The New Orleans Saints enter the 2021 season without quarterback Drew Brees for the first time since 2005. There will be a competition between quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston to replace Brees, while the Saints look to try to still contend in the NFC South. The Saints have plenty of talent on the roster, along with a great coaching staff led by Sean Payton, which should allow them to be competitive even in a bridge season. Here are the faces of the New Orleans Saints in 2021.
2021 New Orleans Saints: Faces of the Team
Alvin Kamara
Though he’s not the quarterback of the team, Alvin Kamara touches the ball so much, he is quite easily the most important player on the New Orleans Saints. In 2021, he set a career-high in rushing yards, receptions, and total touchdowns. With the retirement of Drew Brees, Kamara playing at an elite level is even more important to the Saints moving forward. In his four years with the Saints, Kamara is on pace to shatter every franchise record for running backs, with over 5,000 total yards and 55 touchdowns already.
With two All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl appearances, Kamara has represented the Saints extremely well since entering the league in 2017. He is the first player in NFL history to record over 500 yards receiving and rushing in their first four seasons. All-in-all Kamara does what a face of the franchise should; he performs at a high level on the field and brings positive press to the team. Kamara is electric and if he can stay healthy will be one of the faces of the Saints until he isn’t wearing the gold and black.
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Cameron Jordan
Cameron Jordan has been an anchor on the New Orleans Saints defensive line for a decade after being selected 24th overall in the 2011 draft. Jordan is having a hall of fame-worthy career and is already 47th all-time in sacks with 94.5. The Saints have had some good defenses over the year, including the current group, and the one thing that has remained on all of them is Cameron Jordan. He has been a steady player, that has improved throughout his career and has helped the players around him. Some think the end might be near for Jordan, but prior to 2020, he had reached 12 sacks in three straight seasons.
While being a face of a franchise is largely based on what a player has done on the football field statistically, Jordan offers more off the field as well. Jordan a six-time team captain, a leader for the Saints on Sundays, and an even bigger leader in the community. Since being drafted by the Saints in 2011, Jordan has participated in multiple community events per week and was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2017.
Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas has been a consistent player for the Saints since he was drafted in 2016 and he recorded four straight 1,000 yard seasons in his first four NFL seasons. The 2020 season didn’t go as planned, with injuries and a lack of production, however, Thomas is still one of the best young players in football. In 2019, Michael Thomas broke the NFL record for receptions in a season with 149 in a remarkable year. The big concern right now with Thomas is how he will produce without future Hall of Famer Drew Brees under center. However, he is still one of the better receivers in the game and should transition well with however the Saints decided t go with at quarterback.
Thomas almost missed this list, because for being such a stud on the field he is often on social media creating controversy. While he doesn’t get in trouble off the field, he is constantly whining or bickering with fans or other players league-wide. His likeability isn’t up there with other franchise players. But his production on the field made it impossible to keep him off this list.
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