By: Jake Rajala

The Chicago Bears second-year quarterback Justin Fields is one of the very most mysterious players in 2022. Fields is coming off a porous 2021 season, where he threw more interceptions (10 ints) than touchdowns (7). Most importantly, he had a miserable 2-8 record in his rookie campaign. He was still able to make splash plays and show glimpses of his magical dual-threat ability (as shown below).

It should be noted that Fields was located on Matt Snake Nagy Island last season. It’s also fair to say that many great signal-callers and talented young faces in the league have had rough rookie or sophomore seasons. Profiles such as Peyton Manning (3-13 record in 1998) and Drew Brees (2-9 record in 2003) were deemed busts early in their career. The dual-threat Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts nicely progressed in his sophomore season. Hurts was 1-3 as a rookie starter with 6 passing touchdowns to 4 interceptions. In the Eagles QB1’s second NFL season, he led his team to the playoffs via his arm talent (3,144 passing yds) and rushing ability (784 rushing yds).

With that enunciated, Fields will be highly motivated and gifted with new weapons at his disposal. He may not have A-Rob (412 yards in 12 games last season), but he will grow with Byron Pringle and Velus Jones Jr (outside of the third-year WR Darnell Mooney). In particular, Jones Jr. should be a rockstar target for Fields. Per NBC Sports Chicago, Jones Jr. is “locked-in” with his beloved QB. His 4.31 speed should be a valuable asset from the WR3 or WR2 spot.

I expect Fields and his shiny head coach Matt Eberflus to be able to unveil modest success on offense next season. The Khalil-Mack-less bears may not have a sexy roster, but they will have a strong game plan for their talented QB. I really can see Fields being able to run for 700+ yards and throw around 25 passing touchdowns in 2022. I expect Fields to have growing pains in 2022, but they should lean on him through the ups and downs in the Nick Foles-less QB room. CHI may struggle to have a winning record in the NFC North, but I expect honest and legitimate growth from Fields in his pivotal second NFL season.

The post What is the ceiling of Justin Fields in 2022? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The mythical quarterback Drew Brees retired in the 2021 off-season, but the former Saints legend recently stated that he may play football in 2022. There are undoubtedly lots of NFL folks that believe Brees’s thought of throwing the pigskin next season is a pipe dream. Nonetheless, Brees may be able to override his 43-year-old weaknesses with his on-field awareness and unmatchable amount of passion.

I believe that Brees could un-retire and chase a Super Bowl ring if he can join an elite roster with talented offensive pieces. I honestly believe that the loaded Saints team would rather ride with the big-arm, wise Jameis Winston than the Big Easy hero in Brees. Winston was 5-2 without his current WR trio (Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, and Chris Olave) last season and Winston can really utilize the ability of Chris Olave (and Deonte Harris) deep down the field.

If the Saints don’t bite on the HOF-caliber QB, I would love the shiny and utterly talented Dolphins roster to acquire Brees for his last ride in 2022. The Phins have been rumored to be interested in Tom Brady and It would make sense for Mike McDaniel to be interested in a different greek god QB in Brees. The Dolphins have Brees’s former LT Terron Armstead and new weaponry: Tyreek Hill, Chase Edmonds, and Sony Michel.

It may seem obvious that Brees doesn’t have the sexiest arm strength, but he could still be the better version of Tua Tagovailoa. Tua is well-known for not possessing mean arm strength and he hasn’t been an impressive game manager (10 interceptions last season).

The Saints Super Bowl XLIV champion could unveil a training camp performance that’s similar to his 2020 season (excluding his playoff fiasco), or he could prove to be a washed-up QB in September. If Brees’s fountain of youth is completely missing, he could still be an excellent mentor for Tagovailoa. The former Alabama QB was often compared to Brees in the draft process and he could really sharpen his physical and mental abilities by being in the same QB room as Brees. Sean McVay pulled a few tricks out of his sleeve in 2021 and it may be time for the young, Dolphins HC to keep his foot on the pedal and ink Brees in the near future.

