Who would you pick for a defense stocked with the New Orleans Saints’ all-time rivals? Which players would you choose to highlight as the most challenging opponents the Saints have ever lined up against?
There’s a surprising amount of Hall of Fame talent to choose from. Deion Sanders is the big name, but Kevin Greene deserves recognition. Ronde Barber will soon join them in enshrinement. Eventually Aaron Donald will get in, too. But they’re just some of the defenders who have given New Orleans trouble over the years. Here are our picks:
Defensive end: Kevin Greene
Greene bullied the Saints for years with the Los Angeles Rams, and when it seemed like he was finally gone after joining the Pittsburgh Steelers he returned to close out his career on the expansion-era Carolina Panthers. He was credited with 23 games against the Saints, more than any other defensive player but Ronde Barber and Jonathan Babineaux (more on them in a minute).
Defensive tackle: Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams)
Donald has only played the Saints five times but he’s left a trail of wreckage in his wake: 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and some extremely painful playoff memories. There isn’t anyone like the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s always given the Saints his best.
Defensive tackle: Jonathan Babineaux (Atlanta Falcons)
It’s a crime that a player with Babineaux’s name had to play against the Saints, much less suiting up with their biggest rival in 24 games. Babineaux was a mainstay for Atlanta and he played his part in some crushing Falcons upsets over the years. We also considered Andre Carter here, he always played well against the Saints but on a limited sample size (just 7 games during his career).
Defensive end: Simeon Rice (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Rice had more success against the Saints than any other pass rusher over the years, bagging 16 sacks in 15 games along with a couple of forced fumbles. Julius Peppers also deserves a mention as the only player in NFL history who sacked Aaron Brooks, Drew Brees, and Teddy Bridgewater when they were playing for the Saints.
Linebacker: Lavonte David (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The most underrated linebacker in the NFL is still going strong. David has led the Bucs in just about every conceivable category at some point, and he’s been a rare bright spot on some of the worst teams the NFC South has seen over the last decade. He deserves more credit than the one Pro Bowl nod he’s received.
Linebacker: Thomas Davis (Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington)
Another linebacker with rare durability, Davis was a consistent thorn in the Saints’ side for what felt like a hundred years. Whether he was matching Jimmy Graham in stride or laying thundering hits on Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles, Davis consistently thwarted the Saints’ plans for attacking his defense.
Linebacker: Luke Kuechly (Carolina Panthers)
It’s such a pity that concussions ended Kuechly’s career so soon — he was truly a special talent and a game-changing force at linebacker. It took the emergence of another one in Alvin Kamara for the Saints to find a way to beat him, and even then Kuechly didn’t make it easy for them. He had greater longevity than Kuechly, so we’ll also mention former Falcons standout Keith Brooking, who was selected for five Pro Bowls in his 15-year career.
Strong safety: Ronnie Lott (San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets)
Lott also played games at cornerback and free safety, but his most memorable moments were in the box where he was well-positioned to hammer receivers across the middle of the field. He had his share of highlight plays, too, including 6 interceptions off of Saints quarterbacks — more than he had against any other team.
Free safety: Nolan Cromwell (Los Angeles Rams)
There might not have been a better athlete than Cromwell, pound for pound, in his NFL heyday. He made plays all over the field and intercepted Saints quarterbacks 9 times, and he’s the only player in NFL history to return multiple interceptions for defensive touchdowns against New Orleans. Rod Woodson also deserves a mention here (he intercepted 6 passes in 6 games against the Saints).
Cornerback: Ronde Barber (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
You have to give it to him: Barber set the gold standard for cornerback play in the NFC South. Confident in coverage and physical when asked to tackle, Barber set an NFL record with 200 consecutive starts at cornerback and finished his career with 47 interceptions, 166 passes defensed, 76 tackles for loss, and 28 sacks, rare numbers for a cornerback. He was an ideal nemesis for Drew Brees in the late 2000’s.
Cornerback: Eric Davis (San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions)
Davis was a big part of the 49ers’ defensive success in the 1990’s, helping to clinch a win the 1994 NFC title game that propelled them to a Super Bowl XXIV victory. He continued to trouble the Saints after signing with the expansion-era Carolina Panthers and won recognition both as a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in 1995 and 1996.
Cornerback: Deion Sanders (Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington, and Baltimore Ravens)
We considered another ex-Falcon here in Bobby Butler, who started more games than any other cornerback in Atlanta history, but it has to be Sanders. That he suited up for three different teams who you could credibly call Saints rivals speaks for itself. That he also set a franchise record with more interception return yards than anyone else against the Saints (240 yards on just 4 interceptions) is its own argument to support his case. Sanders’ big personality is another.
