Demario Davis was a timeless wonder for the New Orleans Saints, but nothing lasts forever.
For the first time since 2018, Demario Davis failed to be named first- or second-team All-Pro. Other than JT Gray, who made the All-Pro second team, Davis and rookie punter Matthew Hayball were the only Saints to receive All-Pro votes. Two voters named Davis to their first team.
Davis came to the New Orleans Saints from the New York Jets at the age of 29 without any Pro Bowl or All-Pro teams under his belt. As the calendar marked his 30th birthday, Davis shifted into a different mode.
His birthday is in January, and Davis had his season-high in tackles and single interceptions in the 2018 playoffs after turning 30.
The following season, Davis was named first-team All-Pro. It took a little longer for the Pro Bowls to begin. From the 2019 season through this year, Davis made five consecutive All-Pro teams. He was a member of the second team from 2020 to 2023.
Davis may have had 136 tackles, a career high, but he didn't seem like himself. Thinking back to last offseason, one of the main reasons Davis was considered one of the best linebackers in the NFL was his ability to get behind the line of scrimmage.
Davis recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons. That number dropped to two sacks. Excluding his three-game rookie season, Davis' two quarterback hits are the fewest of his career. Davis only managed five tackles for loss. He never fell below 10 in any other season in New Orleans.
Davis blitzed 38 times this year, compared to 39 times in 2023 and 26 times in 2022. The production was simply different and likely contributed to the snapping of his five-year All-Pro streak.