Craig Robertson, Saints' leading tackler in 2016, knows last year doesn't matter now

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Craig Robertson started 15 games for the New Orleans Saints last year. He led the team with 115 tackles.

But, looking ahead to next season, Robertson knows that his performance last year doesn't guarantee him a starting job.

"It doesn't matter; that's last year," he said this week. "It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, and you got to show that you're an even better player than what you were last year. So, you can't look back at last year and be like oh I did this. None of that matters. It's all about now."

Now in his sixth NFL season, including the first four with the Cleveland Browns, Robertson understands that opportunities are fleeting in the NFL. He's experienced being a full-time starter and a part-time starter. He's played multiple positions.

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And even when he signed with the Saints last year, Robertson didn't have a clear path to regular playing time with Dannell Ellerbe ahead of him on the weak side and James Laurinaitis ahead of him in the middle throughout the offseason.

However, Robertson impressed in training camp by consistently making plays wherever he lined up, and he took advantage of his chance to be a full-time starter when Ellerbe opened the season injured and when Laurinaitis was injured and later cut.

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But, that was last year. For 2017, there are new road blocks.

The Saints this offseason signed free agents A.J. Klein and Manti Te'o, who both have experience as starters in the middle. The team also drafted Alex Anzalone in the third round.

Robertson's reaction to the additions is simple.

"You work harder," he said. That's all you can do, and all you can do is show what you can do and go out and play. This league is a league of new faces. Every year there's always going to be new faces, whether it's young or it's old, whether it's through the draft or through free agency.

"So, you just got to know just, hey, do your game, know what you're good at and just play."

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