Help Wanted: Saints

A quick look at the Saints’ holes and places they may look at the draft

By Doug Knopf

After a disappointing season with an absent head coach, the Saints are looking to rebuild and refocus their efforts. People can point fingers all they want, but we all know Drew Brees is not at fault. That means that it’s probably the defense’s fault.

AP Photo/ Bill Haber

The Saints defense was 31^st in points allowed this past season, giving up over 28 points per game and 400 yards of offense. New Orleans ranked last in rushing yards, allowing almost 150 yards per game and second to last in pass yards allowed, only 8 yards under 300. Basically, the whole defense is terrible.

The Saints play a 4-3 base defense, meaning that they rely, or should rely, more on their defensive tackle and ends to make plays as opposed to a 3-4 defense where the down linemen are basically just fillers for linebackers to rush gaps and be more athletic. Just to put it clearly, this is not happening. Tackles numbers from their linebackers are far vaster than they should be. The Saints line did absolutely nothing last season. Looking at the numbers, there are really only two defensive linemen on the Saints. Ranking in the lower third in sacks, maybe the Saints need a bounty to get some production.

But…now with Rob Ryan at the defensive helm, the Saints will be switching to a 3-4 scheme to utilize their stronger line backing core and their diminished defensive line. This hire by the Saints organization is a blessing in disguise for them. They might get a loud mouth coach, but they get a coach whose system fits their players well.

Look for New Orleans to draft another linebacker in order to mold into their new scheme. As much as their line was dreadful, in the new scheme, it is supposed to be. Hopefully with some young blood in their front seven, they can put more pressure on the opposing offense and clear up some of their secondary problems as well.