Saints likely to can DC Ryan amid Payton rift

There is a growing disconnect between coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. (USATSI)

The relationship between Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has been rapidly deteriorating this season, with it privately acknowledged within the team's headquarters that the men strongly dislike each other and a change is inevitable this offseason.

There have been several animated sideline discussions between them, including again in Monday night's defeat, and sources said that is reflection of their growing disconnect and contempt that has been obvious to many within the team for quite some time. Ryan is generally well liked within the team, but Payton demands much from his coordinators and assistants and the defense has regressed rapidly this season (albeit with injuries and personnel deficiencies clearly part of the problem as well).

Ryan helped the unit improve considerably in 2014, his first year on the job, but the results this season have been disastrous.

Some sources went so far as to use the word “hate” to describe their frayed relationship, and Payton has gone through several defensive coordinators in recent years, from Gregg Williams to Steve Spagnuolo to now Ryan. The Saints have $160M committed currently to the 2015 cap, more than any other team, and several of the higher priced veterans on that sagging defense are not expected back. The team has sunk considerable resources in the draft and free agency into bolstering the defense in recent years, with middling results at best.

New Orleans enters play Week 13 with a 4-7 record, which ties them for first in the woeful NFC South despite three straight defeats.

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Former Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice wins appeal



Free agent running back Ray Rice has won the appeal of his suspension and has officially been reinstated to the NFL. Rice is now eligible to sign with any team. Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USJAX-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Rice was suspended indefinitely after video evidence of him hitting his then-fianceacute;e was released to the public. The act led to the NFL suspending the three-time Pro Bowler indefinitely for violation of the league's personal conduct policy.



Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USJAX-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The 27-year-old RB must have sighed in relief when the judge ruled in his favor today. Rice, whose career was in jeopardy, is now cleared to sign with any NFL team. Finding a suitor will be a major task as the team that signs him will likely have to deal with a public relations nightmare. Rice may get his second chance, but he will not be on the fantasy radar this season. Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USJAX-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}