New Orleans Saints’ DC Rob Ryan praises Champ Bailey

The New Orleans Saints took a chance on veteran cornerback Champ Bailey this offseason after the aging player struggled to stay healthy in 2013, but his early impression on his new squad has been very positive.

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While Bailey is not getting any younger, Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has nothing but kind words about his newest cornerback.

“He looks fantastic,” Ryan told the Advertiser. “You look out there and you think he’s one of those young guys running around. But he’s bringing excitement to our defense and knowledge and it’s awesome to add a great player like him.”

After receiving the praise from his defensive coordinator, Bailey had his own opportunity to speak with the media and it quickly became clear that he was ready to approach the season with his leadership role and make the best out of his new opportunity.

“If you put me on any team, I’m always going to be the old guy,” Bailey said.

“It’s just something I’ve got to get used to. . . . My first thing is to lead by example, show how hard I can work and try to lead that way. And all these guys — I know I have a lot of experience and I’m not going to shy away from telling them things I think they need to hear and making sure I’m there for them when they have questions.”

The Saints could definitely benefit from improved play in the defensive backfield, but they will also need Bailey to prove he can stay healthy if he wants to have an opportunity to make an impact on the field and not just the locker room.