The post Why the Dolphins should really target Drew Brees appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The NFL Top 100 team of all time was voted by gifted football minds in early 2018 and introduced to the football world through a TV series in November of 2019. The notable quarterback position featured ten gifted talents at its vital position. Here are the QBs that landed on the mythical list: Tom Brady, John Elway, Brett Favre, Otto Graham, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Roger Staubach, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, and Sammy Baugh. Keep in mind that these players were partially voted for the success they yielded in their decade. As expected, it is incredibly hard to judge the success and stats of Johnny Unitas in comparison to the production of Peyton Manning. 

Even if the Top 100 list held respected figures throughout the history of the NFL, they had a job to figure out how who deserved to be on the list and it couldn’t largely be separated into success in each decade. In other words, they likely had to pick more successful QBs in a certain period compared to other periods. So, the Top QB list rightfully had five out of 10 QBs that played and dominated in the 90s. The talent of those QBs in the 90s overweighed the success and level of competition portrayed by some QBs in the 60s or 2000s. 

With this being enunciated, I still believe there was a QB that deserved to be in the Top 100. This profile is none other than former Saints QB and future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees. I believe that Brees clearly has to be over the similar time period signal-caller in Brett Favre and I also feel comfortable saying he should have a sliver more of praise over John Elway. 

It’s a joke that a large case against Brees is that “he played in an easier, passing era” (besides the fact that Favre played in a similar league). Yes, Brees did play in an era where CBs need to have very sound technique and WRs have more opportunities than ever before. Still, Brees decorated the NFL with his touch on the highest level for countless years. Here is a greek-god stat by the former Saints QB that is hardly ever mentioned. 

Drew Brees has five, 5,000 yard passing seasons. There is only one other QB that has thrown for more than 5,000 yards in a season and that’s Tom Brady, who did it twice. The seven-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady threw for 5,235 yards in 2011 and 5,316 yards in the 17 game season in 2021-2022.

Here is the more impressive aspect of Brees mowing down every defense in his 5,000-yard seasons. Here is the list of Brees’s top receivers in the receiving yards category: UDFA Lance Moore, third-round pick TE Jimmy Graham (twice), seventh-round pick Marques Colston, and then first-round WR Brandin Cooks. It’s very simple and clear that Brees played with modest talent, but he was able to uplift the talent around him. 

Brees is also second in all-time passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass completions, and fifth all-time in passer rating. Favre is 42nd in passer rating and Elway is 87th all-time in passer rating. 

Brees also has 53 game-winning drives, which is just second behind Peyton Manning (54 game-winning drives). That is absolutely nuts. Brees went 7-9 in four of the five seasons from 2012-2016. To say he was in a plethora of non-winnable games over that time period would be an understatement. But, he still accumulated 53 game-winning drives in his career. Elway’s reputation is largely known for his comeback drives and he put together 40, which is just a bit below Brees’s mark. 

Brees is arguably the best “regular-season” QB in NFL history.

It’s no shock that Brees is a stat machine and even winning machine throughout most of his career, but he does not compare well in playoff success to the likes of Tom Brady and 49ers legend Joe Montana. A championship victory should be a significant factor, but it shouldn’t tell the whole tale of each legendary QBs. Playoffs are truly a very short season that can resemble teams that are largely aided by elite defensive play. For example, we’ve witnessed the Steelers and Giants arguably carry their QBs in Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning. So, the younger Manning brother does have two Super Bowl victories ”“ which is one more than Brees. Still, there shouldn’t be a world where anyone believes Eli has a legacy close to that of Brees. 

With that said, there is a lot of speculation that there is a grand difference between that of Brees and two-time Super Bowl champion Elway. It’s well noted that Brees has had Gregg Williams, Rob Ryan, and Free Safety Marcus Williams giving up big offensive plays in the postseason like candy. But, let’s put that aside. Even if we pretend Drew Brees deserved a historically low defense for many years and a non-championship caliber defense was left to support him in the playoffs, he’s still been disrespected other ways at large in the playoffs. A very interesting and not talked postseason moment for Drew Brees lies in the 2019 NFC Championship game where the Saints were basically stripped of an NFC Championship trophy. The infamous no-call of clear pass interference by Nickel Robey-Coleman on Tommy Lee Lewis kept the Saints from attempting a chip shot field goal to edge out the Rams in the NFC championship. That is a fact.  

