3 Pro Bowler Saints that could leave the team in 2021
By Jake Rajala
The New Orleans Saints tied with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020 for the most players featured in the Pro Bowl (11). Who may they lose in 2021?
Some Saints who are routinely earning Pro Bowl nods could see a classy exit in 2021, if Sean Payton deems it necessary. Who could be playing their last year in the Big Easy?
Saints head coach, Sean Payton and GM Mickey Loomis have formulated excellent roster talent throughout their long tenure. That hasn’t stopped Sean Payton from parting ways with high-profile players, who didn’t fit the team’s structure or cap.
Take note that Sean Payton has traded Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham and wide receiver Brandin Cooks in the prime of their career. Payton has also paid to cut premier pass rusher, Junior Galette, for being a locker room cancer.
These high-profile transactions might deem Raiders’ head coach Jon Gruden soft for reshaping his previously loaded roster and ditching Khalil Mack.
Sean Payton will stop at nothing to dismiss a Saint who doesn’t align with his elaborate plans, regardless of their playing caliber.
There are many Saints on the 2020 team who could boast a strong performance and garner another Pro Bowl trip.
Drew Brees and Michael Thomas are expected to be locks to make it to Hawaii in late January again, barring an injury or catastrophic decline with Brees’s age. Former Offensive Rookie of the Year, running back Alvin Kamara, could even make it for the fourth year in a row.
With the Saints featuring many elite players in a very well-coached scheme, production is ensured to arise.
Many players may put together a Pro Bowl season in New Orleans, but it doesn’t mean that their status on the team is safe in 2021. When many NFL players who make the Pro Bowl, they may receive more recognition for their resume than their latest season performance.
Coach Payton is always aware that he could grab other players through the draft or around the league, step in and be a more valuable chess piece for his potent, but a revolving team. Shipping a quality Pro Bowl player off the team isn’t problematic at times when they may need a new contract, or they’re getting to decline in their career.
Let’s take a look at three annual Pro Bowlers on the Saints who could see an exit in 2021.