4 most important Saints for 2021

Now gone are the days former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is one of the most players on the Saints roster. Now, for the first time since 2005, the quarterback of the Saints isn’t the focal point of the roster.

So that got me thinking: Who are the most important Saints for the 2021 team?

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Wide receiver Michael Thomas is an obvious candidate to make the top four. Even more so than Drew Brees in the latter part of Drew’s career, the case could be made that Michael Thomas has been the most important Saints player on the roster the past two or three years. Thomas set an NFL record for the most receptions in a single season in 2019 with 149 and led the league in receiving yards with 1,725 on his way to winning Offensive Player of the Year. His 2020 was marred with injury, but he looks to be fully healthy and ready for another big year in 2021.

Running back Alvin Kamara seems like the next obvious choice to make our Fantastic Four. Kamara set career marks in rushing yards (932) and total touchdowns (21) in 2020. Now, with Drew Brees entering his first year of retirement, the team could be shifting to a more run-focused offense in 2021, making Kamara even more vital to the team’s success this season.

The final two spots are tricky, but I’m going to give the third spot to linebacker Demario Davis, if only by default. Demario is the leader of the Saints defense and the Saints locker room. When Drew went down with injury, it was Demario who picked up the pregame huddle, and his explosive play on the defense helps fire up his teammates around him.

But now who takes the fourth spot?

Is it Cam Jordan, one of the longest tenured remaining Saints? Maybe Terron Armstead, one of the anchors for the Saints offense line? Maybe Marshon Lattimore, one of the pieces of the Saints secondary that turned this defense around? Or maybe Wil Lutz or Deonte Harris, key special teamers that help the Saints flip field position?

No, instead we’re going for Taysom Hill.

Make no mistake about it: I think Jameis Winston is the starting quarterback for the 2021 New Orleans Saints. If Lattimore misses time, the Saints could put PJ Williams or Patrick Robinson in at cornerback. It might not be the optimal solution (understatement), but the Saints at least have bodies they could play at the position. If Taysom Hill were to get injured, it would take another quarterback, tight end, wide receiver, fullback, running back, and special teamer to replace what they lost.

That makes my New Orleans Saints Fantastic Four: Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill. What do you think? Would you have a different list? Who would make your Saints Fantastic Four?

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