NFL Roundup: Saints hire Rob Ryan as DC, Ravens' Boldin talks retirement
The New Orleans Saints announced Saturday that they hired Rob Ryan as their defensive coordinator. Ryan was interviewed on Friday. He replaces Steve Spagnuolo, who was fired after one season. Ryan was let go by the Dallas Cowboys after the season.
The Saints allowed an average of more than 440 yards per game, worse than any team in the history of the NFL. The Cowboys were 19th in the league in yards allowed in 2012.
Rob Ryan, twin brother of Jets head coach Rex Ryan and son of former NFL coach Buddy Ryan, was also strongly considered for the St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator job, which remains unfilled. It took Ryan more than a month to find a job after saying it would take him "like, less than five minutes" after he was fired in Dallas.
Payton also added Stan Kwan as an assistant special teams coach. Kwan has been an assistant in the NFL for 23 years, including the last three as a special teams assistant with the Buffalo Bills.
---In player personnel news around the league:
* Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin told NBC Sports radio on Friday that he would retire if the Baltimore Ravens released him. Boldin, 32, has one year left on his four-year, $25 million contract, and is due $6 million next season. The Ravens could cut him for salary-cap reasons since quarterback Joe Flacco, linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger, and safety Ed Reed -- all starters -- will become unrestricted free agents.
* The Miami Dolphins and cornerback Sean Smith are far apart in contract negotiations, the Palm Beach Post reported Saturday. Smith, a five-year cornerback, is due to be an unrestricted free agent in March. If a deal is not worked out, the Dolphins could place a franchise tag on him. Smith is reportedly asking for a six-year, $43 million contract, similar to what the Tennessee Titans gave Jason McCourty last year. It is not clear how much the Dolphins are willing to offer Smith.
* The New York Giants signed defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to a one-year, $1,005,000 deal. The Newark Star-Ledger reported Saturday that Rogers, 33, would see his salary fall to $433,000 if he goes on injured reserve.
