New Orleans Saints: 5 Key Players For The 2015 Season
Jun 10, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Jarius Byrd (31) during minicamp at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
5. Jairus Byrd
Last season the safety situation in New Orleans was disastrous. At one point they were forced to start Pierre Warren, an undraft free agent, and Jamarca Sanford. Certainly not your ideal starting duo. Early in the offseason Byrd seems to be healthy again as he partecipated in OTAs but after a couple of weeks he disappeared again without practicing in training camp or playing a single snap in preseason games.
Maybe he was at risk of re-injuring himself, something the Saints could not afford at all, and head coach Sean Payton decided to let him heal completely before putting him on the field. Byrd has not been placed on the Saints’ reserve PUP list so there’s hope to see him on the field soon, as Ian Rapoport reported a few days ago:
He’s been steadily improving RT @LarryHolder: Within the shuffle Sat, Jairus Byrd WAS NOT placed on reserve PUP list. He’s on the roster
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2015
A healthy Jairus Byrd is what the Saints need to put on the field a competitive secondary. Kenny Vaccaro, another player who underperformed last season, would benefit a lot from Byrd’s return as he could play closer to the line of scrimmage where he thrives.
Next: 5 Players Who Must Step Up For Keenan Lewis
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