By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints are headed into their second week of OTAs, but the first week has already given a glimpse into the changes the team is set to undergo on the defensive side of the football.
With new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley hired this offseason, changes were already anticipated. A shift to more odd-man fronts, coverage scheme tweaks and pass rusher molds were all easy changes to anticipate before the team ever hit the field. But with OTAs now under way, some additional light was shed on what those adjustments may have in store.
Multiple Fronts
Calling the Saints a “3-4 defense” will be a common shorthand more than likely when referring to the basics of their system. While the designation won’t be incorrect, a more all-encompassing moniker might be that of a “multiple front” defense. This isn’t dissimilar to what the Saints have done before. The fronts being incorporated will be.
Expect the Saints to use fronts with three down linemen and four down linemen depending on the situation. It won’t stop there, though. The team could stand two edge rushers up on either end with just two down linemen on the inside as a means of getting two pass rushers and two linebackers on the field during nickel (five defensive backs) sets. This would be a twist on a typical “4-2-5” defensive lineup.
New Orleans should be expected to be multi-dimensional in terms of its front usage even if three down linemen end up leading the way for the majority of the season.
Linebacker Usage
While the outside linebackers have the chance to rush the passer, the inside pair are often thought of as coverage players. However, expect Demario Davis and Pete Werner, the lead backers in the building, to be more aggressively deployed than that.
Of course, run defense will always come first. Both will always have key roles there. But don’t expect them to be left out of rushing the passer just because there are outside, standup rushers being added to the fold. The times in which they are utilized to generate additional pressure may be selective, but both players have proven effective in second-level pressure generation, something that won’t be dismissed.
Every player with 500+ Tackles and 20+ Sacks in the last 5 years:
⚜️ Demario Davis
End of list. pic.twitter.com/49h488NWxv
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 7, 2025
Alontae Taylor, A Perfect Fit
Coverage is changing in New Orleans. The Saints are expected to shift from heavy press-man coverage to more zone-match strategies. They’ll still be physical at the line of scrimmage, a cornerstone to defensive play in the league, but a lot of who is covered by whom may be worked out based on the release patterns and route selections of the offense.
While that may be changing from the previous approach, one element of the secondary that shouldn’t change is allowing Taylor to be impactful from multiple areas of the field.
Whether in the slot with space, up on the line of scrimmage, outside in coverage, as a pass rusher or as a run defender, expect Taylor to have a featured role as a disruptive defender in just about every phase of the defense.
Causing havoc is what he does. 👎👎
HBD, Alontae!
📺 https://t.co/KlYFEtUtwd pic.twitter.com/K9c6axdXT9
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 3, 2024
Taylor asked to be “unleashed” when the Saints hired Staley. He looks well on his way to getting his wish.
