New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - The Advocate Former Green Bay fourth-round pick Vince Biegel trying to make his way back with Saints

BY JOEL A. ERICKSON | JERICKSON@THEADVOCATE.COM SEP 6, 2018 - 4:43 PM

Vince Biegel thought he'd be starting his season in Green Bay.

Only a year ago, the Packers used a fourth-round pick on Biegel, a native of Marshfield, Wis., who played his college ball at Wisconsin and seemed destined to live out a dream with the Packers.

Then the rug got pulled out from under him.

"I thought I had a great OTAs, had a good camp, had a good preseason," Biegel said. "Was definitely surprised when I got the phone call that they were releasing me."

Biegel got off to a slow start with the Packers.

As a rookie in 2017, Biegel lost the first half of the season to a foot injury, and he used that time to learn from Packers legend Clay Matthews, who took the rookie under his wing.

When he returned, Biegel saw most of his action on special teams, making six of his 16 tackles as a rookie in the kicking game. Drafted as a pass-rushing force out of Wisconsin, Biegel made 11 tackles this preseason and recovered a fumble, but he failed to record a sack.

"When you get a new G.M. and a new defensive coordinator, they want to bring their own set of guys," Biegel said. "It's motivation for me."

New Orleans signed the former fourth-round pick to the practice squad on Sunday with an intention to ask him to learn a different role than he's ever played before.

"Playing Sam linebacker, where I'm off the edge and I'm in coverage, playing the line and playing stack," Biegel said. "Then maybe on third downs, getting after the passer as well."

Learning to play in Dennis Allen's 4-3 will be a challenge.

But Biegel believes it will serve him well as he tries to erase the disappointment of his abbreviated start in Green Bay.

"I've played as a 3-4 outside linebacker my whole career," Biegel said. "But I think, for me, being able to come here and show my versatility's going to be huge. Not only can I play a 3-4 outside linebacker, I can play in a 4-3 as well."