All-NFC South Team of 2010s: Which edge rushers join Cameron Jordan?

Story by

Story by
All-NFC South Team of 2010s: Which edge rushers join Cameron Jordan?

John Sigler, Saints Wire · Saints Wire

Thu, Jul 16, 2026 ·

4 min read

About Our Ads

We're on to the defense in our All-NFC South Team of the 2010s, starting with the edge rushers. Cameron Jordan established himself as the top dog in the division during this decade while helping steer the New Orleans Saints through some down years and into their best sustained success from 2017 to 2020. But he wasn't the only standout. Here's a look at the representatives from the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers (better luck next time, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans).

Methodology

One key stat we're relying on is Approximate Value from Pro Football Reference , which PFR defines as "an attempt to put a single number on the seasonal value of a player at any position from any year." In practice, that means giving higher numbers to player who start more games, play more snaps, and do more to help their team win by racking up yards, scoring touchdowns, creating turnovers and sacking quarterbacks, and so on. We're also assigning point values to being named a first-team All-Pro (ten points), second-team All-Pro (five points), and Pro Bowler (three points). And then we're adding those numbers together. Remember, these are all-decade teams for the NFC South, which didn't exist until 2002, and only contributions on the four teams in the division factor into our formula. So Drew Brees earning a Pro Bowl nod with the San Diego Chargers in 2005 doesn't help him, for example.

First team: Cameron Jordan

Oct 15, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) dunks the ball over the goal post after his fourth quarter touchdown at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Saints won, 52-38. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Team: New Orleans Saints (2011 to 2019)
AV:91
Awards:All-Pro first team (1) All-Pro second team (2), Pro Bowler (5)
Score:126

Jordan was a model of consistency after notching a single sack in 2011 -- he had at least 7.5 sacks, every year, from 2012 to 2022. He finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2017 after making what he called an NBA-style "triple-double" with 13 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and 11 passes defensed. Jordan also scored his only touchdown that season by intercepting Matthew Stafford in the end zone. If Jordan does make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday, it'll be because of his best years in the 2010s.

First team: Charles Johnson

Oct 12, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson (95) during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Team: Carolina Panthers (2010 to 2017)
AV:51
Awards:N/A
Score:51

Johnson wasn't a consistent start until his fourth year in the league (playing behind established stars like Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker as a third-round pick will do that), but he produced double-digit sacks in three different seasons once he got his chance. He also owns a Panthers franchise record with five postseason sacks across seven playoff games. He may have not gotten the Pro Bowls and All-Pro recognition he deserved but Johnson played his way into the first team on our list.

Second team: Vic Beasley

Dec 18, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley (44) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Team:Atlanta Falcons (2015 to 2019)
AV:34
Awards:All-Pro first team (1), Pro Bowler (1)
Score:47

Beasley arrived in Atlanta as a much-hyped draft pick, broke out with 15.5 sacks and six forced fumbles in 2016 (leading the league in both categories), and then plummeted to an afterthought just a few years later. He couldn't sustain his physique on a slight frame and struggled to translate speed to power once opposing blockers got a feel for his game. But there weren't many more challenging blocking assignments around the NFL when he was at his best.

Second team: John Abraham

November 25, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive end John Abraham (55) rushes as Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Luke Stocker (88) blocks during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Team:Atlanta Falcons (2010 to 2012)
AV:32
Awards:All-Pro first team (1), Pro Bowler (1)
Score:48

Here's another Falcons who deserves mention -- but Abraham's timing was off, with his best years split between the end of the 2000s and the start of the 2010s. He still had a great year in 2010 with 13 sacks and 18 tackles for loss, plus the only interception of his career. They Falcons maybe should have held onto him a little later after Abraham had 11.5 sacks in 2013 with the Arizona Cardinals , earning another Pro Bowl, but he suffered a scary career-ending injury in 2014. All told, he finished with 133.5 sacks, bagging 68.5 of them in Atlanta.