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The New Orleans Saints may be thinking a little outside the box while building their 3-4 defense inside the box as veteran defensive end Will Smith will open up Organized Team Activities on Tuesday at outside linebacker.

Saints Coach Sean Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis each confirmed Smith's shift Monday morning at the Saints Hall of Fame Golf Classic at Chateau Golf and Country Club in Kenner.

"Look, Will's a really good football player," Loomis said. "We'll find a place for Will to be playing, but I think ideally it would be outside linebacker. I think that's where we see him and that's where he'll start out in camp. And look, I expect the same things that we've gotten out of him that we've gotten in the past which is really a high level of play."

Smith, the longest tenured Saints player on the roster, has played as a 4-3 defensive end for the Saints his entire career. Some alterations with the Saints moving to a 3-4 defensive scheme under new coordinator Rob Ryan were bound to occur. But Smith's change to potentially playing as a stand-up linebacker at times is an eye-opening one.

Smith's numbers have been consistent the past three years, but not consistently high like the elite pass rusher the Saints have paid Smith to be. He has averaged six sacks per season during the three-year span. The 6-foot-3, 282-pound defender also took a massive $6 million pay cut this offseason to remain in New Orleans.


New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis discusses Will Smith's move to OLBSaints GM anticipates Will Smith will be a productive player at outside linebacker


This change adds more competition to an already intriguing battle at outside linebacker with the likes of Victor Butler, Martez Wilson and Junior Galette competing for snaps.

"One of the challenges in the transition right now is trying to make sure we put the right players that were on the roster a year ago in the right spots, but that's what we're going to be where we'll start him at," Payton said. "(It's about) how much those guys rush. So we can play them strong and weak and we can play them right and left. But I think initially that right outside position will be very similar to what he's played for us in the past."

New Orleans Saints will shift defensive end Will Smith to outside linebacker when OTAs open Tuesday | NOLA.com

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