Report: New Orleans native joining Saints defensive staff

By Ross Jackson

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints have begun building out their defensive coaching staff after landing defensive coordinator Brandon Staley last week. 

The first reported hire hails from the city of New Orleans and is the cousin of a highly-touted defensive coach Vance Joseph. 

Per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, the Saints are hiring Archbishop Shaw graduate and most recently Texas defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach Terry Joseph. He will become the Saints’ defensive passing game coordinator as he returns home to New Orleans. 

Joseph has a lot of collegiate coaching experience having spent time at LSU, Tennessee, Nebraska, Texas A&M, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Texas at varying capacities since 2006. 

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team had been searching for someone with college coaching experience in defense and Joseph looks to be the hire that satisfies that. 

The Saints have not had a defensive passing game coordinator, by title, in recent years. The team finished No. 27 against the pass last season. Joseph will have a large role alongside Staley to get help assess and improve that area of the game for the Saints’ defense.