New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - I.com : Eli Apple trade opens Saints' defensive playbook

...Lattimore rarely needs safety help, but Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who values variety in how his safeties are deployed, schemes just enough of it to keep offenses from getting a comfortable bead on his coverages. Having two quality cover artists outsides removes any lids on Allen’s schematic options.

Apple and the rest of the secondary form Part A of New Orleans’s expected defensive improvement. Part B is the pass rush. First-round rookie defensive end Marcus Davenport, at this point, is mostly just a big load of talent, capable of occasionally beating pass-blockers with raw power. As the 22-year-old Texas-San Antonio product continues to work with respected D-line coach Ryan Nielsen and adjusts to facing top-flight left tackles, he should develop (at least the semblance of) a repertoire of passing rushing moves...