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In the team’s first week of organized team activities, Keenan Lewis started with the first team and made a case for a starting position at defensive back. If veteran Jabari Greer doesn’t step up in training camp, he’ll lose his starting job.

Last season, fans were livid with a Saints pass defense that allowed nearly 300 yards passing per game last year. The names to blame? Defensive backs Patrick Robinson and Jabari Greer.

Greer and Robinson both stand at 5-foot-11 and both struggled mightily last year in pass coverage. They both managed to get three interceptions last year, but Robinson posted 18 passes defended to Greer’s 13 passes defended.

Greer is 31 years old, losing a couple of steps in terms of his speed, and coming off a season where the entire defense is being scrutinized. The Saints acquired Keenan Lewis in the off-season as well and he definitely has the ability to take away one of those top corner spots.

Lewis is four years younger and about 20 pounds heavier than Greer. That’s important against strong receivers in the NFC South like Atlanta’s Roddy White and Carolina’s Steve Smith. He wasn’t a starter in Pittsburgh but that didn’t stop him from defending 23 passes last year for the Steelers.

He isn’t significantly taller than Greer but displays better leaping ability to attack the ball while it is in the air than Greer did last year. Every inch helps against NFC South receivers like Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Tampa Bay’s Vincent Jackson.

In the first day of OTA’s, Lewis started with the first team and displayed his ability to break up passes and even came away with an interception. While head coach Sean Payton will be the first to tell you not to put any stock in Lewis starting with the first team, you’d be crazy to think that Lewis’ performance didn’t catch his eye.

It’s still May and nobody (outside of quarterback Drew Brees) has won their position yet. After this first OTA session however, the stock for Keenan Lewis is on the rise.

OTA Position Spotlight: Lewis can beat out Greer - Who Dat Dish

Seer1

Can Greer beat out P-Rob?

saintsfan1976

Don't discredit Greer. He's still a starting caliber CB and at some point this season, we'll need him to be such.

Choupique

sure is nice to see some loyalty from a fan.

halloween 65

P-Rob is going have to man-up or we may have a weak side, my question is if he doesn't do it who will?

The Dude

I think Greer did as good as could be expected with the overall horrible defense we had last year. He is a starter in this league and either one of those two guys will make strong depth even if they don't start.

jnormand

Why take Greer out? Take P-Rob out! Greer is better and I trust him a lot more than Robinson.

jeanpierre

Look, Robinson is like Jenkins, we've seen Robinson make some spectacular plays - unfortunately the spectacularly bad more often than spectacularly good...

But he's had three defensive coordinators/philosophies in his short career?!?

Now he's a pro and a first round selection so he's expected to adjust and get-r-done...

But I'd be a little open-minded and allow this "competition mentality" for each job that Coach Payton and staff have begun with this offseason to shake the rust off and get the best players into the best position for the best possible "fits" for the 2013 season...

It will make everyone better and accountable...

And should Greer evolve to become a third, rotational cornerback then we'll have the best in the league at that position and we will not love Jabari any less than we hold him now...

Competition is a good thing...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

cars4dylan

Greer playing hurt last year was still better than Robinson even spotted the 5-6 yrs of youth.

I think Robinson will find himself lucky to be on the roster when the season starts. Who knows, maybe Coach Ryan schools him in some miraculous way and he learns to cover a WR (but I doubt it). He's just so out of position to often, an occasional INT doesn't make up for the other blunders in a game.

Seer1

That'd actually be more McGriff and he's being talked up to be one of the best in the biz. Gotta be better than the DB coach we didn't have last year.