Jonathan Vilma Returns: Cheers to Another New Orleans Saints Distraction in 2012

"Yay, Vilma's back! WHO DAT!"

That's what you heard around Who Dat Nation after reports came out this week that the New Orleans Saints' defensive leader and captain Jon Vilma will be made available to be activated to the roster this week versus the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Yes, it's exciting to see that Vilma could possibly return to the active roster and see the field for the first time this year. And yes, the longer that Vilma drags along the bounty "sham," as Drew Brees said so eloquently on Mike and Mike recently, the more egg that gets placed over the NFL and Roger Goodell's face.

But is it really a good thing? Think about it.

Let me clarify that I have been a Vilma fan since his days at "The U," when I wanted Jim Haslett to chose either him or his teammate, D.J. Williams, in the first round. (More so Vilma, but that's beside the point.) But the last thing that this team needs is a distraction.

This Steve Spagnuolo defense is actually starting to put it together despite what the numbers say, and you are going to ruin that progress with a player who has no idea what to do in "Spags's" scheme?

That doesn't make sense.

It wouldn't be uplifting to the players, considering they have already had him around the locker room and field since Week 1, and it hasn't done much good for the 32nd ranked defense in the league. So what's putting an oft-injured, new-to-the-scheme player going to do?

Nothing but incite all of the talking heads on ESPN and NFL Network and shine a brighter light on New Orleans that they just don't need.

The only way that this team has a chance of making it out of this 1-4 hole and back to respectability is to keep their heads down and just execute.

Yes, Vilma would be a better option besides Will Herring or Scott Shanle on the strong side, but there's one problem: He doesn't play strong side. He plays in the middle. The last time he played out of position was when he was with the Jets, and that didn't end well.

And you can't slide your best player on the defense right now, and the only person making plays, out of the middle. You just don't do that to Curtis Lofton after leaning on him to be the voice of that defense.

The best thing that Vilma can do at this point is keep exposing Roger Goodell and the entire "bounty" process as the sham that it is and get healthy for next season while learning Spags's scheme.

While he does that, he should be the biggest "Saintsation" that NOLA could ask for, and be as prepared as anyone to contribute to this team in 2013.

It's just a thought, but the last thing the Saints could use right now is a distraction, so please, just stay away from the field right now, Jon.