| 41 Antonie Bethea, FS. Antoine Bethea: Bethea is a five-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowl selection. Boasting a high football IQ, Bethea hasn't received national attention as a preeminent safety.  |
33 Melvin Bullitt, SS. Undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2007, Bullitt has stepped into replace injury-prone star Bob Sanders the past two seasons. A physical presence, Bullitt notched 77 tackles in 2009.  |
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| 55 Clint Session, OLB, So. A fourth-round pick in 2007, Session is an undersized weak-side linebacker with the speed to star in the Colts' Cover-2 scheme. Session led the team with 103 tackles in 2009.  |
58 Gary Brackett, MLB. The Colts' consummate defensive leader, Brackett was an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2003. Second on the team with 99 tackles, Brackett boasts impressive gap control and closing speed.  |
50 Philip Wheeler, OLB. A third-round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2008, Wheeler made just 61 tackles during the regular season. The strong-side linebacker is credited with fine coverage skills.  |
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| 25 Jerraud Powers, CB. The third-round rookie out of Auburn has been a starter since day one, but has dealt with a nagging injury. Jacob Lacey could step in if Powers' foot remains an issue.  |
93 Dwight Freeney, DE. An All-Decade honoree, Freeney notched his fifth Pro Bowl and third All Pro selections in 2009. He racked up 13.5 sacks in 12 games as arguably the league's best defensive end.  |
90 Daniel Muir, DT, Sr. An undrafted free agent in 2007, Muir entered the starting lineup after six games when Ed Johnson was cut. Tied for fifth on the team with 78 tackles, Muir is a solid run-stopper.  |
99 Antonio Johnson, DT. A late-bloomer, Johnson is an athletic run-stopper plucked off the Titans practice squad last season. He keyed a unit that finished in the NFL's top 10 in rushing TDs allowed.  Antonio J at espn |
98 Robert Mathis, DE. The under-sized pass rusher has emerged from Dwight Freeney's shadow, earning his second straight Pro Bowl selection after recording 9.5 sacks in 2009. He's up to 63 sacks in his seven-year career.  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ 2005/players/11/22/fist.person1128/ index.html |
26 Kelvin Hayden, CB. The five-year veteran out of Illinois was plagued by knee and hamstring injuries throughout the regular season. Now healthy, Hayden (50 tackles, 1 INT) is the team's best cover corner.  |
| 12 Marques Coltson, WR. Drew Brees' favorite target, Colston is a 6-4 monster with outstanding body control and a fabulous reach. The seventh-rounder out of Hofstra has topped 1,000 yards in three of his four seasons.  |
17 Robert Meachem, WR. A 2007 first-rounder out of Tennessee, Meachem finally realized his potential as a big-play threat with nine touchdowns this season. He's expected to be healthy after an ankle injury.  |
74 Jermon Bushrod, LT. Replacing star Jammal Brown, Bushrod has held his own against the league's premier pass rushers. Nicknamed "Big Neck," the athletic 2007 fourth-rounder out of Towson will protect Drew Brees' blindside.  |
77 Carl Nicks, LG. A fifth-round steal out of Nebraska in 2008, the 6-5 345-pound Nicks is a road-grader in the Saints' ground attack. Along with Jahri Evans, the Saints boast perhaps the league's nastiest guard duo.  |
76 Jonathan Goodwin, C. Earning his first Pro Bowl nod this season, the eight-year veteran has gone from a backup to Jeff Faine to an asset on the league's best offensive line.  nfl.fanhouse.com page and photo |
73 Jahri Evans, RG. Arguably the league's best guard, Evans earned Pro Bowl and first-team All Pro honors for the first time. He's started all 64 games since being drafted in the fourth round in 2006.  |
78 Jon Stinchcomb, RT. After beginning his career as a reserve, Stinchcomb has started every game for the past four seasons. Improving as a run-blocker, he earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2009.  |
88 Jeremy Shockey, TE. The four-time Pro Bowl selection's production has tailed off in the second half of both seasons with the Saints. Injuries have robbed Shockey of his explosiveness, but he remains a willing blocker.  |
19 Devery Henderson, WR. The 2004 second-rounder is a deep threat specializing in the big play. Henderson has twice led the NFL in yards per reception, and his career average of 19.7 leads all active players.  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ football/nfl/players/6809/ | ||
| 9 Drew Brees, QB. An MVP candidate the past two seasons, Brees has been edged out by Peyton Manning twice. The rifle-armed QB completed an NFL record 70.6 percent of his passes with 4,388 yards and 34 TDs.  |
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| 23 Pierre Thomas, RB. Undrafted out of Illinois, Thomas combines Reggie Bush's elusiveness with Deuce McAllister's leg-drive and vision. He's averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 8.5 yards per reception the past three seasons.  |
| x | x | x | x | x | 29 Joseph
Addai, RB. A fine blocking back with reliable hands, Addai lacks big-play ability as a runner. The key red-zone weapon combined for 13 TDs in 2009 but managed just 828 rushing yards at 3.8 per attempt.  |
x | x | x | x | x |
| x | x | x | x | x | 18 Peyton
Manning, QB. Manning, 2008 and 2009 MVP, threw for 4500 yards in 2009. 
