Saints Next Possible Pro Bowlers
Pro Bowls are one of the ways that an NFL player's achievements are recognized. The New Orleans Saints are littered with Pro Bowl talent throughout their roster. Alvin Kamara, WR Michael Thomas, G Andrus Peat, DE Cameron Jordan, LB Demario Davis, CB Marshon Lattimore, and RB Mark Ingram have all earned multiple Pro Bowl bids throughout their careers in New Orleans.
Amazingly, RT Ryan Ramczyk has never been voted to a Pro Bowl, but has earned All-Pro honors once and is considered one of the league's top linemen. Kicker Wil Lutz and WR/KR Deonte Harty have been to the Pro Bowl once and QB Jameis Winston earned the honor in his rookie year with Tampa Bay.
Offseason acquisitions Jarvis Landry and Tyrann Mathieu bring a combined nine Pro Bowl bids to the team. Kamara, Thomas, Lattimore, Ramczyk, Peat, Winston, Landry, Harty, and Lutz are also all under the age of 30.
Who will be the next Saints Pro Bowler?
Obvious candidates are the team's high draft picks from this year: WR Chris Olave or OT Trevor Penning. A player like second-year CB Paulson Adebo seems on the cusp of stardom.
Perhaps a lower regarded rookie bursts onto the scene like CB Alontae Taylor, LB D'Marco Jackson or DT Jordan Jackson. One of the Saints other offseason pickups like S Marcus Maye or DT Kentavius Street could have a breakout campaign, as could second-year defenders Pete Werner or Payton Turner.
Here are the New Orleans players I think are most likely to receive their first Pro Bowl accolades.
Marcus Davenport, DE
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) gets sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport (92). George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
The 14th overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft seemed to finally put it all together last year. Few can question Davenport's impact when he was in the lineup. However, numerous injuries forced him to miss 12 games over his first three years and affected his performance in several other outings.
Davenport still missed six contests in 2021, his most in a year to date. Despite appearing in just 11 games, he set career-high totals in every category. Davenport had 9 sacks, second on the team, along with 21 pressures, 9 tackles for loss, and four fumbles forced or recovered.
Davenport, who turns 26 in September, is entering a contract year. A big season will result in a big contract, but will also mean he’s living up to his first-round pedigree. He’s one of a deep crew of New Orleans defensive linemen, especially along the edge, but may very well have the most natural talent.
A freakish athlete at 6’6” and 265-Lbs., Davenport is nearly unblockable one-on-one. He beats tackles with equal effectiveness around the edge, with an inside spin move, or by a bull rush with his tremendous strength. Davenport even moved inside to tackle in some situations last year and is an underrated defender against the run.
Eight of Davenport's sacks, along with 17 pressures, came over his final eight games last year. He’s proven that he can still be a factor against double team blocking, but will also get one-on-one chances because of the Saints other talent up front. If he stays on the field, we may see a breakout All-Pro campaign from Marcus Davenport in 2022.
Erik McCoy, C
New Orleans Saints center Erik McCoy (78) blocks Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Alex Singleton (49). Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY
Already one of the least respected positions in football, nobody talks about the fact that Erik McCoy has quietly blossomed into one of the NFL's best interior offensive linemen. A second-round choice from Texas A&M in the 2019 NFL Draft, McCoy has been a starter since Day 1 of his rookie season.
McCoy missed only six snaps over his first two years while anchoring one of the league's best offensive lines. A calf injury sidelined him for four games early last season and Covid knocked him out of action for another contest late in the year. In those five games without McCoy, the Saints scored fewer than 10 points twice, allowed 12 sacks, and rushed for less than 100 yards three times.
McCoy, who turns 25 next month, is one of the league's finest technicians at the position. He’s light on his feet at 6’4” and 303-Lbs. and consistently beats defenders with leverage. He also delivers a powerful initial punch as a blocker and gets outstanding push for the running game.
A terrific athlete, McCoy effectively gets outside to be the lead blocker on screens or outside runs, often even leading a ball carrier into the secondary. An extremely smart player, McCoy makes the line adjustments for the team and is adept at double-team switches in interior pass protection.
The Saints starting five offensive linemen played only 22 snaps together in 2021 because of injuries. Peat's return from injury is key, as is improvement from 2020 first-round pick Cesar Ruiz. The stabilizing presence of Erik McCoy in the middle will boost the play of both guard spots and could finally result in Pro Bowl recognition from his peers.
David Onyemata, DT
Oct 4, 2020; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) gets pressured by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93). Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Onyemata went from a little-known fourth-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft to a vital part of the New Orleans front in his first five years. Once a raw athletic project, Onyemata improved his run defense and expanded his pass rushing moves to become an every down force.
Coming off the best year of his career in 2020, Onyemata started 2021 with a six-game suspension for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Upon his return, he had just two sacks, but 16 QB pressures over 11 games. Onyemata was still a standout against the run, but wasn’t the disruptive force he had been over the previous few seasons.
A wonderful athlete with terrific strength at 6’4” and 300-Lbs., Onyemata is an interior mismatch for most blockers one-on-one. He’s lightning quick off the snap and plays with great leverage at the point of attack. His athleticism gives him the versatility to be a factor anywhere along the Saints defensive front.
Onyemata is as important to the team’s defensive success as any player on the roster. He’s one of the league’s most underrated interior defenders and forces opponents to apply double-team blocking, giving more opportunities to his teammates.
Expect a big bounce-back campaign from the 29-year-old Onyemata in 2022. He’s not only coming into a contract year, but is one of three New Orleans defensive linemen that command multiple blockers when on the field, leaving opponents in an unwinnable dilemma up front.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S/CB
Saints defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) returns an interception. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Gardner-Johnson has been one of the Saints best defenders and among their most popular players since being selected in the fourth round out of Florida in 2019. One of the most talkative players in the NFL, Ceedy Duce claims that he is the league's best slot corner and one of its best defensive players. He might be right.
Despite missing four games at mid-season with an ankle injury, Gardner-Johnson turned in the best season of his three-year career. He tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions, a career best, while breakout up seven throws, recording two sacks, five pressures, and four tackles for loss.
The Saints top slot coverage option, Gardner-Johnson has allowed just 60% completion rate against him the last two years. He is one of the league's most versatile defensive backs, playing all over the field with great effectiveness. Gardner-Johnson plays both slot and outside corner, shuts the run down as an in-the-box defender, has excellent range as an off-ball safety, and is a disruptive blitzer.
The 24-year-old Gardner-Johnson is employed everywhere along the defensive formation and is an underrated key to the unit’s success. New Orleans was 9-2 when he played at least 50% of the defensive snaps last season. Just as important as his statistical output, the trash-talking Gardner-Johnson is adept at getting in opponent's heads and throwing them off their game.
With two new safeties in Maye and Mathieu, Gardner-Johnson will play an even bigger role for the Saints in 2022. It could result in him finally received Pro Bowl consideration for a team already loaded with top-notch talent.
