Carl Nicks doesn't advertise himself as a seer, palm reader or fortune teller.
But the former New Orleans Saints left guard (2008-11) is absolute in declaring his former teammate and mentor, right guard Jahri Evans (2006-15, '16) is destined for more than the Saints Ring of Honor, the prestigious circle into which Evans has been inducted and will see his name unveiled at halftime Sunday, when New Orleans (3-7) faces Cleveland (2-7) at noon in the Caesars Superdome.
"It's a huge accomplishment," Nicks said of the Ring of Honor, "and I see it going even further. I think he's going to be a (Pro Football) Hall of Famer.
"But (the Ring of Honor) is well-deserved. He put the time in, the effort, the work. I couldn't have wished that for anyone better."
Evans will join linebacker Rickey Jackson, quarterback Archie Manning, left tackle Willie Roaf (all in 2013), kicker Morten Andersen ('16), late owner Tom Benson ('18), defensive end Will Smith ('19) and linebacker Sam Mills ('21) in the Ring of Honor.
Jackson, Roaf, Andersen and Mills also are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Evans, a fourth-round pick from Bloomsburg in 2006, started all 169 games he played for the Saints, including all 16 regular-season games nine times, and all 10 playoff games, including Super Bowl XLIV.
The second-most decorated offensive lineman in franchise history (behind Roaf) was named All-Pro five times (four times, first team), a Pro Bowler six times, and to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
"He was the standard," said former Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod (2007-12). "Me being a young player when I came in, he was somebody that could be a role model who demonstrated how to be a pro – how to handle your day-to-day business, going about finding a way to be the best lineman that you can, and he was an extremely smart player on and off the field, and it showed.
"His toughness showed week in and week out. It was really an honor just to be on the line with a guy like that, because he was a guy who not only put in the work, but in the NFL the major key is being available.
"And he was available for the New Orleans Saints. He was a guy that you could always rely on at that right guard spot. That was just a position you didn't have to worry about. He was tough, he brought a certain level of toughness that you love to see out of a teammate."
Evans, currently an offensive assistant on the Saints coaching staff, was a quiet leader as a player.
"He wasn't a big rah-rah, talkie guy but you know when he did talk, you listened because he never really talked," Nicks said. "If he talked it was something important and you paid attention. But really, it was his work ethic and how he handled his business practicing and playing in the game – hurt, not hurt, sick, whatever. He was a team-first type of dude."
"You can lead in several different ways," Bushrod said. "Some guys can be very boisterous, some guys show up every single day and be a pro, and some guys show up every single day and be a pro and dominate. That's what Jahri was.
"Every single day he kept the same approach. No matter who was in his way, he always found a way to be a key contributor and to be successful on the field. Obviously, he was a major part of the team's success but as a line, he was a great guy that our running backs could run behind, he was a staple protector for Drew (Brees) making sure he had a clean pocket up the middle."
And now, he'll see his name among the franchise greats in the Saints' Ring of Honor.
"I'm grateful that I had a chance to play alongside him," Bushrod said. "To see him get this honor is an absolute pleasure and it's something that's very deserving.
"Not only did he do it on the field, he had the accolades to back that up – multi-time Pro Bowl, multi-time All-Pro, All-Decade Team. This is a guy that deserves his flowers, that deserves this type of recognition because being a small-school guy, getting thrust into the starting position and not blinking whatsoever, that's a true testament to his character, a true testament to his work ethic that he put in.
"This is a very deserving honor for him and his family and for his teammates, the ones who had an opportunity to play alongside him. He's a testament to the New Orleans Saints and he was a huge cornerstone piece to the success of that nice run that we had."
