Tracy Porter and Randall Gay served as the starting tandem in today’s OTA. Jabari Greer and Jason David with the second team.
via NOLA
“No matter what happened on the field last year … or the media bashing these men have taken, they’ve responded correctly,” Greer said. “They went above and beyond the amount of work it takes to be successful and I definitely think that it will show.”
With not only new personnel, but also a new defensive coordinator in Gregg Williams, it seems few players on defense are taking their starting roles from last season for granted.
“It’s definitely a higher intensity level because we know what type of defense we need to be, as well as what everyone says: Our weakness was the secondary,” Porter added.
With changes in personnel, which included the departure of free safeties Josh Bullocks and Kevin Kaesviharn, third-year pro Usama Young, who began his Saints career as a cornerback, has now moved to free safety. He worked with the first team this week, but Sharper, who did not attend practice for undisclosed family reasons, is expected to compete for that starting role.
Roman Harper, last season’s starter at strong safety, remained in the same spot, but it appears his role under Williams could shift, with more emphasis on blitzing.
Already, Saints offensive players say they notice a difference in the secondary and the defense as a whole.