Despite Pro Bowl snub, Demario Davis remains one of best in NFL

Let’s be very clear.

The Pro Bowl is no longer a clear measure of identifying pure excellence and the best of the best in the NFL.

Players are voted into it, quite often, based on reputation and not performance.

Other deserving players do not get elected for their brilliant performance because they lack the reputation.

The true measure of greatness now is being elected as an All-Pro, not the Pro Bowl.

Now that we have dispensed with my mild tirade, let’s explore the selection of four New Orleans Saints to this season’s Pro Bowl rosters.

For J.T. Gray, the recognition is overdue.

In the annuls of New Orleans Saints history, there have been exceptional special teams players.

Fred McAfee was likely the best overall special teams player in team history in all aspects, returning 106 kickoffs, recording 90 tackles and making the Pro Bowl in 2002 for his special teams prowess.

Other superb special teams players in team history include Rich Mauti, Bill Cody, Steve Gleason and there have been others.

In the return game, John Gilliam and Walter “Flea” Roberts were special in the early days, Wes Chandler could scare anyone, Mel Gray was a real threat, and Courtney Roby was good. Tyrone Hughes and Michael Lewis were at the top of their trade and the league and earned induction into the Saints Hall of Fame for their accomplishments. Deonte Harris, when healthy, is elite in today’s NFL.

Speaking of today’s NFL, there is no better gunner than J.T. Gray, who has made his mark clearly.

In his fourth season with the team, Gray has played in 51 games. Gray has 46 tackles and has recovered three fumbles.

If you are watching weekly over the last couple of seasons, you have to have noticed No. 48. He is always around the ball and opposing return men certainly fear him.

Gray finally got his just due, earning a Pro Bowl honor for his work. Keep in mind that Gray earned first team All-Pro honors for his work in 2019 by Pro Football Focus and second team honors from the Associated Press.

Alvin Kamara is clearly one of the elite players in the NFL at his position.

Kamara remained perfect, now 5-for-5 in terms of seasons in the league and Pro Bowl selections.

Kamara has earned it.

Kamara is an outstanding runner.

Kamara is a brilliant receiver.

When called upon, Kamara can return kicks in outstanding fashion.

He is the most versatile player on the team, along with Taysom Hill.

Kamara has earned second team All-Pro honors in three different seasons and that could grow to four by the end of the 2021 season.

With a chopped up, below average offensive line, Kamara’s yards-per-carry average is down but his productivity is on par with his best seasons.

Kamara has accounted for 1,045 yards on 225 total touches. He will easily break his mark for the most carries in the season, set to well exceed 200 carries, despite missing four games due to injury. Simply put, the Saints have leaned on him very heavily with the lack of quality receivers, the lack of quality quarterback play and the lack of quality offensive line play. He is the most indispensable player on the offense.

For Marshon Lattimore, the recognition is nothing new. This is the fourth Pro Bowl selection for Lattimore, who, when healthy, is clearly among the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

Lattimore has been received first team All-NFC recognition previously in 2017 and 2019.

Lattimore has been in on 59 tackles and a pair of interceptions despite opponents not throwing at him very often with a rookie (Paulson Adebo) occupying the other side of the field. Opposing quarterbacks complete just 54.8 percent of their passes against Lattimore, who also has 18 passes defended.

You cannot be happier for Cameron Jordan.

He is one of the greatest players in franchise history, now just the second player to wear the black and gold to exceed 100 sacks, joining the best defensive player in franchise history in Rickey Jackson in that category.

Jordan is also one of the most personable, finest people to ever play for the New Orleans Saints, nominated again as the team’s Man of the Year Walter Payton Award candidate.

In his 11th season, Jordan is still a solid, effective NFL player.

He has not been great or excellent this season but he has still been good.

In fact, Jordan has been silent in many games.

This past weekend was his best game of 2021 by far as he earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors with five tackles, two for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble in a 9-0 win at Tampa Bay.

Despite being quiet in many games, Jordan is on par to match many of the measurables in his brilliant career.

Jordan has 43 combined tackles, six sacks and 16 quarterback hits.

In his best season in the league in 2019, Jordan had 53 tackles, 15.5 sacks and 25 quarterback hits.

In 2020, Jordan recorded 51 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits.

For his career, Jordan has averaged 51.4 tackles, 9.4 sacks and 18.4 quarterback hits per season.

Simply put, Jordan is on schedule to have his typical year in year 11 if he finishes strong.

Then, there are the snubs.

Rookie Blake Gillikin is sixth in the NFL in average yards per punt at 48.2 yards per effort. Gillikin is fourth in the league in punts inside the 20-yard line with 23.

Andy Lee of Arizona averages 49.5 yards per punt with only 11 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Jack Fox of Detroit averages 49.3 yards per punt with only 16 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Tress Way of Washington averages 48.9 yards per punt with only 17 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Gillikin compares well, make that very well with those three at the top of the NFC list of punters.

Of course, Gillikin is a rookie and lacks a reputation. If he continues the excellence displayed in 2021, his time will come.

Demario Davis received first team All-Pro honors in 2019 and second team All-Pro honors in 2020. He was ranked as the best linebacker in the NFL in pass coverage in 2019 by Pro Football Focus. Davis has been regularly ranked in the top five in the league overall at his position by that entity.

Davis was not selected for the Pro Bowl in either of the 2019 and 2020 seasons, beyond snub status. That omission was simply stupid for those making the decisions. Were they watching at all?

It is not as if the New Orleans Saints were a poor, also-ran team.

New Orleans was 13-3 in 2019 and 12-4 in 2020, winning the NFC South in both seasons.

In 2021, Davis has excelled once again, the unquestionable team leader following the retirement of Drew Brees.

Like Jordan, Davis is an amazing person and teammate, universally liked, even loved, clearly respected.

That respect apparently has not reached those who engage in picking Pro Bowl players.

That Davis has never made a Pro Bowl in his four seasons in New Orleans is a travesty, ridiculous.

He has been the best defensive player on a consistently very good team, the heart and soul of the unit.

In 2021, Davis has 95 tackles, including 13 for loss, three sacks, nine quarterback hits and six passes defended.

Davis is a rare breed, an every-down player who seldom leaves the field.

He plays with passion and pride, a shining example to teammates, young and old.

Most importantly, Davis is the ultimate warrior, as durable as they come.

In his four seasons with the Saints, Davis has never missed a game.

The very best of the best of the current franchise era in Brees, Kamara, Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Terron Armstead and Michael Thomas have all missed multiple games, in some cases, many games.

Jordan missed his first game ever in 11 seasons two weeks ago due to COVID-19 protocols, an amazing fact.

While Jordan continues to get his just due, Davis lingers in virtual obscurity nationally.

Fortunately, he is totally noticed locally and fully appreciated.

Knowing Davis, he is not about recognition and ego.

While he certainly would like to be appreciated, Davis is all about being at a consistently excellent level weekly and about winning.

Demario Davis is a winner on the field and in life, as is Jordan.

Gray, Kamara and Lattimore are winners and deeply appreciated. Gillikin has a great future.

All are the ultimate pros, regardless of what the virtually meaningless Pro Bowl does annually as it continues to meander in accelerated fashion to becoming virtually insignificant.