Rating: (0 votes - average)

NEW ORLEANS — Cameron Jordan is ready to move around the Saints’ defensive line, wherever new coordinator Rob Ryan needs him.

Could be defensive end, his preferred spot. Or nose tackle.

As long as he gets to the quarterback.

“I’m not afraid to do it,” he said. “I actually love doing what I do.”

Jordan is ready to take on Ryan’s 3-4 defense, a change from last season’s 4-3 alignment under Steve Spagnuolo that led to historically infamous results.

Jordan is ready to take on a leadership role, too. Now in his third season, he’s in position to tutor younger players like rookie John Jenkins while still taking his own lessons from Will Smith and other veterans.

“You’ve got an abundance of young talent, including myself,” Jordan said. “We’ve got some old heads in there, too — veterans. It’s always fun to learn what they know and try and (learn) information that they’ll give up.”

Jordan is ready to become one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. His play last season proved to be one of the reasons the Saints selected Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro in the first round instead of a pass rusher they felt could be found in later rounds; Jenkins was selected 82nd overall.

Jordan, 23, led the Saints last season with eight sacks and played every position on the defensive line. He also had 76 tackles and led the way with three forced fumbles, making him the best player on a bad defense. The best game of his career was a 28-13 win against Philadelphia on Nov. 5, when he finished with three sacks and a forced fumble.

Can he be one of the best on an improved unit? The Saints certainly hope so. The better the pass rush, the less pressure placed on the struggling secondary.

Last season’s defense was tied for 25th in the league with 30 sacks. A lack of a pass rush against Denver’s Peyton Manning, Eli Manning of the New York Giants, San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers led to a 7-9 season and no playoffs for the first time since 2008. After Jordan’s sack total, Smith followed with six and Junior Galette had five.

This offseason, the Saints acquired Dallas free agent Victor Butler to fit in with Jordan and other young pass rushers like Martez Wilson, Tom Johnson and Akiem Hicks.

“It’s been a lot of change every year I’ve been here,” he said. “So actually, change is becoming the norm. How are we going to do this? How’s this going to happen? It’s been changing every year.”

Cameron Jordan ready to be more than the Saints

rezburna

We'll see a lot of moving parts on D. Jordan standing up at LB, moving in to most tackle, just a lot of things to confuse the opposition.

hagan714

Jordan belongs at DE without a doubt. he is one of the best power rushers the saints have ever had. yes i went there

jeanpierre

Jordan just needs to get strong, stay healthy and anchor the end...

...the other parts will take care of themselves...

dizzle88

Already one of my favourite players, and also one of the few defensive draft picks that have worked out well for us

Jordan is only going to keep getting better, back in his old scheme aswell

I predict his sack totals will drop due to the scheme but he is going to cause havoc, making it easier for the OLB's to make plays

homerj07

Another puzzle piece that we don't see as much but will be important for the team

Rugby Saint II

Jordan and Hicks will make an awesome tandem at DE. This season is looking better and better.

|Mitch|

And if Jenkins works out like we all want him too, we could have a very scary D-Line!

Crusader

I agree with you. Few has been better since I started watching the Saints.