So, if Brees went to his second Super Bowl against the Patriots (who scored 13 pts in the game) and won, wouldn’t it be obvious that Brees had put together a better career than Favre AND Elway at that point? Of course, Brees didn’t win a second Super Bowl. I still don’t quite see a noticeable difference in Brees playing for a second Super Bowl and Elway winning two SB trophies (hypothesizing if there was a pass interference call on Robey-Coleman). Brees performed like a quality QB leading up to that penalty (excluding overtime) and “basically put his team in the seat for a Super Bowl competition”. Could there be any difference in judgment in his play leading up to the worst non-pass interference call in NFL history based on that penalty? The answer has to be no. 

Keep in mind that I’m not comparing his performance in a game to that of the “Minneapolis Miracle” or even the “49ers miracle” when Vernon Davis scored a last-minute touchdown against the Gregg Williams-led Saints defense. I’m straight up mentioning the same Saints-Rams game that had Boomer Esiason stating that the Saints got cheated out of a Super Bowl appearance on CBS after the game. Furthermore, the New York Post properly stated that the Saints were cheated out of a Super Bowl berth.

Even with Brees claiming only one SB trophy, he still ought to be recognized more profoundly in comparison with Brett Favre “in the playoffs”. Favre has a passer rating of 86.3, 5,855 passing yards, and 44 passing touchdowns to 30 interceptions in his playoff pocket (24 games). Meanwhile, the Black and Gold QB legend accumulated a 97.1 passer rating, 5,366 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns to 15 interceptions in his 18 playoff games. It’s clear that Brees has been even more productive than Favre in his “frozen tundra” playoff showdowns. This is besides the fact that Favre lost to Brees in the 2009 NFC championship. 

It can be easy to pretend there’s magic dust with very talented QBs who record playoff prominence and numerous Super Bowl victories. The Super Bowl-winning QBs will often perform at a high level, but it’s truly a vital team game in a very short-lived season. It isn’t Elway’s fault that a ref didn’t blow a game for him, or that he had a talented defense and 2,000-yard rusher in Terrell Davis to help him, but utterly odd factors should be more recognized, and supporting casts truly play a slight factor. On a side note – the top 100 NFL team of all time was voted prior to the 2019 NFC playoffs.

Supporting casts are also a modest factor and it should be recognized that Brees had a much less talented crew in the playoffs and regular season than the likes of Favre and Elway, as well. If we can point out that Dan Marino performed like a rockstar in an age where passing attempts weren’t at large, it’s fair to say Brees was a titan with a god-awful supporting cast for a large period of his career. It’s especially worth noting external factors when there is only a slight difference of postseason riches between that of Brees and some other HOF QBs with similar talent.

Brees truly deserved to be in the NFL Top 100 team. Yes, it’s easy to simply acknowledge that Elway has one more Super Bowl ring. It’s also unchallenging to know that Favre and Elway were like Sports Illustrated cover boys or white knights for many, many years in their playing days. It’s still more clear at this day in age that Brees deserves to be credited with a spot over Favre and Elway in the illustrious all-time QB list.

The post Why Drew Brees really had a better career than Brett Favre AND John Elway appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The big arm, humble, 27-year-old quarterback Jameis Winston took the New Orleans Saints to a 5-2 record in 2021 before tearing his ACL in Week 7. It’s disappointing that Winston had a brutal exit after several games, but there are positives to reflect on with the former Buccaneers and Saints starting QB. 

The Saints QB that signed to be Drew Brees’s apprentice in 2020 has seen impressive personal growth on and off the field. Winston took the reigns from Brees and showed strong leadership and control of the locker room. Most importantly, the once turnover machine revolted into a sharp signal-caller with big play-making potential. 

Here is an overview of Winston’s 2021 stats 

*according to Pro Football Reference

• Passer rating of 102.8  (career-best)

• 14 passing touchdowns in 7 games

• 1.9% Int percentage (career-best)

It’s well documented that Winston has been a stud in a Saints uniform. Sean Payton has cleaned up Winston’s mistakes and he’s inserted him an offense that has the elite Alvin Kamara and was once healthy upfront.

