Aug 30, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive back Delvin Breaux (40) against the Houston Texans during the first half of a preseason game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints secondary took another hit this week in the form of cornerback Keenan Lewis and his hip surgery â which will sideline the New Orleans native 4-6 weeks.
Lewis' injury further complicates the difficult situation already plaguing New Orleans' defense: cornerback Jairus Byrd, the team's marquee addition in the 2014 offseason, missed the last 12 games of last season with a knee injury and has yet to play this preseason. Meanwhile, the Black and Gold's new addition - Brandon Browner - injured his leg in the team's exhibition opener in Baltimore versus the Ravens.
"Some of that you can't control, and it's not just unique to our team," head coach Sean Payton said. "It's pretty common in the league. You'd like to have your starting units intact, and yet that's not always the case."
It doesn't seem to be at all the case in the Crescent City, except for 24-year-old Kenny Vaccaro. However that means the door is wide open for a former LSU Tiger who has seen more than his fair share of adversity.
New Orleans product Delvin Breaux, who prepped at McDonogh 35 on Kerlerec, is ready to make up for lost time after breaking his neck in high school.
In October of 2006 while suiting up for McDonogh 35, Breaux fractured his C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae on a kickoff return. LSU honored the scholarship it had previously offered to Breaux, and in 2008, the 6'1"cornerback became a player-coach for the Tigers.
Although Breaux never suited up for the Purple and Gold in Baton Rouge, he never gave up on his dream of playing football. He overcame his neck injury and played for the Louisiana Bayou Vipers in the Gridiron Developmental League in 2012, the New Orleans VooDoo in 2013, then the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, earning Canadian Football League All-Star honors in 2014.
Breaux then got a chance to start making his NFL dreams a reality in January of 2015 when he signed with the New Orleans Saints. Now, with the Lewis' injury adding to the hurdles facing the Saints' secondary, Breaux seems to be prepared to seize a golden opportunity.
"I'm so glad for him, I can't tell you," LSU head coach Les Miles said. "I just want him to be everything he wants to be. He's a quality person."
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