The New Orleans Saints’ depth at linebacker dwindled considerably with injuries to Kiko Alonso and A.J. Klein who are officially declared out for Sunday’s matchup against the 49ers. This led to the signing of Manti Te’o.
On the one hand, Te’o is familiar with the Saints’ defensive schemes.
That said, his pass coverage is suboptimal. While Sean Payton noted Te’o will likely be delegated more to special teams in favor of Craig Roberston, he may opt to line him up for short-yardage, early-down plays. Te’o lacks elite speed and won’t be able to cover the pass rush effectively.