By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints coaching staff saw a major overhaul this offseason. Not only did the team hire a new head coach in former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, but Moore also revamped almost the entire coaching roster in all three phases of the game.
A big shift in defense is expected with the hire of defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. With that addition, the team is expected to utilize more odd-man fronts. To help translate the new responsibilities along the defensive front, the team added not only defensive line coach Bo Davis (a home run hire) but also an EDGEs coach in Jay Rodgers.
During rookie minicamp media availability, we spoke with the coach about the team’s adjusted strategy.
Rodgers, who worked with Staley as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers coaching staff, is bringing a fresh and new look to the Saints’ defensive coaching structure.
While Davis focuses on the players lining up inside or over the opposing offensive tackles, Rodgers is focused on the pass rushers that line up outside the tackles and look to win with speed and athleticism.
Players like defensive ends Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Cam Jordan and others may play multiple roles, but they’ll each start in Rodgers’ room.
The idea is to streamline communication to players with different responsibilities and roles.
“At the end of the day, we’re looking for good football players who can play out on the edge,” said Rodgers. “What we will not ask them to do is play out in the B-gap, three-technique.”
Instead of making the waters murky by delivering multiple messages in one room, Staley and his staff are dividing and conquering.
“The job description is different,” Rodgers said. “So the specifics of the coaching is different, and so we split up the coaching that way to create an individual period that would be specific to those guys. The essence of football is still killing blocks and tackling and taking the ball away, but at the end of the day, you do it from a different angle. No different than it is from a stacked linebacker to a (defensive back), the way they have to take on blocks or pursue angles is different. Therefore, you separate the coaching staff to be really specific with their job descriptions.”
This approach should allow for more individualized and focused coaching. The Saints took a major step back under previous defensive line coach Todd Grantham. Even Saints defensive end Cam Jordan didn’t bite his tongue about how that experience went.
New Orleans finished 31st against the run last season and notched just 39 sacks.
Staley, Rodgers and Davis will work to see both of those numbers tick up in 2025. Though the full switch to the new system may take another offseason or two, the impacts of this adjustment should yield quick results.
