Saints’ Hau’oli Kikaha ‘still a hybrid’ but is having fun at DE

2:53 PM ET

METAIRIE, La. — In the simplest terms, Hau’oli Kikaha is switching positions this year from outside linebacker to defensive end.

In football parlance, the New Orleans Saints’ second-year pass-rusher is moving from “Sam” to “Jack.”

But in some ways, his role isn’t really changing all that much.

“I’m still a little hybrid. I’m still a hybrid,” Kikaha explained. “I mean, I can be used in multiple schemes, different places. That’s what I play — whatever they want me at on a specific day.”

Kikaha’s move is a bit more subtle than that of fellow second-year linebacker Stephone Anthony, who will switch from middle linebacker to strong-side linebacker in New Orleans’ 4-3 base defense.

Kikaha essentially lined up as a defensive end for much of his rookie season, since the Saints are in nickel defense nearly 75 percent of the time anyway. But the Saints appear poised to make that more of a full-time role for him.

That makes sense, considering Kikaha was an outstanding pass-rushing defensive end at the University of Washington, where he racked up 19 sacks as a senior.

“We have a bunch of stuff, different packages. But … it’s …

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