Saints needs: D truth in New Orleans? Help wanted

The New Orleans Saints were a trendy preseason pick to win the NFC South a year ago, but they sank to the bottom -- finishing a division-worst 8-8 despite a record-setting year by quarterback Drew Brees. That tells you something about the Saints and their division: The division is loaded, and so is their offense.

Sean Payton and Drew Brees have one side of the ball well covered. (Getty Images)

But for New Orleans to serve as a bottom feeder while its quarterback pushes the envelope also tells you there must be something wrong with the defense. And there is. It surrenders too many big plays, particularly too many big passing plays. That must change if the Saints are serious about returning to the playoffs, and it looks as if they got the memo.

First, they re-signed leading tackler Jonathan Vilma. Second, they paid a small fortune for cornerback Jabari Greer, one of the best free agents at his position. That is just the beginning. Look for the Saints to be active in the draft, plugging the holes that had them ranked 23rd in defense, 23rd in pass defense and 26th in scoring defense.

Make no mistake, the Saints are a lot of fun to watch, with Brees attempting and completing more passes than anyone a year ago. But high-scoring passing offenses don't necessarily equate to success, and I call the co-pilots of Air Coryell to the front of the class. For years San Diego hammered opponents with a quick-strike offense, only it never took those Chargers to a Super Bowl.

The problem? The same as it is here: Not enough defense. You'd think people would learn. The Saints seem to be getting the message, and the message is this: Without a better defense or a better kicker they're toast. New Orleans last year lost six games by a total of 18 points and were 0-5 in contests decided by three of fewer points. Win two of those, and they're in the playoffs.

QB: Brees threw for a career-best 34 touchdowns and 5,069 yards, second only to Dan Marino in NFL history. He also led the league in third-down passing and produced a passer rating of 96.3 In three seasons with the Saints he has 88 touchdowns, so, no, there is no need here. Brees is one of the top four quarterbacks in the league and one of the two best in the NFC. Backup Mark Brunell does nothing but get paid to hold a clipboard.

RB: Pierre Thomas made such an impression on the Saints' coaching staff last season it chose him over Deuce McAllister as the complement to Reggie Bush. McAllister was one of the most popular players in franchise history, but he was aging and kept getting hurt. Thomas, who scored nine rushing TDs, could become the full-time workhorse the club needs to take the heat off Bush, and that's good. After all, Bush is better with the ball in the open field than he is between tackles. Mike Bell is the third option.

WR: Devery Henderson was re-signed, and that's good news because Brees keeps the coterie of wide receivers that pushed him this close to Marino's record a year ago. Having Marques Colston around for an entire season will do nothing but benefit Brees, but not having him five games last year provided Lance Moore and Robert Meachem opportunities to make names for themselves. Result: Moore led the team in catches with 79, receiving yards and receiving TDs, while Meachem averaged 24.1 yards on 12 catches. One name to remember: Adrian Arrington. The Saints had high hopes for him before he suffered a season-ending injury last summer.

TE: Despite injuries, the Saints had five tight ends combine for 110 catches and 1,193 yards, which is decent by anyone's standards. Still, they can improve. Jeremy Shockey and Mark Campbell were slowed by injuries, with Shockey held to 50 catches and 483 yards in 12 games. Billy Miller was a reliable second option with 45 catches, but the Saints needed Campbell more. He was the team's best run blocker at this position, and he was lost by midseason.

OL: The Saints lost star center Jeff Faine to free agency, yet surrendered a club-low 13 sacks all season. Go figure. Guess that means replacement Jonathan Goodwin worked out just fine. Re-signing Jon Stinchcomb was smart. He was effective as a run and pass blocker. Jammal Brown is the unit's top blocker despite seven holding calls last year, while rookie Carl Nicks -- who had 13 starts last season -- was a pleasant surprise. Jahri Evans is solid at right guard, and free-agent addition Nick Leckey provides depth at guard and center.

DL: Injuries crippled the Saints at this position, with Charles Grant lost at midseason and Will Smith bothered by a groin injury all year. Both are impact players, but neither had much of an impact on the Saints' play, producing only three of the team's 22 sacks. The Saints sank a lot of money in both, so getting them healthy is a priority. Free-agent acquisition Bobby McCray was productive, while rookie defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis flashed speed and quickness before he, too, was sidelined. Defensive tackle Rod Coleman, who sat out a year, is this year's insurance policy.

LB: Vilma's return was critical to the reconstruction of the defense, but there's one thing to keep in mind: The Saints stunk last year when he was making tackles all over the field, winding up with a team-high 132. So he will need more help than he had a year ago, with the club badly in need of an upgrade outside. Scott Fujita and Scott Shanle each had over 80 tackles, but the Saints need more speed and range from the position. Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Marvin Mitchell looked like capable backups, giving the club some depth here, but the Saints must upgrade their outside spots.

DB: The Saints allowed 53 pass plays of 20 or more yards last season which tells you something about the pass rush and more about the pass coverage. Both were dreadful. Safety is the team's first priority despite the addition of veteran Darren Sharper, one reason the club will consider moving cornerback Usama Young to free safety. The Saints play in a division with Matt Ryan, so they better defend the pass better than they did a year ago. Roman Harper will join Sharper at safety, and they better find a way to keep receivers from getting behind them. Tracy Porter showed promise at cornerback until he was hurt and should benefit from the addition of Greer. Randall Gay is perfect as a safety net.