Some of you may know I write a weekly post for This Given Sunday and I’m in the middle of a weekly series where I’m listing the top 10 players in each division. This week the NFC South was on the docket as so I compiled the ten best list for the Saints’ division. Putting Cam Newton #1 was painful in particular, but you’ll notice Drew at #3 right behind Kuechly and just ahead of Julio Jones on there. I don’t think we can complain or argue too much with where Drew falls there but feel free to tell me if you disagree in the comment section below.
There were no other Saints represented. I also compiled a top 10 Saints list for 2016 right here on Saints Nation and based on how that list went I would think possible omissions from the NFC South top 10 rankings are Cam Jordan and Terron Armstead. Although I’m not sure either player is a better NFL player than Trai Turner of the Panthers at this point. What this exercise did make me realize, though, is how the Saints really don’t have a lot of star power. Look how many Panthers are on there, and that doesn’t even include Josh Norman (who just left), Ryan Kalil, Thomas Davis or Jonathan Stewart. I’m not sure I’d rank Cam Jordan ahead of any of those guys either. The Bucs, while less successful, have a lot of guys on there too, and that’s not counting the #1 overall pick of 2015 Jameis Winston who had a decent first season.
This all adds up to a clear point: the Saints drafting hasn’t been good enough. Brandin Cooks, Mark Ingram, Jordan and Kenny Vaccaro are all decent draft picks, but they haven’t turned into superstars yet like the rest of this list. So even the Saints’ “good picks” haven’t really been good enough to sustain winning. This exercise made it pretty clear to me that the issue with the Saints isn’t the Greenbrier (so many of you love to drop the hot take that it’s made them “soft”) or coaching really… it’s a lack of star power. They just need better players.
Hopefully I’ll have a reason to put more Saints on the top 10 list next season.
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