With that being said, Winston is set to become a free agent in the 2022 offseason. It’s not clear if Payton wants to keep Winston and if the two sides can agree on a deal that makes sense for the Saints, but can also please the improved QB. There have also been numerous reports linking Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, and Aaron Rodgers to the Saints. So, what will the Saints do at the QB spot this offseason, and will Winston be a part of their plans? 

Let’s go under the microscope and see if Winston will remain a Saint or if he will find the next chapter of his journey elsewhere.

• Denver Broncos 

The Von Miller less Denver Broncos would be a very ideal landing spot for Jameis Winston. For one, the Broncos surely don’t have a long-term answer at the QB position. Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock have been caught with the injury bug or bench warmer job. The Broncos currently hold the third-most cap space in the league and would easily have the resources to reel in the free-agent QB. 

The 7-8 AFC West squad has been surprisingly competitive with a putrid QB showing this season. If they insert the 27-year-old QB who can utilize Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, they might be an AFC contender for the next decade. Winston is also a much better QB option than any option in the draft for the AFC West team looking at a mid-first-round pick. 

• Detroit Lions 

The Detroit Lions might have the audacity to win a bidding war for Winston. Dan Campbell (former assistant Saints coach) has strong ties to his former colleague Sean Payton and he may believe that the Saints QB would be a great signing over a rookie QB in the current predicament. The Lions situation at WR and OL is nerve-wracking for a rookie QB, but a QB experienced with “making a lot out of a little” may be able to translate in a modest way early on for Detroit. It doesn’t appear that vengeful Jared Goff will be the franchise QB in the Motor City. Expect DET to try and take a big jump with their roster this offseason without breaking the bank for a rookie QB. 

• New Orleans Saints 

I don’t foresee the Saints signing Winston to a long-term deal, but it would make a lot of sense for the two sides to agree on a short-term contract. Winston showed that he has a lot of upside in the seven games for the Saints, plus he has a lot more years left than the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson (33 years old). Winston could have the keys for 1-2 years and show how much damage he can oust on defenses for the length of the season. If the Saints elect to sign Winston over sending the house for Wilson in a trade, they will be able to keep more upcoming key free agents. Players like Marcus Williams, Marcus Davenport, Ceedy Duce, and Terron Armstead will be big free-agent decisions for the wizard Mickey Loomis.

The post 3 potential free agent landing spots for Jameis Winston  appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

by: Reese Nasser

NFL great and longtime New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees announced his retirement early in the off-season. While this came as no surprise considering Brees had a 20-year career, all eyes were on how the Saints would address the QB position. The Saints currently have four quarterbacks on the roster: Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, and rookie Ian Book. 

The Saints have options at quarterback and it is still unknown who will be QB1 once the season begins. But did the Saints make a mistake? Should they have traded for a player like Carson Wentz or moved up in the draft to take someone else? Or will the duo of Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston be enough? Let’s take a look. 

The Case for Jameis 

Jameis Winston has proven to be a quality starting quarterback in the NFL. His record of 28-42 during his six-year career can’t be all attributed to him as the teams he played on in Tampa were never great.. He showed flashes during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and it was enough for the Saints to take a chance on him. In his last full season with the Buccaneers, he threw for 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions; becoming the first and only player in the 30/30 club. While he has been known to be reckless on the field, he will occasionally do things like this.

Now, after spending a full season learning behind Brees and getting lasik surgery to fix his eyes, the Saints should feel comfortable handing him the keys. The risk is worth it. Brees has publicly endorsed Winston as his successor and the Saints should do the same. 

The Potential of Taysom Hill

The Saints are still clearly all in on the Taysom Hill experiment after signing him to one of the strangest contracts in NFL history. The five-year extension has four voidable years which would mean the Saints could get out of it as soon as the 2021 season ends. The 31-year old utility player will make the occasional appearance but he can’t and should not be the Saints long term plan at quarterback. While talented, he hasn’t proven to have the ability of being a QB1. 

