Cameron Jordan finds himself on the heels of a Hall of Famer
Our top-20 series continues as we shift to the defensive side of the ball, highlighting the New Orleans Saints‘ all-time sack leaders. This list features some of the most disruptive forces to ever wear the black and gold — players who built their legacies by living in opponents’ backfields.
A current All-Pro linebacker makes a surprise appearance at the 20th spot, while a pair of beloved fan favorites sit near the top, each playing a key role in establishing the dominant defenses of the Sean Payton era. And at the very top, another active Saint is on the brink of history, needing just two more sacks to pass a Pro Football Hall of Famer and claim the franchise record. At least unofficially.
Before we get into the list, we should note that sacks have only been tracked officially since 1982. But the team at Pro Football Reference went back further and did the work to chart sacks in years beyond that. That’s why Rickey Jackson (who had 8 unofficial sacks in his 1981 rookie season) still places ahead of Cameron Jordan, who was officially named the franchise sacks leader during the 2022 season.
So while this is an unofficial list, as PFR’s work has not been double-checked by the NFL, ESPN, or another major outlet, it’s still worth remembering the guys who made key plays before they were given full credit for it. Here are the (unofficial) top 20 sack leaders in New Orleans Saints history:
1. Rickey Jackson (1981-1993): 123 sacks2. Cameron Jordan (2011-2024): 121.5 sacks3. Wayne Martin (1989-1999): 82.5 sacks4. Pat Swilling (1986-1992): 76.5 sacks5. Will Smith (2004-2012): 67.5 sacks6. Frank Warren (1981-1994): 56 sacks7. Joe Johnson (1994-2001): 50.5 sacks8. La’Roi Glover (1997-2001): 50 sacks9. Jim Wilks (1981-1993): 49 sacks10. Derland Moore: (1973-1985): 48 sacks11. Charles Grant (2002-2009): 47 sacksTied-12. Darren Howard (2000-2005): 44.5 sacksTied-12. Renaldo Turnbull (1990-1996): 44.5 sacks14. Elois Grooms (1975-1981): 42.5 sacks15. Bruce Clark (1982-1988): 39.5 sacks16. Joe Owens (1971-1975): 38 sacks17. Bob Pollard (1971-1977): 37 sacks18. Elex Price (1973-1980): 32 sacks19. Junior Galette (2010-2014): 31.5 sacks20. Demario Davis (2018-2024): 31 sacks