Email from David Virgil Hobbs to Peyton Manning sent Sunday Super
Bowl day 2010 is here
|
x | x | x | x | x |
| 87 Reggie
Wayne, WR. The four-time Pro Bowl player has taken the baton from Marvin Harrison, establishing himself as Peyton Manning's go-to receiver. Wayne caught 100 passes for 1,264 yards and 10 TDs in 2009.  |
17 Austin
Collie, WR. A first-team all-rookie selection, Collie's diligent work in the filmroom paid off. With 60 receptions and seven TDs, he's emerged as one of the league's most effective slot receivers.  |
74 Charlie
Johnson, LT. Seen as the offensive line's weak link, Johnson has earned his coaches trust with versatility and toughness. The four-year vet has started 39 games the past four years.  |
65 Ryan
Lilja, LG. While the Colts continue to shuffle through guards on the right side, Lilja has been a rock on the left side since his rookie season. The five-year vet has started 59 games since 2004.  |
63 Jeff
Saturday, C. The four-time Pro Bowl selection  |
66 Kyle
DeVan, RG. Undrafted out of Oregon St. in 2008, the substitute teacher had been cut four times before the Colts came calling. DeVan won the starting job at mid-season and hasn't looked back.  |
71 Ryan
Diem, RT. Since his second season in 2002, Diem has been entrenched as a starter. The Pro Bowl snub was the lynchpin on a unit that allowed just 13 sacks, the lowest by a team in 10 years.  |
x | 44 Dallas
Clark, TE. Peyton Manning's safety blanket led all tight ends with 100 receptions and 1,106 yards, throwing in 10 TDs for good measure. He earned his first All Pro and Pro Bowl selections in 2009.  |
85 Pierre
Garcon, WR. A second-year player, Garcon emerged as a down-field threat after Anthony Gonzalez' injury. The Colts' best after-the-catch receiver totaled 765 yards at 16.3 per reception.  |
| 22 Tracy
Porter, CB. Porter teamed with free agent additions Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper to turn the Saints' pass defense around. After dealing with a late-season knee sprain, he's now healthy and playing well. 
Porter at fanhouse.com
|
x | x | 93 Bobby
McCray, DE. A Jaguars castoff, McCray has made his mark in the playoffs with vicious hits to aging quarterbacks Kurt Warner and Brett Favre. He's instilled a much-needed "fear" factor in the Saints defense.  |
92 Remi
Ayodele, DE, Sr. Two years removed from the Cowboys' practice squad, Ayodele displaced Kendrick Clancy as the starting nose tackle. He's made huge strides as a run defender since joining the Saints last season.  |
98 Sedrick
Ellis, DT. The 2008 first-rounder missed six games at mid-season, causing a severe dropoff in the Saints' run defense. Now healthy, the "three-technique" tackle is back to every-down duties.  |
91 Will
Smith, DE. Though he remains a liability in the run game, only four players recorded more than Smith's 13 sacks this season. The Saints' most disruptive pass rusher has 49.5 sacks in five seasons.  |
x | x | 2 Jabari
Greer, CB. A key free-agent import, the former Buffalo Bill emerged as a shutdown corner in 2009. Had he not missed seven games due to sports hernia surgery, Greer would have been a lock for the Pro Bowl.  |
| x | x | x | x | 58 Scott
Shanle, SLB. The seven-year veteran has started 59 of 60 games since the Saints acquired him from the Cowboys four years ago. Shanle finished fourth on the team with 69 tackles in 2009.  |
51 Jonathan
Vilma, MLB. The centerpiece of Gregg Williams' attacking 4-3 defense, Vilma is the leading tackling and defensive leader. The six-year veteran earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2009.  |
55 Scott
Fujita, OLB. The brainy veteran has been defying stereotypes since being drafted by the Chiefs in 2002. An underrated athlete, Fujita has displayed a knack for big plays on his way to 58 tackles this season.  |
x | x | x |
| x | x | x | x | 42 Darren
Sharper, FS. After returning three picks for touchdowns in 2009, Sharper now trails only Rod Woodson with 11 total interception return TDs. The ballhawk is perhaps the key cog in an opportunistic defense.  |
41 Roman
Harper, SS. A second-round pick out of Alabama in 2006, Harper has been the one constant in the Saints' secondary. The team's second-leading tackler earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2009.  |
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