Production manager

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jul 29, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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JACKSON, Miss. — Even though he’s new to the team, Jonathan Vilma said he thinks he has the solution for people who say the New Orleans Saints linebacking corps has underachieved the last couple of years.

“If you’re getting that knock, you just have to prove them wrong,” Vilma said. “I’m not big into reading the newspapers and watching ESPN to see what they’re saying about us and things like that. But I know if we go to work and produce, people aren’t going to say that anymore.”

Production is what the Saints were looking for this offseason when they obtained Vilma, the 2004 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, from the New York Jets in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.

Vilma is expected to be the centerpiece of the Saints’ second line of defense this season, the perfect fit as a middle linebacker for a 4-3 defense. A 6-foot-1, 230-pounder, he’s the most active and athletic middle ’backer the Saints have had since Sam Mills, a four-time Pro Bowler, left the team in 1994.

“Ultimately,” Saints coach Sean Payton said, “at that position, like most of these positions, you’re looking for production.”

The Saints say Vilma can be that man. It’s not like they don’t believe in Mark Simoneau, a two-year starter since coming to the team in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in Aug. 2006, they just needed more athleticism at that position.

Simoneau started 30 of 32 games he played in and had 170 total tackles. But he had just three sacks and one interception and broke up two passes. Vilma had 305 total tackles, 2‰ sacks, four interceptions and forced five fumbles in his first two seasons with the Jets.

Vilma and Simoneau are vying for the starting job in training camp, sharing time with the first-team defense through the first 10 practices.

While Simoneau tries to hold onto his job, Vilma is just glad to be out of New York after two miserable seasons. The Jets switched to a 3-4 defense when Eric Mangini took over as coach, which didn’t suit Vilma’s skills.

With the Saints, Vilma is back to his comfort level even as he continues to work his way back from knee surgery that limited him to seven games a year ago.

“I didn’t have bad times in New York, the only thing that was bad was my injury,” he said. “But it’s a new start for me with a new team, new teammates, new system. So we’ll see how it goes from here.

“I’m very excited to be here. I’m excited about the guys I’m around, the teammates that are with me and the competition at the linebacker spots. The competition is very healthy. Mark is really pushing me and doing a great job. Everything about this camp has me happy, and I’m in good spirits.”

Stronside linebacker Scott Fujita, who has played alongside Simoneau for the past two seasons, knows it’ll be a battle for the starting job although no on expects Vilma to fail if he’s completely healed from his surgery.