I stumbled on this ESPN article yesterday and it listed Cam Jordan as the most underrated player on the Saints. It requires insider access, so in case you don’t have it, here’s what it said:
Our play-by-play database goes back to 1989, and in that time frame, last season’s Saints were the worst defense we’ve ever measured. That makes it easy to overlook Jordan, whose pass-rush efforts were too often negated by terrible coverage behind him. Jordan ranked in the top 10 in both sacks (10.0) and hurries (32.5), while also chipping in 11 quarterback hits and five tipped passes.
Terrifying to think about how this unit graded worse than the 2012 Saints defense under Steve Spagnuolo. Anyway, I’m not sure I agree with Jordan being the most underrated player on the team. He’s already been to two Pro Bowls, suggesting he has the respect of fans, media and peers to go with the stats to back it up. I’d argue Jordan is a very quality NFL player, close to being a star, and most people around the game recognize him as such.
So who would be my vote? I’m tempted to say Terron Armstead, as Pro Football Focus listed him as the 26th best player in the NFL for 2015. He hasn’t been to the Pro Bowl, yet, but he’s certainly knocking on the door. I’m also tempted to say Zach Strief – who never gets much respect and get flamed on even by Saints fans. But the reality is that Strief is incredibly valuable on the field and in the team’s locker room. He’s been a steady starter for a while now and what he brings in helping his teammates in invaluable.
Who’s your pick?
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