The new Orleans Saints made an interesting acquisition last season in adding free agent linebacker Vince Biegel. Beigel, a former fourth-round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2017, spent some time on the practice squad to pick up the defense and familiarize himself with new teammates before getting promoted to the active roster. His contributions came on special teams (241 snaps played) rather than with the defense (just two plays), but the Saints are trying to take advantage of the 6-foot-3, 246-pounder’s athleticism by making him an asset on passing downs.
“His natural position is linebacker,” said Saints coach Sean Payton during media availability Wednesday. “There’s certain defensive looks where we’ll stand one of those linebackers to an open side or closed side. Part of it’s more of the defensive call. So I would say that part of it, what we’re doing from a scheme standpoint and it’s not specific to him.”
Biegel sometimes lined up as a stand-up end during his four-year college career with the Wisconsin Badgers, where he notched 15 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in 36 games. He occasionally got looks there in Green Bay before they released him, and as Payton tells it, the Saints see him lining up that tight to the formation as more of a circumstantial look than a true position change.
Still, Payton acknowledged that Biegel turned in some quality film last season, and the Saints value his versatility as a backup who isn’t limited to one linebacker spot: “His exposure to us last year playing and having snaps in the kicking game and a guy that knows what to do with the three positions (at linebacker) is important. A lot of it had to do with really the install.”
With three quality starters in place between Demario Davis, Alex Anzalone, and A.J. Klein, and a veteran backup secure in Craig Robertson, it may take some time for Biegel to take the field with the starting defense. But the Saints are taking steps to prepare him as best as they can should that opportunity become available.
