Rob Ryan to be Named Saints Defensive Coordinator

  According to ESPN's Adam Schefter league sources have said that the New Orleans Saints are going to hire former Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan to the same position. This a huge hiring in my mind and puts the Saints in position to make a run next year. As I've said before the Saints have the personnel to run Rob Ryan's preferred 1-gapping 34 defense (breakdown of the 1-Gap 34 defense can be found here  http://chalkdustnnf.blogspot.com/2013/01/34-defense.html) and who knows, maybe the switch to the 34 and Rob Ryan joining the Saint could be enough to lure Dallas' free agent linebacker Anthony Spencer to the Big Easy.
 
  I'm excited about this hiring and am even more pumped up for next season than I was before. If the Saints can cut out the fat (here's looking to you Sedrick Ellis) and let the lean talent shine (Martez Wilson fits here) the Saints could be en route to the NFC Championship game for a climatic battle between the Saints and 49ers. Now I'm definitely getting ahead of myself here, but if the Saints could have a defense in the top 15 and keep there offense at the level it's been the last two years the Saints could easily cut through the NFC South. Just remember, no team has ever repeated as NFC South champions and the Saints will have a defense not seen very often in the NFC (Only 5 teams in the NFC run the 34 including the Saints with others being the 49ers, Cardinals, Redskins, and Packers.)

Again, right now these are only reports, nothing official, but Schefter generally knows what he's talking about. If this hiring does turn out to be true the Saints will be the only team in the NFC South to run the 34 defense, and behind Rob Ryan they will show why the 34 defense is becoming the best defensive alignment in football.

  Update:2/8/13 As of today Georgia defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham has taken his name out of consideration for the Saints DC Vacancy. Rob Ryan has also according to sources said he believes he has the job. Sean Payton also said that they are having trouble getting permission to interview assistant coaches. All of the signs are pointing to Rob Ryan being the Saints next Defensive Coordinator.