Here’s some good stuff for ya.

Sean Payton is back. And I do mean BACK.

The New Orleans Saints announced Thursday that Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Secondary Coach Ken Flajole have been relieved of their duties with the team.

“I personally want to thank Steve and Ken for their contributions during what was an unprecedented 2012 season,” said Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. “Philosophically we are changing our defense to a 3-4 alignment and right now is the best time to accomplish this transition.”

So if they go to a 3-4, that means Will Smith and Cameron Jordan at the ends and…who? Broderick Bunkley at nose guard? Maybe Akieem Hicks?

Because Sedric Ellis has to be a goner. He did diddly poo last year.

You could do all right with Curtis Lofton and Jonathan Vilma at the inside linebacker spots. David Hawthorne as an outside linebacker in a 3-4? Meh. You’re probably looking at a first-round pick getting used at OLB, and then maybe Martez Wilson or Junior Galette get a shot to show us somethin’.

The Saints don’t have great 3-4 personnel, but then again they don’t have great 4-3 personnel either. Which is another way of sayin’ that they have crappy personnel on defense and until that gets fixed you’re nowhere.

But the Saints pick, what? 15th? Y’know who might be available at 15?

KeKe Mingo, that’s who.

Mingo is a bet-on-the-come type of guy, because he’s not the greatest tackler in the world and he probably still needs to get stronger. That said, at least with him you’d get a guy who could disrupt the pocket some. The Saints haven’t had a decent edge rusher since…damn. Pat Swilling? My mind’s a blank.

Of course, they need big-time help at corner and at safety, too. And a big hoss at nose guard is a need, unless Hicks blows up and becomes that (which isn’t a terrible bet).

One thing’s pretty fa sho’, tho’. Keepin’ Spaggles wasn’t gonna cut it. Not only didn’t that defense ever really get any better (the last 3-4 games were every bit as bad as the first seven), but it was clear that the morale and chemistry of that bunch was in the pooper. And it showed up in the fact that nobody in that crew played worth a crap.

So now it’ll be interestin’ to find out who Payton is thinkin’ as the new D-coordinator. I don’t suppose Dick LeBeau is sick of the cold weather in Pittsburgh, huh?

Oh, my God. Please, PLEASE don’t be thinkin’ Rob Ryan.

Nah. He ain’t gonna do that. No way, right?

No way.

Whew.