Thursday, February 7, 2013
Spencer to the Saints?
By Tim Kavanagh
Earlier this week, a report indicated that the New Orleans Saints had two front-runners for their DC vacancy: former Chiefs HC Romeo Crennel and former Cowboys DC Rob Ryan. Coaches will sometimes bring familiar places with them to a new job, and we speculated that if Ryan was the hire, he could push the team to sign impending free agent OLB Anthony Spencer.
With Ryan reportedly the choice -- though nothing is yet official -- this has ramped up the speculation that Spencer will follow his old coordinator. In addition to Ryan being pushed out, the Cowboys have brought in Monte Kiffin, who plans on installing a 4-3 scheme in Dallas; though Spencer has indicated that he can succeed in either scheme, we have proof from 2012 that he's wildly effective in Ryan's version of the 3-4.
Here's ESPNDallas.com scribe Todd Archer on the Spencer-to-New Orleans buzz:
Todd Archer
Could Saints make a run at Spencer?"Look at Ryan's run with the Cowboys as an example. In 2011, the Cowboys signed Kenyon Coleman and Abram Elam, in part because of their pasts with Ryan in Cleveland. In 2012, the Cowboys signed Brodney Pool, who played for Ryan but lasted just a week or so into training camp. By reconnecting with Spencer in New Orleans, Ryan would have somebody with experience running his defense. He would also have the best available outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Spencer had a career-high 11 sacks and was a late add to the Pro Bowl after leading the Cowboys in tackles. The Cowboys want to keep Spencer, but they might not have the salary cap wherewithal to keep him with a long-term deal. They could place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year at a cost of $10.6 million and could be open to making a trade for picks."
