Greatest Saint to wear a particular jersey number (1 Viewer)

[60minutes]

So, it is the offseason, which is usually the time when we tend to have nothing better to do than speculate on what the team is going to do. I thought, if we are going to opine, why not let it be fun and something that can buy some time from us.

So, I decided to see if it is possible for us to decide who is the greatest Saints player to have worn a particular number. For instance, we can pretty much say without a shadow of a doubt that Drew Brees is the best #9 we have had. Archie Manning is the best #8. Dalton Hilliard is the best #21 while Eric Martin is the best #84. Rickey Jackson is the best #57 while Pat Swilling is the best #56. Morten Anderson is the best #7 in Saints history. Willie Roaf is the best #77.

But at some positions, it is not so simple. For instance, who is the better #51: Is it Sam Mills or Jonathan Vilma? Mills probably was the better player of the two while here but Vilma has been an emotional leader and did win a Superbowl. Who is the better #41: Toi Cook or Roman Harper?

And there are those numbers where we did not have enough players, at least, that I can remember to merit consideration or the sort of challenge you might get at some positions. With that said, I will start a tentative list:

0. Obert Logan (default)
00. Ken Burrough (default)
1. Martin Grammatica
2. Aaron Brooks
3. Bobby Hebert (John Carney is the only true challenger)
4. Steve Walsh
5. Garrett Hartley (when Heath Shuler and Adrian McPherson are your competition, this one is easy)
6. Thomas Morstead (Tommy Barnhardt drew some consideration but he wore #10 too)
7. Morten Anderson
8. Archie Manning
9. Drew Brees
10. Tommy Barnhardt (longevity wins over Brian Hansen)
11. John Fourcade
12. Marques Colston
13. Kerry Collins
14. J.T. O'Sullivan (competition was Russell Erxelben)
15. Courtney Roby
16. Lance Moore (wins over Ken Stabler)
17. Billy Kilmer or Mitch Berger? Robert Meachem did have that play against the Redskins, though.
18. Jeff Blake (I know he only played half a season but Dave Wilson scared me)
19. Tom Dempsey
20. Jay Bellamy
21. Dalton Hilliard
22. Tracy Porter (Superbowl interception puts him over Fred Thomas)
23. Buford Jordan or Pierre Thomas?
24. Milton Mack
25. Reggie Bush (Fred McAfee was his closest competition)
26. Deuce McAllister
27. Reginald Jones or Malcolm Jenkins or Aaron Stecker?
28. Gene Atkins (I sure hope Ingram is here one day)
29. Sammy Knight (Sorry to Keyou Craver and Josh Bullocks)
30. Fred McAfee (since I gave it to Bush, McAfee wins it here)
31. ??? Jim Taylor? Aaron Glenn? Pierson Prioleau?
32. Jabari Greer
33. Ashley Ambrose or Tyrone Hughes?
34. Rickey Williams or Craig Heyward? Did I hear a vote for Mike McKenzie
35. Earl Campell
36. Reuben Mays
37. Tommy Myers or Steve Stonebreaker or Mel Gray or Bennie Thompson or Steve Gleason
38. George Rogers
39. Brett Maxie
40. Robert Massey? Maybe Brian Milne?
41. Toi Cook or Roman Harper
42. Darren Sharper (and it only took one year)
43. Darren Sproles (Please do not say Tyrone Leggett or Kevin Kaevihorn)
44. Dave Waymer
45. Israel Byrd
46. Danny Abramowicz
47. Kevin Houser
48. Vonta Leach (I cannot believe we had this guy--he did nothing here but neither did David Sloan)
49. Frank Wattelet
50. Curtis Lofton (this may be projecting a bit but I do not think it is Kevin Mitchell or Jack Del Rio)
51. Sam Mills or Jonathan Vilma
52. Brian Forde
53. Vaughn Johnson (no, Mark Simoneau did not come close...to the field)
54. Winfred Tubbs or Alvin Toles? I say Tubbs
55. Scott Fujita (remember when people thought Courtney Watson was just as good as Vilma?)
56. Pat Swilling
57. Rickey Jackson
58. Joe Fiederspel. (Scott Shanle??? Cie Grant??? C'mon man!)
59. Keith Mitchell
60. Derek Kennard
61. Joel Hilgenberg
62. Jerry Fontenot
63. Brad Edelman
64. Kendyl Jacox
65. LeCharles Bentley
66. Conrad Dobler
67. Stan Brock
68. Kyle Turley
69. Les Miller
70. Jammal Brown or Chris Port
71. Richard Cooper
72. Jim Dombrowski
73. Jahri Evans (I do like Frank Warren though)
74. Derland Moore
75. Bruce Clark
76. Jonathan Goodwin
77. Willie Roaf (Carl Nicks just went up against the wrong person)
78. Jonathan Stinchcomb
79. Emmanuel Zanders
80. Jimmy Graham
81. Doug Atkins
82. John Tice
83. Billy Miller (some may say Small, some Stallworth. Miller was productive and more consistent)
84. Eric Martin
85. Hoby Brenner
86. ?? This number is filled with Pre-Season Camp Studs: Onome Ojo and Zach Hilton. I remember signing Gerald Alphin and my cousin swearing he was Canada's version of Jerry Rice
87. Joe Horn (Lonzell Hill was good though)
88. Jeremy Shockey (Floyd Turner was a beast before the broken femur--I can still remember that punt return)
89. Wes Chandler or Quinn Early?
90. James Williams (boy, he could hit...Finks loved him!)
91. Will Smith (Robert Pig Goff was good though)
92. DeMond Winston? Really??
93. Wayne Martin (Darren Howard was good though)
94. Jim Wilks (this one might be debatable with Joe Johnson and Charles Grant) I am hoping Cam Jordan takes over this number one day.
95. ?? Austin Robbins? Martez Wilson has the chance to be the best, easily!
96. ?? Really drawing a blank on this one. Maybe we can draft Dion Jordan and name him the greatest to wear this number
97. La'Roi Glover (Renaldo Turnbull had one year)
98. Willie Whitehead (Sorry Sed Ellis)
99. Norman Hand

