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Alex Okafor wants to 'be that guy' the Saints need in pass rush

Mike Triplett
ESPN Staff Writer



NEW ORLEANS -- Alex Okafor made his presence felt during Sunday night’s New Orleans Saints practice, with at least two sacks in full-team drills.

That’s exactly what the fifth-year defensive end came here to do.

Okafor, 26, got lost in the shuffle behind standout Arizona Cardinals pass-rushers Chandler Jones and Markus Golden last year. So when he became a free agent, he chose a place where he knew his skill set was desperately needed.

“Well, that’s why I came here. I knew there’d be an opportunity to play right away. ... So, I’m doing all I can to be that guy opposite [Cameron Jordan],” said Okafor, who had eight sacks in 2014 but only 5.5 over the past two years while battling a variety of nagging injuries.

“I came from a place in Arizona where we already had two great edge-rushers, and I kind of added towards that,” Okafor said. “So, now I’m ready to come within my own and be that guy for this team.”

Okafor has been facing stiff competition from third-year pro Hau’oli Kikaha, who has made several flash plays of his own in recent days -- an impressive return after he missed all of last season with his third torn ACL.

But it looks like there might be room for both of them on the field together. Okafor (6-foot-4, 261 pounds) has been playing inside in certain pass-rush packages, with Kikaha next to him on the edge.

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“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill