Cameron Jordan is a sneaky Defensive Player of the Year candidate

Don’t sleep on New Orleans Saints star pass rusher Cameron Jordan.

Defense is hardly the first thing that comes to mind when discussing a New Orleans Saints team quarterbacked by Drew Brees and coached by Sean Payton. Passing that defense over would be very unwise, however, as they have one of the league’s most unheralded superstars leading the charge in defensive lineman Cameron Jordan.

Jordan is fresh off setting a new career-high in sacks with 15.5 at the age of 50. A five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Jordan has been elite for a long time, and he is just now starting to get honored by fans and writers alike as such.

Cameron Jordan had the best season of his career in 2019.

The son of legendary Vikings tight end Steve Jordan, Cam was the best player on a defense that was just outside the Top 10 in yards and points per game last year. He hasn’t missed a game in his nine-year career, recording 87 sacks in that span, most of which came without a legitimate secondary pass rusher to attract the attention away from the former Cal star.

That reaffirms why 2020 is such a pivotal season for Marcus Davenport. If the former first-rounder can improve after only recording 10.5 sacks during his first two seasons in the pros, Jordan will see a lot fewer double teams, which could cause the über versatile Jordan’s sack numbers to rise.

If you’re looking for a sneaky candidate to wiggle into the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year conversation, Jordan is your guy, as he is fresh off a dominant season and could pile up even more pressures if Davenport pulls his weight.

Jordan has long flown under the radar, as some of his best years came on some awful Saints defenses. When the Saints have been good, most of the credit, and deservedly so, goes towards Brees and the offense. Now that Jordan has finally established himself as a household name, don’t be surprised if he’s added a DPOY to his trophy case by the end of the year.