The Rookie

The Saints selected Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book in the fourth round of this year’s draft. While Book wasn’t one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s class, he showed glimpses in college. His 72 passing touchdowns and 17 rushing touchdowns showed that he has playmaking ability.

Many analyst feel as if the Saints may have reached on this pick. Scouts had his projected draft spot in the range of rounds 5-6 yet the Saints took him in the fourth. If you felt that there was a need at quarterback, why not take one in an earlier round? At the end of the day, the Saints took a QB that they potentially see a future with somewhere down the line. So let him learn and when he’s ready, let him go ball out.

The Decision

So did the Saints make a mistake? Should they have traded up to take Justin Fields in the first? Or take a QB in the second round such as Kellon Mond or Kyle Trask? Maybe. But the Saints felt confident enough to rock with the guys that they already have on the roster. The group that they have assembled, while somewhat questionable, is still better than a decent amount of QB rooms in the NFL. So let the guys on the roster give it a shot. Give Winston the opportunity that he deserves and see if he can be what the franchise needs. The team as a whole is talented and the quarterback will make or break them. It is still too early to say that the Saints make a mistake at the QB position this off-season, but in my eyes, they made all the right moves. And if it fails and the season goes down in flames, use the first round pick next year and draft the future of the franchise. 

The post Did the Saints properly replace Drew Brees? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

There is no doubt that Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers are two of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Their talent, but more importantly their accomplishments, have earned both of them spots in the top ten of all-time at the position. They will both easily be first-ballot Hall of Famers when they become eligible.

The debate is which of these two legends should be ranked higher based on their accomplishments and abilities. It’s important to note that Brees has now officially retired so his resume is now final, while Rodgers is still playing so some of his story in the league is still unwritten. Let’s take a look back at these two great careers and determine who deserves the higher ranking.

Drew Brees Career

After playing 20 seasons in the NFL, including 5 with the Chargers and 15 with the Saints, Brees has now officially retired. To say it was a great career would be a complete understatement. It was arguably the best statistical career by any quarterback in the history of the league. At the time of his retirement, he is on top of the all-time leaderboards in several passing categories, including 80,35 passing yards on 7,142 completions with a 67.7 percent completion percentage. He is also ranked second in passing touchdowns with 571, fifth in passer rating with 98.7, and second in yards per game with 280.

Brees had the most passing yards in seven different seasons and the most touchdowns in four of them, both of which are the most in NFL history. He won the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award twice, was once a first-team all-pro selection, and was chosen for the pro bowl 13 times. He won a Super Bowl with the Saints in 2009 and was named the Super Bowl MVP.

Aaron Rodgers Career

Rodgers has spent all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Packers, and at 37 years old he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. This past season was one of the best of his entire career, and that’s saying a lot considering how good he has consistently been. He was awarded the NFL MVP this past season for the third time in his career. He has been selected as a first-team all-pro three times and to the pro bowl nine times. He won the Super Bowl in 2011 and was named the Super Bowl MVP.

His all-time passing rankings are already extremely impressive, and he still has plenty of time to climb the leaderboards even more. He currently ranks 11th in passing yards with 51,245, 10th in completions with 4,285, 7th in passing touchdowns with 412, and 12th in completion percentage with 65. One of the most impressive things in the wide skillset of Rodgers is how well he takes care of the football. This is demonstrated by his 1.4 percent interception rate, which is the best in NFL history.

The Verdict

The two legends have each won a single Super Bowl with the MVP of the game to go with it. Rodgers is way ahead in the season MVP totals with his three and counting, while Brees won zero of them. Brees absolutely dominates the current statistical totals, but again Rodgers is still playing so he has time to close that gap. Rodgers is showing no signs of decline yet either, being the reigning MVP of the league.

If looking at raw numbers only, there would be no case for Rodger to be above Brees. Greatness is not just defined by stats, there is much more that goes into it, including individual accomplishments and team success. While the team success has been very similar, the individual accomplishments have not. Brees was never once even named the MVP of the league, and at no time in his career was he considered the best current quarterback in the league.

