Saints OTA Hau'oli Kikaha: Saints OTA's May 28, 2015

New Orleans Saints linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha (45) talks with Joe Vitt during OTA's at the Saints Training Facility in Metairie on Thursday, May 28, 2015. (Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

(Michael DeMocker)

Outside linebacker Junior Galette said his stunning release by the New Orleans Saints on Friday was a "terrible call," and he also suggested it would have consequences for the team's struggling defense.

"Who else do they have?" he asked pointedly in an interview with NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune on Friday. "You tell me: Who else do they have?"

The Saints front office and head coach Sean Payton have likely been mulling that question since January, when Galette was arrested for domestic violence at his home in Kenner. The charge was later dropped.

At the time, many worried that Galette might be suspended by the NFL in light of the league's heightened emphasis on domestic violence. Instead, it was the Saints who elected to cut ties with a player they had just invested millions of dollars in a year earlier.

Galette said he's convinced he'll play for another team in 2015.

"I'm in the best shape of my life," he said. "My reaction is that I've never felt better."

Now the Saints must decide how to replace his lost production. Galette registered 22 sacks over the last two seasons, but had shifted from an every-down role to a more specialized pass-rushing capacity by late in 2014.

Although listed as an outside linebacker, Galette almost always lined up on the edge to rush the passer and only rarely was responsible for dropping into pass coverage.

The Saints have five candidates who could replace some or all of his snaps:

1. Veteran Anthony Spencer (6-foot-3, 265 pounds) signed a one-year deal during the offseason. With Galette out for most of the summer, Spencer frequently lined up in his place.

Spencer, 31, spent the first eight years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who had the same role in Dallas from 2011-2012, presided over some of Spencer's best seasons, including his only Pro Bowl appearance in 2012.

2. Hau'oli Kikaha (6-3, 246) was drafted by the Saints in the second round of the NFL Draft in May. He led the NCAA with 19 sacks for the Washington Huskies in 2014.

3. Davis Tull (6-3, 240), the Saints' fifth-round selection out of Chattanooga, spent the summer rehabbing his shoulder after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in March. He'll start camp on the non-football injury list because the labrum was a pre-draft injury.

4. Kasim Edebali (6-2, 253) was Galette's backup for most of 2014, playing a few snaps here and there when Galette needed a breather. The undrafted free agent from Boston College also was a valuable special teams contributor. Edebali said he learned a lot about the position from Galette. Now Galette's release virtually ensures that Edebali will make the team in 2015 and could give him a bigger role.

5. Like Edebali, Ronald Powell (6-3, 237) is entering his second season with the club. He was the Saints' fifth-round selection in 2014 and played primarily on special teams. Despite his size, Powell has often practiced in a pass-rushing role, suggesting coaches like his speed off the edge.