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An offseason of change is evident all over the Saints’ defense.

New faces at every level of the defense, brought in by way of free agency, the draft, the CFL and anywhere else New Orleans found talent. Dennis Allen’s back to work with the secondary. Old, familiar numbers nowhere to be found on the practice field.

But the biggest change might be the scheme itself. Rob Ryan, known for the complexity of his schemes in more than a decade as an NFL defensive coordinator, has dialed it down and simplified the system in the Saints’ organized team activities.

“At this point -- two, three weeks in or whatever we are -- I know two or three of the base packages we have,” defensive tackle Cameron Jordan said after the first three days of the Saint’s organized team activities last week. “This time last year we were like 20 schemes in.”

Ryan, who first admitted the defense might be too complicated last September and started dialing back his scheme, wasn’t able to stop a slide that dropped the Saints from fourth in the league to 31st in total defense, from fourth to 28th in scoring defense and from ninth to 31st in the league on third down.

Why Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan thinks New Orleans' defensive slide won’t happen again | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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