Saints build defense with recycled linebackers

By Chris Cluff  |   Wednesday, August 22, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

New Orleans Saints
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The New Orleans Saints are becoming the kings of castoff collection at the linebacker position.

In 2006, they completely overhauled their starting unit, adding three young guys who already had been let go by two teams each. After signing Scott Fujita in March, the Saints weren't set at the position until they made two trades in late August to bring in Scott Shanle and Mark Simoneau.

But that trio didn't significantly improve the run defense and the depth was severely lacking, so the Saints added two more castoffs in free agency this year, Brian Simmons and Dhani Jones.

It says a lot about the poor state of the position that the Saints actually got better - even if it was marginally - last year by adding three players who were generally considered to lack the athletic ability to be starters. The Saints put all three together to form the league's only all-white starting linebacker unit, and they performed better than most expected.

"I think our athleticism has been underestimated for years," Fujita told reporters recently. "I don't want to get into it too much, for obvious reasons, but there's a reason people call us the Snow Patrol.

"Our situation -- you either come into the league with a lot of hype or you don't," he said. "Being late-round guys (in the draft), you've kind of got to build a reputation over the years. But all of us have made our way just being blue-collar guys who work their butt off."

All three were part-time starters with other teams, but all three were eventually replaced by more talented players. Fujita, a former fifth-round pick, spent his first three years with Kansas City and then signed with Dallas for the 2005 season, when he played with Shanle.

Shanle was a seventh-round pick by St. Louis in 2003, joined Dallas in 2004 and then came to New Orleans last year. Simoneau spent three seasons with Atlanta and three with Philadelphia before being traded to the Saints last August in exchange for receiver Donte' Stallworth.

Despite coming together late in the preseason last year, the Snow Patrol helped marginally improve the Saints' overall run defense, although the per-carry average went up.

With Colby Bockwoldt, Ronald McKinnon and Sedrick Hodge/Terrence Melton manning the linebacker spots in 2005, the Saints gave up 134 rushing yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry (both sixth highest in the league).

With Simoneau in the middle and Fujita and Shanle on the outside last year, the Saints were slightly better at 129 yards per game, but they gave up 4.9 yards per carry, which tied St. Louis for the second most in the league behind Indianapolis (5.3).

Shanle said the linebackers are concerned about that 4.9 number: "One of the things we're really working on is cutting down the yards per carry against the run. One of the signs of a championship defense is the ability to stop the run, so that's something we want to focus on."

Because Simoneau did not make many plays - tallying just 62 tackles - the Saints signed Simmons this year after the nine-year veteran was released by the Cincinnati Bengals.

So far, Simmons has been recovering from knee surgery and has not been able to supplant Simoneau in the middle. But he plans to have the job by the time the Saints open the season against the Indianapolis Colts.

"They did a good job last year," Simmons told reporters. "(But) I consider myself a starter in this league, and I didn't take this deal to become a backup. That's pretty much all that needs to be said about that."

Simoneau suffered a right leg injury against the Bengals last weekend, so Simmons could start to make up ground if his knee lets him. Also, Fujita has been out since Aug. 8 when he hurt his right heel during a team outing to a water park. That has given Jones a chance to play with the first team, although he probably will not replace Fujita.

And if Simmons can't take Simoneau's spot, it looks like the underrated castoffs known as the Snow Patrol will roam the middle of the Saints' defense again in 2007.
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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding,...
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