Rob Ryan has never been shy about talking up his players, and he hasn’t stopped in his new job.
Ryan, the first-year defensive coordinator of the Saints, says that when New Orleans signed cornerback Keenan Lewis away from Pittsburgh, they got the best defensive free agent in the entire league this year.
“I’m so excited about Keenan Lewis -- everything about him since the day we signed him,” Ryan said, via the Times-Picayune. “He’s got so much ability. The sky is the limit for this guy. He’s going to be fantastic for us. We’re so excited about him. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s long. And he’s a local hero. You’ve got to love this guy. In my opinion, I honestly feel we got the best free agent out there on defense.”
We had Lewis as the No. 41 player in our free agent rankings, so we’re not quite as high on him as Ryan is, but Lewis will surely make a difference in the Saints’ secondary this season. And on a Saints team that desperately needs to get better on defense, he really is one of the most important defensive free agents in the league. That’s not just Ryan bluster.