METAIRIE, La. -- You know about Drew Brees and Sean Payton. You know about the historic 2017 draft class. You know about Pro Bowlers such as Cameron Jordan, Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram.
But the most underrated reason for the New Orleans Saints' resurgence as a top Super Bowl contender is their offensive line -- a group that scouting analyst K.C. Joyner ranked No. 1 in the NFL in his annual fantasy-impact ratings for ESPN.
The Saints have rather quietly made a series of major investments in their offensive line over the past three years while rebuilding their roster during a stretch of three straight 7-9 seasons:
Acquiring center Max Unger in the blockbuster Jimmy Graham trade with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015.