All that being said, Rodgers is a better quarterback all-time than Brees. He has shined brighter in his career to this point, and it’s not at all over yet for him. Other factors to consider are that Brees had better weapons overall, a much better head coach, and a system specifically designed to optimize passing statistics. Rodgers did as much, if not more, with less. It’s a fairly close race between the two, but Rodgers gets the overall edge. If he can find a way to win at least one more Super Bowl before retiring, he would not only win this head-to-head comparison by a landslide, but he would catapult himself clearly into the top 5 of all time and maybe even higher.

The post Should Drew Brees be Ranked Ahead of Aaron Rodgers Right Now? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Sean Payton has consistently shown that he is the best offensive mind in the NFL since taking over as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2006. Now entering his 15th full season in this role, he will face a brand new challenge. For the first time since getting the job, he will not have the luxury of Drew Brees at the quarterback position. That is of course because Brees officially retired this offseason.

This new situation provides Payton with an excellent opportunity to remind everyone around the league just how much of an offensive genius he is. Brees is a lock to be a first-ballot hall of famer, but Payton is ready to show that he can still run a highly productive offensive scheme without him. This will certainly be a challenge, especially considering the options on the current roster at quarterback including the swiss army knife Taysom Hill, the big arm but turnover machine Jameis Winston, journeyman backup Trevor Siemian, and newly drafted rookie Ian Book.

If anyone is up for the task of losing a legend at quarterback but not missing a beat on offense, it’s Sean Payton. His track record speaks for itself and his offensive rankings are beyond impressive. Here is why he will prove it again this year.

Offensive Production

The Saints have been an absolute offensive juggernaut since Payton took over as head coach. It may be easy to forget that Brees spent the first five years of his career with the Chargers, where he was a good quarterback but by no means the legendary one that he became with the Saints. The head coach and quarterback relationship is a very important one in the NFL, and few have been on the level of Payton and Brees. It was a match made in heaven, and their offensive rankings since becoming a tandem verify that.

In their 14 season run, the Saints offense ranked first in the NFL in total yards six times, was ten times in the top five, and only once finished outside of the top ten. Their scoring rankings are just as impressive, leading the NFL twice, including nine top fives and only twice finishing outside of the top ten. They were in the top five for passing yards in eleven straight seasons including being ranked first five times. Passing touchdown rankings are a similar story, leading the league twice and finishing in the top ten in all but two seasons. The list of offensive accomplishments goes on, but they have obviously been a powerhouse in the Payton era.

No Brees, No Problem?

That is the massive question that Payton will be looking to answer this season. He will be excited to embrace this new challenge and show off his brilliance. It’s an opportunity to quiet the doubters that may believe that the success of the Saints offensive has solely been due to the greatness of Drew Brees, rather than the collaborative efforts of the pair. Payton is an extremely creative schemer and play-caller, which he has demonstrated in the way he has utilized a unique player like Taysom Hill recently and Darren Sproles in the past, as well as unlocking the true weapon that Alvin Kamara has become and setting receiving records with Michael Thomas.

Do not sleep on the Saints offense no matter who is playing quarterback. They will certainly look different than they did with Brees, but different does not necessarily mean worse. This new set of circumstances will really get the creative juices flowing again for Payton, and it will be exciting to watch what he comes up with. If there were any doubt about the genius of Sean Payton before this upcoming season, it’s highly unlikely that there still will be when it’s over. Expect to see the new Saints offense towards the top of the league once again.

The post Why Sean Payton Will Prove Again Why He is the Best Offensive Mind Without Drew Brees appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

by Michael Obermuller

In 2020, Stefon Diggs led the NFL in receptions with 127 during his inaugural season in Buffalo. It was a legendary campaign for Bills’ new WR1, but he’s still more of a newcomer when it comes to this honor. The recent king of catches has been New Orleans Saints star Michael Thomas, and he’s the only player to actually top Diggs’ 2020 output.

It was a rough 2020 for MT, starting with a high ankle sprain in Week 1. Then, after an altercation on the practice field before his expected Week 5 return, Thomas was benched and fined for breaking team rules. Things got worse from there, as the wide-out did not end up returning until Week 9 (injury flare ups). After six games on the field, Thomas finished the year off it again, joining the injured reserve before Week 15.

