All-NFC South Team of 2010s: How many Saints on the offensive line?

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All-NFC South Team of 2010s: How many Saints on the offensive line?

John Sigler, Saints Wire · Saints Wire

Wed, Jul 15, 2026 ·

5 min read

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We've reached thet all-important offensive line in our All-NFC South Team of the 2010s, which proved to be a good decade for the New Orleans Saints offensive line. But how many members of the black and golad made the cut? They weren't the only blue-chip blockers putting in the hard work in the division, with both the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons landingh multiple starters on our list. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't have as much success in the 2010s, but their time will come. Let's get into it.

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 offensive tackle: Terron Armstead

Oct 31, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead (72) against Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Team: New Orleans Saints (2013-2019)
AV:48
Awards:All-Pro second team (1), Pro Bowler (2)
Score:59

It's a close competition at the top for offensive tackles -- just four points separated Armstead from one of his teammates and a division rival. And it was Armstead's postseason awards that made the difference. While he suffered a string of injuries during his Saints career, Armstead was almost always the best lineman on the field on either side of the ball, healthy or not. He did a lot to elevate the offense and keep Drew Brees clean on some great Saints teams.

First team offensive guard: Jahri Evans

New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans sets to block against the Indianapolis Colts at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi on August 26, 2006. The Colts won 27-14. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Team: New Orleans Saints (2010 to 2016)
AV:92
Awards:All-Pro first team (3), All-Pro second team (1), Pro Bowler (5)
Score:142

It's a shame that Evans hasn't already been inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, twice finishing as a finalist but coming up just short of enshrinement. He was the NFL's best guard for most of the decade (and the previous one) which is reflected in all of his postseason awards. The Saints offense experienced some highs and lows during his tenure but Evans always locked down the right side of the line.

First team center: Ryan Kalil

Dec 10, 2017; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil (67) on the field in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Team: Carolina Panthers (2010 to 2018)
AV:70
Awards:All-Pro first team (2), All-Pro second team (1), Pro Bowler (4)
Score:107

Kalil arrived in Carolina as a second-round pick in 2007 and started at the pivot point for the next decade, proving himself as a dependable leader for the rest of the offensive line. All told, he started 145 of 148 regular season games for the Panthers plus eight playoff games. That's exactly what teams hope for out of Day 2 draft picks.

First team offensive guard: Trai Turner

Nov 3, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive guard Trai Turner (70) lines up during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Team:Carolina Panthers (2014 to 2019)
AV:46
Awards:Pro Bowler (5)
Score:61

Turner was a player the Saints coveted in the 2014 draft, but the Panthers got to him first. And he earned five consecutive Pro Bowls over the next five years. He was one of the better interior linemen of his day, but Turner's play fell off later in his career before he suffered a season-ending injury at Saints training camp in 2023. Still, there weren't many blockers who could outwork him when he was healthy and at his best.

First team offensive tackle: Jake Matthews

Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Falcons tackle Jake Matthews (70) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Team:Atlanta Falcons (2014 to 2019)
AV:55
Awards:Pro Bowler (1)
Score:58

He never got the postseason awards he may have deserved, but Matthews was a remarkably consistent and durable starter for Atlanta. He started all 201 games he appeared in between the playoffs (5) and the regular season (196), never missing a game after a single absence his rookie year.

Second team offensive tackle: Ryan Ramczyk

Jan 1, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (71) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Team:New Orleans Saints (2017 to 2019)
AV:40
Awards:All-Pro first team (1), All-Pro second team (1)
Score:55

Ramczyk's career was cut short by a really unfortunate knee injury, but he started it strong and looked to be on the same sky-high trajectory as his predecessor Jahri Evans. He did well for himself after initially going to a trade school before committing to football. What's most impressive is that he spent his senior year at Wisconsin starting at left tackle, remained there in training camp, and was the Saints' Week 1 starter until a surprise injury forced him to move to right tackle. He never went back.

Second team offensive guard: Carl Nicks

Oct. 10, 2010; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints guard (77) Carl Nicks against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Saints 30-20. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Team:New Orleans Saints (2010 and 2011), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012 and 2013)
AV:33
Awards:All-Pro first team (1), All-Pro second team (1), Pro Bowler (2)
Score:54

Nicks leaving the Saints in free agency is another great "what if" moment in team history. He made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in each of the first two years in this decade before signing a lucrative contract with Tampa Bay , where he picked up a nasty staph infection that ultimately ended his career at what should have been his athletic prime.

Second team center: Alex Mack

Oct 7, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Atlanta Falcons center Alex Mack (51) at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won 41-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Team:Atlanta Falcons (2016 to 2019)
AV:51
Awards:All-Pro second team (2), Pro Bowler (3)
Score:70

Mack was, pound for pound, one of the most gifted athletes in the NFL during his heyday and proved to be a model of consistency after signing with Atlanta in 2016. He was a perfect fit in Kyle Shanahan's offense and did a lot to develop a frustratingly effective Falcons rushing attack.

Second team offensive guard: Andrus Peat

Oct 22, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Andrus Peat (75) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Team:New Orleans Saints (2015 to 2019)
AV:40
Awards:Pro Bowler (2)
Score:46

It took too long for the Saints to figure out what to do with Andrus Peat; they tried him out at both left tackle and right tackle before deciding he was best suited for the left side, and better deployed inside at guard. Peat had some very frustrating moments but ultimately did earn a couple of Pro Bowls for his hard work.

Second team offensive tackle Demar Dotson

Nov 9, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA;Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Demar Dotson (69) blocks against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Team:Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010 to 2019)
AV:51
Awards:N/A
Score:51

Dotson was an undrafted free agent success story with the Buccaneers, not starting a single game as a rookie in 2009 and missing the 2010 season with an injury before he finally got his chance in 2011. He went on to start 114 games over the next eight years, giving the Bucs someone they could rely on at right tackle and move to the left side in a pinch. Not bad for the former USM Golden Eagle.

Honorable mention: Zach Strief, offensive tackle

Dec 28, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints tackle Zach Strief (64) smiles during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Team:New Orleans Saints (2010 to 2017)
AV:49
Awards:N/A
Score:49

Strief was the "other" seventh-round Saints draft pick in 2006, along with wide receiver Marques Colston . But he was actually drafted earlier than Colston and eventually worked his way into the lineup (who else remembers hearing "No. 64 is reporting as eligible" ten or twelve times a game?), starting 94 games for New Orleans. Strief peaked as a Pro Bowl alternate in 2013 and remained a starter until he suffered a career-ending knee injury in 2017. He continued to work around the team as a radio broadcaster before taking up coaching full-time, later following head coach Sean Payton to join the Denver Broncos .