Daniel, a 13-year veteran, serves as an extra coach for Herbert on the sideline. He was the extra set of eyes for Drew Brees in New Orleans from 2010 through 2012 and again in 2017.

The 10-7 Chargers face Jacksonville in a wild-card road matchup on Saturday.

Baltimore Ravens

Marcus Williams, S

Many New Orleans fans would love to have had Williams in a Saints uniform this year after he starred for the team from 2017 through 2021. Instead, he signed a lucrative contract with the Ravens this offseason. Williams missed seven games with injury, but still had four interceptions, broke up eight passes, and recorded 61 tackles for the Baltimore defense.

The 10-7 Ravens play at AFC North rival Cincinnati in a wild-card showdown on Sunday.

Miami Dolphins

Teddy Bridgewater, QB

Terron Armstead, OT

John Jenkins, DT

Thomas Morstead, P

Nine-year veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater spent 2018 and 2019 with the Saints. He went 5-0 in relief of an injured Drew Brees in 2019. Bridgewater has appeared in five games in his first year with Miami, going 0-2 as a starter and completing 62% of his passes for 683 yards with 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

Armstead joined the Dolphins this year after nine terrific seasons with New Orleans. He remains one of the best left tackles in the game when healthy.

John Jenkins started his 11-year career with the Saints, playing for them from 2013 to 2016. As a reserve in his second season with Miami, Jenkins has 20 tackles and four QB pressures.

Morstead was a fan favorite and one of the league's best punters during the first 12 years of his career, all with the Saints from 2006 to 2020. In his first year as a Dolphin, Morstead has averaged over 46 yards per punt and placed 28 kicks inside the opposing 20-yard line.

With starter Tua Tagovailoa out, many expected Bridgewater to get the start at quarterback. Instead, he'll back up rookie Skylar Thompson when the 9-8 Dolphins travel to face Buffalo this Sunday. The often injured Armstead may also miss the game with a variety of injuries.

NFC

Philadelphia Eagles

Ian Book, QB

Boston Scott, RB

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S

Gardner-Johnson was traded by the Saints this preseason after a contract dispute. He was a defensive standout for three seasons in New Orleans before the fall-out with coaches and management. Despite missing five games with injury, Gardner-Johnson led the NFL with six interceptions. He also added a sack and five stops for loss among 67 total tackles.

Boston Scott was a seventh-round pick by New Orleans in the 2018 Draft, but was signed off the Saints practice squad by Philadelphia as a rookie. He had 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns for the Eagles this year while averaging over 27 yards per kickoff return.

The 14-3 Eagles earned the NFC's top seed and will have a bye this weekend.

San Francisco 49ers

Janoris Jenkins, CB

An 11-year veteran, Jenkins spent two standout seasons with New Orleans in 2019 and 2020. He's spent most of the year on the 49ers practice squad and appeared in just two games, recording three tackles.

The 13-4 49ers host NFC West rival Seattle in a Saturday wild-card game.

Minnesota Vikings

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*(TE Irv Smith Jr. is the son of former Saints TE Irv Smith, who played for New Orleans from 1993 to 1997)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Akiem Hicks, DE

Eleven-year veteran Hicks, in his first season with Tampa Bay, began his career in New Orleans and played there from 2012 to 2015. In 11 games with Tampa Bay, Hicks has a sack, four pressures, and 2 tackles for loss among 22 total stops.

The 8-9 Buccaneers will host Dallas to wrap up the wild-card round on Monday.

Dallas Cowboys

Brett Maher, K

Maher finished the last eight games with New Orleans in 2021 for an injured Wil Lutz. This season, he's converted 29 of 32 field goals and 50 of 53 extra points in his second stint with the Cowboys.

Dallas (12-5) takes on the Buccaneers in a wild-card matchup on Monday.

New York Giants

Nick Vannett, TE

Vannett was released by New Orleans at mid-season after a disappointing two-year stint with the team. He'd finish the year with New York, starting three of the last six games and catching four passes for 42 yards.

The 9-7-1 Giants play at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a wild-card matchup.

Seattle Seahawks