New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's defense took another hit in the form of an injury. It was announced Monday that veteran outside linebacker Will Smith will miss the entire 2013 season due to a knee injury.
Smith, 32, suffered the injury during the Saints 31-23 preseason Week 3 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday, according to NFL.com.
Smith joins linebacker Victor Butler and defensive end Kenyon Coleman on a list of Saints defensive players that are most likely out for the season. Butler tore his ACL during practice earlier this summer and Coleman had surgery after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. Inside linebacker Jonathan Vilma is still recovering from knee surgery as well.
Smith will not be on the field Thursday when the Saints play the Miami Dolphins in their final preseason tune-up down in South Beach. The Saints will be without Smith for the whole year, and will look to fill some holes in their front seven when the team takes on the Atlanta Falcons at home in Week 1 action Sept. 8.
Smith, a nine-year veteran that has spent his whole career in New Orleans, led the team in sacks last season with a total of six while also mounting 33 tackles. Smith has 67.5 sacks in his career and has also compiled 329 tackles.
The Saints are looking to make up for a rare absence from the playoffs last season when the team went 7-9 and finished in third place in the NFC South, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The team was without head coach Sean Payton in 2012 due to a season-long suspension for the New Orleans coach due to the bounty-gate scandal.
The team's defense won't be as strong as it was in past years, and Ryan and Payton will have to look to fill the void left due to injuries.
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