Monday, January 28, 2013
Update on Saints' DC search
By Tim Kavanagh
UPDATE: Another quick note here regarding the potential defensive coordinator candidates in New Orleans.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, Peter King of Sports Illustrated responded to a question regarding the Saints' DC search, offering his opinion that Romeo Crennel will wind up being the man hired for the post. Whether that means Eric Mangini will also be a part of the staff remains to be seen.
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On Friday, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter passed along word from league sources that Crennel and Mangini are on Sean Payton's radar, and that it's possible both men could be hired, with one serving as DC and the other in an assistant position.
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Though some believed that New Orleans Saints DC Steve Spagnuolo's job was safe -- despite fielding one of the league's most porous defenses in 2012 -- he was fired on Thursday night, and the search begins for a replacement. While buzz on his possible successor is only in the purely speculative stages as of Friday morning, it is believed that the Saints will be going back to a 3-4 defense, whoever it is that is hired. And that will produce some interesting changes for the roster.
Mike Triplette of the New Orleans Times-Picayune believes that some of the younger players on the roster are actually a better fit for the 3-4, but there are others who would not appear to be a good fit, such as DE Will Smith, LB Jonathan Vilma and DT Sedrick Ellis. However, Triplette acknowledges that these players may not fit into the team's plans regardless of the scheme.
Finding pass-rush help will be a factor here, as it is for most teams, but this may be a spot where they can find a player in the draft.
