Only 10 days separate us from the regular season opener between the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals in the Superdome. Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks wears No. 10 for the Saints, rejoining the organization that he started his career with over a decade ago. Here’s a look at Cooks and the other 14 players that have worn No. 10 in the history of the franchise.
Saints’ History of No. 10
K Charlie Durkee (1967-68)
QB Bobby Douglass (1976-77)
K Steve Mike-Mayer (1978)
QB Jamie Martin (2006-07)
QB Chase Daniel (2010-12, 2017)
WR Brandin Cooks (2014-16, current)
WR Tre’Quan Smith (2018-22)
WR Marquez Callaway (2023)
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (2024)
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Charlie Durkee was not only the first to wear No. 10 for the Saints, but also the franchise’s first kicker. Durkee wore No. 10 during the first two years of the team’s existence, then had No. 15 when he returned to the organization for two years in 1971. In No. 10, Durkee converts 33 of 69 field goal attempts was perfect on 54 extra points. Julian Fagan was the punter with New Orleans for three seasons, averaging 41.6 per kick with a long of 71 yards.
Bobby Douglass was brought to New Orleans in 1976 with Archie Manning out for the year with a shoulder injury. Douglass split time with Bobby Scott at quarterback that year, starting six of 11 games with a 2-4 record. He also made two starts the following year, as his overall statistics with the Saints were 1,418 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 48.8% completion percentage.
New York Giants saftey Tito Wooten (29) tries to block a field goal by New Orleans Saints kicker Doug Brien (10) in the first quarter of their NFL game September 28 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Saints blocker Tony Johnson stops Giants Conrad Hamilton (11) on the sucessful field goal. SPORT NFL
Steve Mike-Mayer and Tom Jurich were two of four kickers that the Saints used in 1978, both wearing No. 10. In 10 games combined, they were an abysmal 6 of 16 on their field goal attempts. Brian Hansen and Doug Brien each had far greater kicking success during their respective times with New Orleans. Hansen, a punter, had a 42-yard average in five seasons and 76 games with New Orleans to start his 15-year NFL career. Brien was with the Saints for six years and 88 games. Over that span, he had a 99.3% success rate on extra points and 82.6% conversion on field goals. He is fourth in franchise history for successful field goals and third in field goal percentage among those with over 70 attempts. These two specialists also rank first and second for most games played in No. 10 by a New Orleans player.
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Jamie Martin was the first backup to Drew Brees with the Saints. Martin backed up Brees for two years, but only saw action in the 2006 season finale, completing 16 of 24 passes for 208 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chase Daniel also spent time as a Brees backup and sideline confidant. Daniel also saw very little time over his four years in that duty, completing 7 of 9 attempts for 55 yards.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 27: Brandin Cooks #10 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 27, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Brandin Cooks is the highest drafted player by the Saints to wear No. 10. The 20th selection in Round 1 of the 2014 NFL draft, Cooks had a good rookie year with 550 receiving yards in 10 games until shortened by injury. He’d follow that up by leading New Orleans with 84 receptions for 1,138 yards in 2015 and 78 catches for a team-high 1,178 yards in 2016. Included in that 2016 total was a 98-yard scoring reception, the longest play from scrimmage in Saints franchise history. During the 2017 offseason, New Orleans traded Cooks to the New England Patriots for first and third round choices in return that turned out to be Ryan Ramczyk and Trey Hendrickson. Cooks returned to the Saints this offseason after playing with four different teams in the last eight years.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 24: Tre’Quan Smith #10 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates after scoring a 10 yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees #9 against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Tre’Quan Smith was expected to replace at least some of Cooks’ production when drafted in the third round in 2018 out of UCF. That turned out to be far from the case. Smith was with the Saints for five years and 67 games, never a factor in traffic, incapable of getting consistent separation, and often invisible within the offense. His overall statistics were 131 receptions for 1,764 yards and 18 touchdowns.
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Marquez Valdes-Scantling was picked up off waivers last year after injuries decimated the New Orleans receiving corps. He ended up being the only viable receiving threat for the team over the last half of the year, catching 17 passes for 385 yards and 2 touchdowns before departing as a free agent this offseason.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 10 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 10