All-NFC South QBs of the 2020s: Who replaces Drew Brees?
Without Drew Brees, who retired at the start of the decade, Saints Wire’s All-NFC South Team of the 2020s puts Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield on the first team—tied at 49 points—with Taysom Hill as an honorable mention for New Orleans. Only the Buccaneers have sustained competent quarterback play this decade, winning four straight division titles after the Brady-to-Mayfield handoff.
Key Takeaways
- Drew Brees is absent from an NFC South all-decade QB list for the first time in the series after retiring early in the 2020s.
- Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield share first-team honors at 49 points each under Saints Wire’s Approximate Value and awards formula.
- Brady delivered a Super Bowl and 123 touchdown passes in 53 Buccaneers games from 2020 to 2022.
- Mayfield has 95 touchdowns in 51 games since 2023, with two playoff berths in three years.
- Taysom Hill earns honorable mention with a 7-2 starting record and strong dual-threat production for New Orleans.
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Who makes the All-NFC South Team of the 2020s without Drew Brees?
According to Saints Wire’s All-NFC South Team of the 2020s, the decade’s quarterback board finally opens without Drew Brees. He retired as the 2020s began, ending a long run of Saints-led lists in this series.
Saints Wire grades players with Approximate Value from Pro Football Reference, plus points for All-Pros and Pro Bowls. Only NFC South seasons count. That math leaves Brady and Mayfield tied atop the decade so far.
How did Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield take over the division?
Brady started for Tampa Bay from 2020 to 2022, posting a 41 AV, one second-team All-Pro nod, and one Pro Bowl for a 49 score. He threw 123 touchdowns in 53 games and helped the Bucs win a Super Bowl after Brees stepped away.
Mayfield has started for Tampa Bay from 2023 through 2026, with a 43 AV and two Pro Bowls—also a 49 score. His 95 touchdowns in 51 games and two playoff trips in three seasons underpin the Bucs’ four straight division titles. Saints Wire notes his 27-24 starter record and the need to prove the offense can roll without Mike Evans.
Why does Taysom Hill still factor into the Drew Brees conversation?
Hill never locked down the full-time Saints QB job, yet Saints Wire gives him honorable mention with a 26 AV. As a starter he went 7-2 (.778), the best winning percentage among QBs with nine or more starts this decade, while totaling 12 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.
His value also shows up as a rusher—2,199 yards and 31 touchdowns from 2020 to 2025 at 5.2 yards per carry—plus 88 catches for 796 yards and five scores. Saints Wire adds that Bryce Young earned confidence after winning his first NFC South title last season, Tyler Shough is riding optimism in New Orleans, and Atlanta will learn if Michael Penix Jr. can fend off Tua Tagovailoa and stay healthy in the same season. The mid-decade list may look different by 2029.