“Can’t Guard Mike” was the receptions leader in both 2018 and ’19, and there’s no reason to believe that he cannot take back this title again in 2021. Here’s why.

1. Career Consistency

The New Orleans Saints WR1 caught 149 passes two seasons ago, totaling 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns through the air. The next closest pass-catcher was running back Christian McCaffrey, with 116 receptions. This was not just a career season by MT, it was a campaign that will go down in the NFL history books as one of the greatest of all-time. Thomas was never a one-hit wonder either. He also led the NFL in receptions in 2018 (125), and finished third in 2017 (104).

In fact, since his rookie season in 2016, MT has only caught less than 100 passes twice; 92 as a rookie (which is actually pretty ridiculous) and 40 during his injury-ruined 2020 campaign. This is one of the most consistent players in all of football. Not wide receivers, players. No wide-out has been as steady as Thomas in terms of receptions though, and that includes rivals like DeAndre Hopkins and Davante Adams. He is currently averaging 7.3 receptions per game throughout his career, with a 77.6 percent catch rate.

2. Stats Without Brees

One of the arguments against Thomas has always been that he plays with future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, but this is an unfair critique of MT’s game. Whenever Brees has missed time in recent years, his top wide receiver has performed just as impressively without him, if not more so.

The stats above are from three games with Teddy Bridgewater in 2019. Thomas averaged 8.3 catches per game during that span, which is actually higher than that 7.3 career average. Brees also went down in 2020, and MT produced yet again (and with lingering injuries and Taysom Hill at QB this time). During four games with Hill throwing the ball, Thomas caught 30 passes for 343 yards, which averaged out to 7.5 receptions per game.

Clearly, MT doesn’t care who’s throwing him the football, so why would it matter if Jameis Winston (or Hill again) is his quarterback in 2021? If anything, Winston is known as a gunslinger who actually led the NFL in passing yardage in 2019. The Saints may also play from behind more with Jameis or Taysom at QB, which generally means more passing attempts and wide receiver targets. Thomas will be just fine without Brees, after all his nickname is Can’t Guard Mike for a reason.

3. Sean Payton

NOLA general manager Mickey Loomis extended Thomas in 2019. The five year deal was worth a record-breaking $96 million-plus. That is an expensive weapon, and don’t think for a second that head coach Sean Payton won’t milk that weapon for every penny so long as he’s wearing a Saints jersey. We are talking about one of the most creative offensive minds the game has ever seen, with one of the best pure route runners of the NFL today.

Whichever route New Orleans goes at quarterback, Thomas will be a major part of it. Outside of 2020, MT has averaged 150.5 targets per season in Payton’s offense, and the HC has already proven he can win without Brees just like the wide-out has proven he can put up numbers without his former QB. This is not meant to disparage Brees, but instead credit a couple of the key influencers on his career. The Saints have also lost WR2 Emmanuel Sanders and TE Jared Cook in free agency, meaning Payton may have to rely on his WR1 more than usual this season.

Two things are for certain; the Saints offense will score in 2021, and Michael Thomas will catch many passes so long as he’s on the field. He may even reclaim his crown.

The post Michael Thomas Will Return to the Reception King in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Courtney Burrows (Twitter: @luvtractor3)

The New Orleans Saints are heading into the playoffs as the number two seed at 12-4 on the season after beating the Carolina Panthers 33-7 on January 3rd.  Saints are one seed behind the Green Bay Packers and will play the Chicago Bears in the wildcard game this Sunday. 

The Saints also finished the season as the only NFC South team to sweep the division 6-0 since the division’s formation in 2002!  This is great news for Saints fans like me, but the real question is no matter how this playoff run shakes out, who will be the starting quarterback when the 2021 NFL season kicks off? As we know, the ageless wonder Drew Brees will soon walk off into the sunset (hopefully with a Lombardi trophy).

Drew Brees, #9, the one who revitalized New Orleans a few years after the city was still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Brees did this with a 31-17 win over the Colts for Superbowl XLIV. 

