Rewind: The 10 most valuable Saints players
No. 3 Jahri Evans
Credit: Photo by J. Pat Carter / The Associated Press
This one was simple. Talk to any official around the league and they’ll likely list right guard Jahri Evans (73) as one of the best, if not the best, guard in the NFL right now. The Saints are working on a long-term deal with Evans, a 2006 fourth-round choice out of Bloomsburg University.
Evans has started 64 consecutive games, the most ever by a Saints offensive lineman to start a career. That also puts him in third all-time with the franchise, 14 behind Bob Pollard and 27 behind Rickey Jackson.
The Saints ran behind Evans 87 times this season, the fourth-most in the NFL for running behind a right guard. In teaming with right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, Evans helped the Saints average 6.08 yards per carry, which was tops in the league.
It’s hard to quantify, really, what Evans means to the team in numbers. But his solid technique and his fight up front means quarterback Drew Brees rarely gets hit from his gaps and that running backs more often than not find holes at right guard.
Evans was voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time this season and it likely won’t be the only time.
