Another year, and another roster with no one on the top 10 position list per ESPN, and no “Honorable Mentions”. I say per ESPN because they also included this little caveat:

quote:
Here's how it works: Voters gave their own top 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on the number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen as well as ESPN Research. More than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. Additional voting and follow-up calls with those surveyed contributed to placements.

Had some “Also receiving votes”:
Travis Etienne Jr, Alvin Kamara, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Juwan Johnson, Erik McCoy*, Chris Olave

*If you assume the order continues through HM & other votes, McCoy would be the 8th ranked Center

No longer with the team, I’m sure I missed someone:
Top-10: Zack Baun – 4th
“Honorable Mentions”: Trey Hendrickson, Demario Davis
“Also receiving votes”: Alontae Taylor, David Onyemata

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Posted by Snipe

Member since Nov 2015

17077 posts

Posted on 7/16/26 at 12:27 pm to Weekend Warrior79

Good.

Hope all the other teams are discounting the Saints too.

They about to learn something.

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Posted by N.O. via West-Cal

New Orleans

Member since Aug 2004

7931 posts

Posted on 7/16/26 at 1:02 pm to Weekend Warrior79

I have not really tried to think it through at each position, but I doubt I would have much of a beef with there not being a Saint. My hope--and I think it is a reasonable one--is that by the end of the year Olave, Etienne, and even Shough are considered at or very near to the top 10 of their positions. As we well know, everything changes if you have a top 10 QB.

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Posted by jrobic4

Baton Rouge

Member since Aug 2011

13524 posts

Posted on 7/16/26 at 1:04 pm to Weekend Warrior79

quote:
Travis Etienne Jr

quote:
Juwan Johnson

quote:
Chris Olave

I can buy these guys not even being honorable mention, except for:

quote:
Top-10: Zack Baun – 4th

Baun has had a career resurgence, but number four?! Sounds like they're picking good players on good teams, not just the best players

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Posted by Chrome

Chromeville

Member since Nov 2007

13492 posts

Posted on 7/16/26 at 1:24 pm to Snipe

quote:

Hope all the other teams are discounting the Saints too.

Flying under the radar is a great place to be. But while fan bases are discounting us I'm certain teams took notice of us. I hope and pray we stay healthy, we just don't have the depth.

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Posted by Weekend Warrior79

Member since Aug 2014

22062 posts

Posted on 7/16/26 at 2:21 pm to jrobic4

quote:
quote:
Top-10: Zack Baun – 4th

Baun has had a career resurgence, but number four?! Sounds like they're picking good players on good teams, not just the best players

I can see some bias in the order, especially since they don't just use the votes and need to do interviews and research in order to determine the placement. But I don't think 4 is out of line for Baun. He was 1st team All-Pro 2 years ago and still had a good year last year.

The other 2 MLBers that were 1st team that year are 1st & 2nd in the rankings. And Campbell coming of the 1st team All-Pro is 5th. The person bitching should be the Devin Lloyd fans, he's ranked 10th and was 1st team All-Pro last year

quote:
Baun is one of the league's great success stories. Once a part-time player, he parlayed an All-Pro season in Philadelphia into a three-year, $51 million deal during the 2025 offseason. His most recent season showed he was no fluke, producing a second consecutive Pro Bowl performance. Baun was one of two linebackers to appear on every top-10 ballot.

"He's got lateral quickness and is an incredibly smart player," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "He's perfect for Vic's [Fangio] scheme, can play close to the line and get pressure or can play off the ball."

Baun was the only player with at least 120 tackles and 10 disrupted dropbacks last season (a disrupted dropback is a sack, interception or batted/defended/tipped pass).

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Posted by VA LSU fan