Brees has been the leader of the Saints for 15 seasons, and his leadership, work ethic, and dependability has been a staple for New Orleans and Sean Payton.   At the end of Week 10 this season, Brees held the NFL record for career pass completions, completion percentage, and passing yards.  

Can anyone doubt this man’s ability or the way the fans and city of New Orleans hold him in high regard and in some cases like a god that has led with vivacious charisma and poise?  Now, what do the Saints do if he retires at the end of this season?  Where do we go from here?  Who will Coach Payton use to carry the torch? This question keeps Saints fans up at night. 

This Wild Card weekend, as a devout Saints fan, I wonder if this will be my last chance to see the incredible quarterback play, pass, and point to the Heavens after a touchdown.  I doubt it as I am predicting the Saints victorious over The Bears with a score of 27-20.  The Saints have been down this road before and the last few seasons have come up short, but with Brees potentially retiring, I am riding the Saints all the way to the Super Bowl. 

Who will take over?

Currently, the Saints QB roster consists of backups Taysom Hill and Jamies Winston.  In Week 10, Brees was injured and went on IR for 11 broken ribs and a punctured lung.  It was Hill not Winston that Payton leaned looked to for help. 

Hill started Week 11 vs the Falcons and threw for 233 yards and rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns.  Hill played like it wasn’t his first career start in the NFL.  There were definitely growing pains as Hill fumbled and was sacked three times, but he completed 78 percent of his passes and secured a victory. 

He continued to propel the Saints with wins versus the QB-less Broncos in Week 12 and the Atlanta again in Week 13.  Week 14 was a different story as the Saints fell to the Eagles yet Hill still threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. 

Hill’s explosiveness in scrambling, rushing, and often drop back passing is very encouraging and refreshing, but he also ranks as the 25^th QB when pressured (sighs).  Hill signed a 21 million, 2-year deal in April 2020 making him expensive but obviously still slated to be a Saint for the 2021 season.  Winston too signed a contract with the Saints in April 2020, but it was only for one year, so he is due to become a free agent. 

So, what do we make of Winston’s future in NOLA?  Recently in a Huddle and Flow Podcast interview, Payton seemed to lean that Winston will get another shot at the helm if a new contract is extended through 2021.  Interesting but smart to leave the door open.  Let’s look at other options as well.

There is also a chance that Sam Darnold needs a home if the Jets draft Justin Fields in the first round.  Darnold is a modest QB that needs a real coach, one that will utilize his talents and teach him to reach his full potential. 

Could Payton be the coach that Darnold needs?  The Saints are already maxed out on salary cap, but trades and draft picks could be exploited, but is Darnold better in the long run than Winston or Hill?  This fan is not so sure. 

The long-term potential of Winston looks more inviting than Darnold since we know Winston can show up if he has a great supporting cast in an offensive line and center and The Saints do.  Another name to add to the mix is Ryan Fitzpatrick.  Yes, he is older and has been on more teams than one can count, but he continues to prove himself time and time again when he gets the start.  Fitzmagic might be a cheap pick up and one to have in the back pocket if Winston is lured elsewhere. 

Head Versus Heart and Forever Grateful

That all being said, The Saints should select a QB in the first few rounds of the 2021 draft–a QB selected in a draft that has high potential to be the franchise face for years to come.

Hill is 30 years old and Winston is 27.  I feel that Hill and Winston will battle for the starting role, but I do not believe that either are the long-term answer to replace Brees, they are simply the short-term fix.  Brees has been such an essential piece, and there are only so many quarterbacks that can be successful in their late 30s and early 40s in this league.   

My heart tells me Hill will start in 2021 because he has the experience in the Sean Payton system (knows the screens well, protection, and shot plays), but my head tells me it will be Winston because he is more ambitious than before while carrying more talent. 

My final piece to all of this is that whoever takes over for the Saints will never be able to hold a candle to the greatness that Drew Brees has bestowed on my beloved Saints and the beautiful city and people of New Orleans.  I am bestowed into my keyboard as I look forward to watching Brees play in all his glory this Wild Card weekend. I will always be thankful and grateful to Tom Benson for seeing his potential and taking a chance on the future Hall of Famer, #9, Drew Brees. 

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