Let the debates begin, though I am not sure that there will be much debate having gone through the list. #37, #41, #51, and #94 are some of the only areas where I see true potential for debate. We have not had too many great players, and when we did, the choices were quite easy it seems.

 

[Bala Lowkz]

Much respect to Jonathan Vilma my favorite Defensive player of all time for this organization, but Sam Mills owned #51!!

 

[Symbiote]

Much respect to Jonathan Vilma my favorite Defensive player of all time for this organization, but Sam Mills owned #51!!

I totally agree, I like Vilma too but he's not even half of the player that Sam Mills was. Just the fact Mills is not a HoFer is a sin!!! I remember they used to call him the "field mouse" cause he was all over the place!

 

[Bala Lowkz]

I totally agree, I like Vilma too but he's not even half of the player that Sam Mills was. Just the fact Mills is not a HoFer is a sin!!! I remember they used to call him the "field mouse" cause he was all over the place!

I can't say J Vilma was half the player, because Vilma is A Beast, and still is to this day, but Sam Mills was just a simple wowzer! I was not around for those days, as obviously I am young, but by the film I've seen dude was a beast! The simple fact of how short he was, and what he did on that field as the general of the Dome Patrol says it all! He is a motivation to short people like me lol! Sam Mills number should be retired, and it would only be blasphemy if he doesn't end up in the hall! Rest In Peace To the general of the Dome Patrol defense!!

 

[DownWithDisease]

I would put former RB Derek Brown over Jay Bellamy for the #20. Brown played on some baaaad teams, but the kid was Dalton Hilliard lite. I loved that little guy, and he never gets any respekt! He wore #24 for a while too, and I'd put him there over Mack as well... so take your pick.. I still say replace Bellamy with him.

 

[DownWithDisease]

Keith Poole and his "leap frog" TD celebration for #83. I'd switch it quick, before he grabs his golf club.

 

[Bala Lowkz]

I'll give #60 to De La Puente since Kennard was only with the team for 3 years. Plus De La Puente Worked alot to have the position he is in. Dude went through so many practice squads it's ridiculous.

 

[Bala Lowkz]

#41 can be debatable, but since Harper has a ring under his belt along with 2 pro bowls, and twice more sacks then Toi has interceptions I will go with Harper.

Oops I saw that lol

 

[Joodas Avila]

All due respect to Patrick Robinson, but Dalton Hilliard will always be the TRUE 21!

 

[60minutes]

I would put former RB Derek Brown over Jay Bellamy for the #20. Brown played on some baaaad teams, but the kid was Dalton Hilliard lite. I loved that little guy, and he never gets any respekt! He wore #24 for a while too, and I'd put him there over Mack as well... so take your pick.. I still say replace Bellamy with him.

I cannot put Brown over Bellamy. Bellamy played longer and had greater contributions. I remember Brown. He was a beast. I remember he and Lorenzo Neal dominated the Falcons. Brown went for 82, Neal for 86 though he got hurt in that game. But they were beasting. I also remember this 35 yard TD run Brown had in preseason against the Packers where he swept outside left, cut back to the right, made two defenders miss, cut back again, made another defender miss and then broke to the right and scampered in for the touchdown. I thought he was going to be a dynamite back. Still, I cannot put him over Bellamy or Milton Mack for that matter.

 

[CitySaint]

Jumpy Geathers 97

 

[Bala Lowkz]

I'll give Scott shanle #58 as well!! The Shanle is the man!!!

 

[60minutes]

Jumpy Geathers 97

I love Jumpy, I cannot help but. He's married to my cousin. But La'Roi Glover was probably our last great interior pass rusher.

 

[Bala Lowkz]

Also Dave Wilson Gets my vote for his #18 because he was on the team for almost 10 years. Plus the old Saints fans gave him a really hard time for cheering on his injury! That was cold. He sacrificed his body out there for this team, and deserves more respect then a player that was only here for one season.

 

[Saintshizzle]

Jake Reed, big time player from Minny whe he was with Carter and Moss, came here for a few years and wore 86. He is the best 86 we have had.