Demario Davis has reached the age where the fall off could happen at any season, and New Orleans Saints fans have reached the point of not being surprised when it doesn't happen. Davis has lost a little athleticism, but he's still playing at a high level.
The stats and eye test back up the claim. Watching the game you see Davis fly around the field making stops. The stats will tell you he has been one of the best run stoppers in the league this year. Both are right.
There's a general ideology of moving into the future and transitioning from older to younger players. It's the right strategy, but Davis may be the exception. You'd like to see the Saints with younger stars that give hope for the future, but Davis is still the Saints' best defender. He'd boost the team while also providing leadership to a younger team forming around him.
Demario Davis is the Saints' defensive enforcer
The Saints won't get rid of Davis just for the sake of getting younger, and Davis isn't giving the Saints any reason to think they should move on.
There are some raw stats that could suggest Davis is playing well. He's one of just 8 players to have surpassed 100 tackles this season. 100 tackles doesn't always equate to impact, so let's dig a little deeper.
Davis isn't just racking up tackles well down the field. He's accounted for 15 run stuffs, per Next Gen Stats. Run stuffs account for tackles for a loss and no gain. Davis leads all linebackers in that category. Additionally, he's racked up 43 run stops, tackles resulting in unsuccessful offensive plays. That's second most in the NFL. Davis isn't just racking up tackles. He's making impactful plays.
Both the run stuffs and run stops are the highest of Davis' career through 12 weeks. We've seen him reinvent himself multiple times in New Orleans. He's always been a complete linebacker. Davis shined in coverage during the beginning of his Saints tenure. Then, he showcased the ability to get pressure on the quarterback and set career highs in sacks in 2022 and 2023. Davis has felt even more like an enforcer and downhill bruiser in the last two seasons