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With Vilma having a ways to go, is it more physically or more getting to know the system?

“It’s a lot of everything, but we’re talking about a guy that picks up things like that (easily). He’s been right there step-for-step with all of us right along the way. He knows he has to get out there and get a feel for the game. The game’s fast. It’s one thing to sit in there in a meeting, but my guess is he’s a pretty quick learner and he’ll be up to speed pretty quick. That’s my guess.”

With Curtis Lofton playing so well so far this season, how tough is it to bring in Vilma and have to deal with a possible numbers game?

“We’ll have to see where we’re at. Like I said, Jonathan has to get in there and get back into the flow and the speed and all that. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen today. For a while there, we thought he’d be able to practice today, but he didn’t. That’s just the rule. We’re going to get the best 11 guys on the football field. We’re doing that at all positions. Just as an example, you’ve seen Akiem Hicks get in there more. I think he’s earned that, and yet we still have a lot of confidence in (Brodrick) Bunkley and Sedrick (Ellis) and all those guys. I will go back to Curtis Lofton, who I agree with you has done a terrific job for us. I talked to Curtis this morning. He’s everything we thought he would be when we got him here. It’s like Mickey (Loomis) said way, way back, get as many good football players as you can. Let’s get them all in here, let’s figure out how to use them. Jonathon Casillas is coming off an injury. We want to get him back out on the field, too. David Hawthorne, we want to get him back out on the field. We’ll find ways to do it. It’s a good problem to have. I’ve been on thin teams where you’re looking on other rosters to see if you can get some guys, but at that particular position we have a bunch of guys. Let’s get them out there and practice with the one focus being on figuring out what’s best for our team to beat Tampa Bay. That will be the number one focus this week with nothing else in sight other than that.”

What is one thing you’ve seen about Aaron Kromer as a head coach as opposed to when he was just a positional coach?

“To be honest with you, me being new here, I don’t think you fully learn about all your counterparts until you’ve gone through a whole cycle. We’re only a little bit over a quarter of a season in here, but I’ve been impressed with the way Aaron has handled things. Let me tell you something, that job, the shoes that he stepped into, it’s not easy. I don’t know who could’ve stepped in and done a better job. It just wasn’t an easy thing with everything going on and all the uncertainty. Aaron has stepped in and he’s been himself for as much as I know Aaron. I’m probably not the best guy to ask that. I think you’d probably be better off asking people that have been here before, but I know we’ve tried to rally around Aaron. I was very happy for him last week that he, as an interim head coach, has a win under his belt. I know that feeling, so I was happy for him.”

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saintsfan1976

In other words, Vilma won't start.

TheOak

Vilma shouldn't start. Vilma has been replaced, time to come to terms with that. Not so much because of the bounty issue but more because of the injury issue. With out bounty gate Vilma would still not start this week, and there is no way I would ever believe that Vilma could beat Lofton out of any position based on performance alone.

Vilma has been on the decline since 2009 and that had nothing to do with Goodell, Lofton, or an injury..

dizzle88

Jo-lonn Dunbar outplayed Vilma everytime he got the start, Vilma was incredible in 2008 and 2009, then he started declining

It's loftons spot now, Vilma at the most could be a bit of depth at the position but from our LB's I believe - MLB lofton, OLB's Hawthorne and casillas, if they can stay healthy

Mardigras9

Vilma or Shanle? Start Vilma, hell start Vilma's Mom if she is available.

saintsfan1976

I don't disagree at all.

jnormand

My mom is also available to start if Vilma's mom can't make the game for Shanle.

Rugby Saint II

Vilma might be solid in a rotation to start

westbankdaze

I totally agree with this.