New Orleans Saints Hall of Famer, Jahri Evans, is our player of the day as we continue our countdown to kickoff. The Saints open the season in 73 days against the Arizona Cardinals. Evans will be on the field as a coach, but today we take a look back on his legendary career with the pads on.
Jahri Evans' importance in the Brees era
Jahri Evans was a part of the Saints' historic 2006 NFL draft class. Selected in the fourth round, Evans went on to be one of the greatest players in franchise history. Though it wasn't the most glamorous position, Evans was invaluable to the Saints. Drew Brees wasn't blessed with height, so keeping that front line free was important.
"Drew Brees, the reason he had so many throwing lanes is because of that front wall that was created and led by Jahri. It enabled Drew to have every passing lane possible," Former Saints offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb said in 2021,when Jahri Evans made the team's Hall of Fame. "And one of the main reasons why is because of the protection that was provided and the holes that were opened on the interior."
Jahri Evans was considered one of the best offensive linemen in the league the moment he stepped onto the field because of his consistency. An unwavering right guard for the Saints, he helped lay the foundation for the early parts of the Drew Brees era. Before Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk on the perimeter, it was Evans and Carl Nicks on the interior.
Is the Hall of Fame in Evans' future?
From Evan's first Pro Bowl selection in 2009 to his retirement in 2017, no guard was selected to as many Pro Bowls (six). Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas, who made eight selections in that nine-year span, is the only other offensive lineman to have made more.
Additionally, Evans was named first-team all-pro four times in his career in consecutive seasons and second-team All-Pro the following season. That run started in 2009 and carried deep enough into the 2010's for Evans to make the All-Decade team despite hanging up his cleats before the decade was over.
After a highly successful career, Evans seeing himself immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a legitimate possibility. He checks multiple boxes through his own individual award and being a part of one of multiple great offenses.
Evans also been close on a few occasions. Evans was named a finalist for the Hall of Fame in each of the last two seasons but has yet to break past that final round. If he pushes through in his next attempt, Evans would walk into Canton in the same year as his former quarterback.
As part of the NFL's minority coach internship program, Evans would be a coaching intern for the Saints during the 2022 preseason. He must have made an impression, as the Saints brought him back the following year in a full-time role. Currently, he is the team's assistant offensive line coach.