Cameron Jordan just signed a one-year extension to stay with the Saints for his 16th season. And if you ask Darius Slay, the defensive end’s place in franchise history is already set in stone.
The Eagles cornerback and Super Bowl champion knows a thing or two about legacy. He watched Jordan up close for years as an NFC East opponent, and he sees something that goes beyond stats.
“Cameron Jordan, besides Drew Brees, is the face of New Orleans,” Slay said on NFL on ESPN. “He’s a real d-end, he does it all. He’s a guy that’s willing to stop the run and sacrifice his body. I love that they kept him back. It reminds me of (Brandon Graham) for the Philadelphia Eagles. Loves the team, brings in great energy, great everything. I’m excited for him going into this year, 132 sacks is crazy.”
That puts Jordan in rare company. Brees is the standard for Saints legends — the Super Bowl ring, the passing records, the 15 seasons that turned the franchise into a contender. But Jordan is building his own case. He was a first-round pick in 2011 and has stacked up eight Pro Bowls and one All-Pro nod. Through 243 games, he’s got 763 tackles, 248 quarterback hits and those 132 sacks. Ten and a half of those sacks came in 2025. At 37 years old, he isn’t slowing down.
A Career Built on Consistency
Jordan has been the anchor of the Saints defensive line for basically the entire Brees era and beyond. He’s not just a pass rusher. He sets the edge against the run, he eats double teams, he plays hurt. That versatility is what Slay kept coming back to. “He does it all.”
It’s also why the extension made sense for both sides. The Saints get a leader who knows the system inside out. Jordan gets to finish what he started in New Orleans, possibly with one last playoff push. He doesn’t have a ring yet, but Slay’s point was bigger than hardware. Jordan is the guy fans identify with the franchise over the last decade and a half.
“When it’s all said and done, Slay expects Jordan to be in the same realm as Drew Brees in terms of historical faces of the franchise.” That quote from the ESPN segment lands differently when you look at the numbers. Jordan ranks second all-time in sacks among active players. He’s played more games as a Saint than anyone except Brees and a few others. And the way he’s still producing? That suggests he’s got a couple more years left if he wants them.
The Saints will open the season with Jordan lining up at defensive end, same as always. Nothing flashy, just consistent pressure and veteran leadership. And when he eventually walks off the field for the last time, don’t expect New Orleans to let him fade into the background. Like Slay said, he’s already royalty there.
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