re: Glazer just said we are going to bring in an extra special teams coach?

The New Orleans Saints added an assistant coach to help with their struggling special teams.

Kevin O'Dea, who has coached special teams for more than two decades in the NFL, joined the Saints as a special teams assistant, coach Sean Payton said Monday during the WWL coaches' show.

His area of expertise is with the snap, hold and kick on field goals and extra points, Payton said.

The Saints have had three kicks blocked and two returned for either a touchdown or a defensive two-point conversion this season. The latest block came Thursday against the Carolina Panthers.

O'Dea joins a staff that includes longtime special teams coordinator Greg McMahon and special teams assistant Stan Kwan.

"I think when you have some struggles in an area immediately I think the reaction is people want heads to fly," Payton said. "I think for us, it's about bringing in someone that can help. I think Greg and Stan and those guys, this is a low-ego business. We want to win, and that's the most important thing. So a guy like Kevin I think can help us. He was fired up. He got in here (Monday) afternoon."

O'Dea will also help with the return and coverage units, Payton said. The Saints rank 31st in kickoff return average.

"I know you'll see the return game improve," Payton said. "I think between Tommylee (Lewis) and Marcus Murphy, we got some guys that are capable of doing it and doing it well."

O'Dea most recently worked as the special teams coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013-14, and before then he coached a Kansas City Chiefs special teams unit that set an NFL record for highest kickoff return overage in 2013 at 29.9 yards.

Other coaching stops for O'Dea included stints with the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears and New York Jets.

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Thanks for the update. I think the Saints return problems are mostly between their ears.

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Cadet and Hightower not being good returners isn't between the ears. They just aren't the type of athletes who do well on kick returns. If this new guy comes in and establishes with them that they should take a touchback on every kickoff for the rest of the year, then he's an upgrade over McMahon.

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"I think when you have some struggles in an area immediately I think the reaction is people want heads to fly," Payton said

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Immediately, my arse.

We've wanted McMahon gone for the better part of a decade.

Our ST's have been in the DREGS for years. SP needs to get his buddies off of the corporate welfare. ML needs an intervention.

Seeing as how Cadet has been our kick returner for years, I'd say that is not totally accurate