Saints By The Numbers: #10

All summer long, we’re going to list the best players in New Orleans Saints history to wear every number, 00-99.

Yesterday, we did #9

Today, #10:

The pick: Brian Hansen

When picking the best Saints player ever to wear #10, the choice is limited to punters Tommy Barnhardt, Brian Hansen, Julian Fagan, and Steve O'Neal, kickers Charlie Durkee, Tom Jurich, Steve Mike-Mayer, Cary Blanchard, and Doug Brien, quarterbacks Bobby Douglass, Jamie Martin, and Chase Daniel, and receivers Skyler Green and Brandin Cooks.

In 3-4 more years, you would hope that this wouldn't be an argument, as the Saints have high hopes for Cooks, their 2014 first round draft choice. But for now, the choice is probably between punters Barnhardt and Hansen.

We're going to go with Hansen, as Branhardt, who also wores #6 for the Saints, actually only punted three game while wearing #10.

So, although Hansen and Barnhardt were very similar, the pick is Hansen, who kicked for the Saints for five seasons, 1984-1988.

After finishing his collegiate career at the University of Sioux Falls, Hansen was taken by the Saints in the ninth round of the 1984 NFL Draft.

Morstead proved to be a good pick for the Saints, punting for an average of at least 40.5 yards in each of his five seasons with the franchise, including a career-high 43.8-yard average in his rookie season of 1984, when he was named to the Pro Bowl.

A native of Hawarden, Iowa, Hansen punted 10 more years in the NFL after leaving the Saints following the 1988 season, spending five seasons with the Jets, three with the Browns, one with the Patriots, and one with the Redskins, before retiring following the 1999 season.

In five years with the Saints, the consistent Hansen averaged 42.0 yards-per-punt.

Over 15 seasons in the NFL, Hansen averaged 42.3 yards-per-punt.