Saints starting fifth set of corners

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 13, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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METAIRIE — With starting cornerbacks Mike McKenzie and Tracy Porter on injured reserve and Aaron Glenn ailing, the New Orleans Saints will start their fifth set of corners in only their 10th game Sunday.

McKenzie fractured his right kneecap in Sunday’s 34-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and Porter, a Port Allen native, was lost for the season with a dislocated right wrist in Week 5. Also Sunday, Glenn aggravated an ankle injury that forced him to miss five games earlier this season.
As a result, former Brusly High School standout Randall Gay will likely line up in McKenzie’s spot at left corner and Jason David will probably get the nod on the right side for Sunday’s game with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Saints previously used the McKenzie-Gay combination four times. The Gay-Porter and McKenzie-Porter duo started two games each with Glenn and Porter starting the other game.

Second-year pro Usama Young, who was the Saints’ only other healthy cornerback earlier this week, will also get into the mix in the nickel and possibly dime alignments.

Even though they’ll be going against the 1-8 Chiefs, it’s not a comforting thought for Saints coach Sean Payton or defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs to have to turn to another pair of new starters and juggle their substitution packages.

“All three of those guys are going to get work,” Payton said Wednesday. “All three of them are going to be involved in the nickel, and obviously, we’ll need three corners. Right now, we’ll play Gay and look at (Jason) David and Usama.”

The Saints worked to shore up the thin position by claiming Leigh Torrence off waivers from the Washington Redskins and signing David Pittman, a former Lutcher High School and Northwestern State star.

Pittman, a third-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2006, intercepted two passes in the 2007 season finale, but foot and hamstring problems plagued him in training camp this summer and he was waived on the final roster cutdown.

How much they’ll be able to contribute after limited practice with their new team remains to be seen.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get them acclimated and those guys are trying to get adjusted to our system and scheme,” Payton said. “Depending on the nickel and the guys in front of them, a lot of that would be based on how much they would play.”

The one thing Payton feels good about is having a versatile player like Gay, who has started two games on the left side and four on the right side, to have the ability to adjust to a number of different roles — including nickel back.

“He’s had a chance to play this season already quite a bit in the base defense at the corner spot,” Payton said. “He played that in New England and he’s a veteran player and he’s a guy that you look to — especially right now with some of the injuries — to fill in and handle more of the reps. I think he’ll handle that well. “

Payton said David, who’s been inactive for the last two games, and Young will have the opportunity to make up for some inconsistent play this year.