The hiring of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has earned positive marks from Saints players eager to turn around a unit that allowed more yardage than any team in NFL history last season.
"I think Rob Ryan is a real good hire for us," tweeted Jonathan Vilma, who will be asked -- along with his teammates -- to shift from the 4-3 scheme they struggled in under Steve Spagnuolo to a 3-4 alignment that stresses pressure on the quarterback.
"The 3-4 is what I ran in college and it's something similar to (what) we ran with coach Gregg Williams," defensive end Cameron Jordantold The Times-Picayune on Saturday. "Hopefully it won't be that hard to transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4. It sounds like what I have been doing.
"It's a blitzing, attacking system, which will be fun. I think it suits me. Without a doubt (outside pass rushers Junior Galette and Martez Wilson) will be the most excited about the situation. As long as everybody is on the same page, I can't see why this wouldn't be a great fit for us."
Fair point on Galette and Wilson. Ryan's defense was a mixed bag in Dallas, but outside linebackers thrived in the scheme. DeMarcus Ware compiled 31 sacks over the past two seasons and Anthony Spencer another 17. Galette and Wilson have just 13.5 since 2011.
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This marks an important opportunity for Ryan. Peel away his antics on the sidelines and red-faced locker-room soliloquies, and Ryan's defenses have regularly struggled statistically.
The Cowboys ranked 14th in the league last season and 19th two years ago. During his run with the Cleveland Browns, Ryan's D finished 24th in 2010 and 31st in 2009.
The good news: After what the Saints put on the field a season ago, the only way to travel is up.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
