Watching the Saints has been an up-and-down proposition through the first four games of the season, but there have been a handful of standouts.
Two Saints players have landed on Pro Football Focus' first quarter All Pro lineup. One is obvious, the other might surprise you.
The obvious choice? That'd be free safety Marcus Williams, who has been a lockdown piece in the Saints' secondary while playing in a contract year after being given the franchise tag.
"Williams has never had a bad season in the NFL, and that doesn’t look like it's changing any time soon," PFF writes
He's been credited with three missed tackles on the year, but has an overall coverage grade of 74.9 and a run defense grade of 67.3, both above average at his position. Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde was the other first-team selection, with Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard selected to the second team.
The other first-team selection is likely a bit of a surprise. That'd be wide receiver Ty Montgomery, who has stood out as a gunner in coverage -- a role he's taken on for the first time this season after the departure of special teams ace Justin Hardee in free agency. Montgomery, working full-time as a wide receiver after years spent at running back, has four special teams tackles in just 57 snaps. But the Saints weren't done: Running back Dwayne Washington was the second-team pick at the position.
The lone other Saints' pick in PFF's listing was right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who was given second-team honors at his position behind Cleveland Browns RT Jack Conklin.
The rundown shows what's been apparent thus far for the Saints: There have been impressive contributions on defense and special teams, but the offense has left much to be desired over the first month of the 2021 season. The offense appeared to get untracked a bit in Week 4 against the Giants, but any progress by Jameis Winston and Co. was marred by a late surge and upset at the Superdome.
The Saints will look to get back on the winning track with a trip to face the Washington Football Team in Week 5 before a bye week, after which the team is likely hopeful to get a number of players back from injured reserve. The most notable among that group is wide receiver Michael Thomas, who has spent the better part of the past year recovering from an ankle injury suffered in against the Tampa Bucs to open the 2020 season.
