Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

METAIRIE, La. — It’s not that Kenny Vaccaro isn’t a player with tons of upside.

It’s not that the Saints didn’t need help at safety.

It’s just that from afar – that is, outside the Saints’ war room – safety would fall below linebacker and defensive line as areas of issue.

And the first round of the draft played out almost exactly as the Saints needed it to to fill those positions.

As the clock neared 9 0’clock in the evening, linebacker Alec Ogletree and Jarvis Jones were available. So, too, were defensive tackles Sylvester Williams and Sharrif Floyd.

Yet, New Orleans went all counter-intuitive, selecting a safety that will be forced into competition immediately with two incumbent starters.

While coach Sean Payton didn’t go into specifics on other players, it was clear that New Orleans’ decision-makers were over-the-moon about Vaccaro’s flexibility and versatility.

He can play three positions – free safety, strong safety and the nickel cornerback position.

He can tackle well, seen in the fact that he led Texas with 107 tackles as a senior.

Vaccaro could end up being a solid player, one who spends seasons with New Orleans as a steadying presence in the secondary.

But I look at this as a missed opportunity for the Saints to pick up a player whom could have made a real difference at a position of greater need.

Read more: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety | wwltv.com New Orleans

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

I said before the draft started that I didn't think we would choose an OLB as we now have galette, wilson, butler and others at that spot
I'm a little suprised we went safety instead of D line first, but if Vaccaro was the BPA in our draft rooms eyes then they had to pull the trigger

Its going to be interesting to see what happens with the competition in camp, you don't draft a guy like that in the first round if he's not going to start immediately, which is why I think the coaching staff will make moves to put him in the game.

The thing that impresses me is his versatility, but thats also making it more interesting, will he be a FS and take malcolms spot, or will he take harpers spot

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

It's one thing to take a player at a position of greater need, if he's worthy of being selected there. But, the one guy who I personally would have chosen over Vaccaro is Jarvis Jones.

I don't think we needed Sylvester Williams or Shariff Floyd, and I certainly don't think either of them is good enough to be selected over Vaccaro.

With the switch to 3-4, Bunkley should produce more like he did in Denver, and they spent our only pick in the first three rounds last year on Hicks. If they don't work out in the new system THEN you worry about that next off-season.

And lastly, who cares that Ogletree was available? Do we REALLY need four middle linebackers on our team? No.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

You're assuming that Ogletree is just a Middle Linebacker; he's not...

Ogletree's athleticism would've allowed him to play all four linebacker positions...

I'd have preferred Jarvis Jones or Sylvester Williams over Vacarro; as dissatisfied as I've been with the Safeties, my disgust with Harper is noted...

We've need a front seven that makes opposition wish they'd not gotten off the bus - rather than some English-comedy attitude of "this should be jolly fun today."

Further, when a rookie is an improvement over a veteran, not only have you improved the position, you can move the existing player for another pick and you reduce your cap hit...

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

43 mlb
a 34 ILB would be nice.
we are going to be down to one in a couple of year anyways

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

look he was a ok pick. at 15 was a reach and it is still to be seen if he can have the impact on defense they think he will. long term i understand the pick. Jenkins contract is expiring and harper is a FA in two years.

I still have a hard time believing the saints did not have trade offers.

this switch to 34 means we need picks. i like the core of players we have but i do not see 60% of the defense working out in the 34.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Wow, do they realize its only been 1 round?

They may try to trade up to land Jamie Collins.

It was said numerous times that this is a deep draft. Jarvis Jones ran a slower time than any successful NFL OLB playing today. Not a single OLB in the league today ran a 40 time as slow as he did.

I was hoping we didn't pick Jones when our pick was announced. I wanted DT but this was a great pick. I'd say A-minus.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

No matter who we take there's always gonna be someone who doesnt agree. This was a very solid pick. Only time will tell though.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

My only concern is the conflicting reports that I have read on Vaccaros tackling.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

I have a feeling that we will try to package Roman Harper and Chris Ivory in a trade to get into the second round, I like roman harper but with drafting vaccaro the writing may be on the wall for one of our safeties and he has the largest cap hit

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Lofton and Hawthorne are both middle linebackers. Vilma will be gone before long, yes, but we already have the other two in place.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

I'm more worried about the 4.63 40 time. Thats slower than Harper and Jenkins.

I know 40 times are way over-rated, but thats basically my only worry about Vacarro.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

And many think Martez would make an excellent SILB too.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Its kind of strange because if you watch his game film he doesn't look like a 4.63 guy
One thing I have learnt about him is the that he set the best time at the combine for 20 yard shuttle and 3 cone drill, that means that he can change direction quickly and probably explains why he's had success playing nickel

Training camp is too long away!

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

yep that was his position in college. he does seem to play better working through the OL up the middle.

we will soon find out if the MLB to ILB will work out

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

I am assuming that, you're right. Athleticism is nice, but we already have athletes like Martez Wilson and Junior Galette. I'm not interested in drafting a guy solely for his athleticism in the first round. You may disagree, but that's my philosophy on first rounders. Ogletree is proven as a MLB, not as an OLB. We already knew that Jarvis Jones could get after the QB better than anyone in the draft, so that's why he would have been my choice, if not Vacarro.

You're making quite the assumption in believing we can move any of our defensive players for picks. I don't see that as being very likely. IF you can get a rookie who is better than your veterans, of course you take him. That's why they drafted Vaccarro. But I don't see anything in Sylvester Williams that tells me he would have been better than what we have. I'm just not impressed with many of these DT prospects.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Yep, his straight line speed and accelleration is ideal for blitzing out of that ILB spot, and he has ideal size for it too.

I think his speed is why everyone thinks he's slated for that rush backer spot.

I think he can probably play all 4 spots very well.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

So much talent in the second round. I wish I could get my hands on Moore.

http://jadaashleysays.files.wordpres...ted-poster.jpg

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visu...Goodell640.jpg

http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2013...1--300x450.jpg

:needle:

Bastard.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Bengals
Steelers
Rams
Cowboys
49ers

All wanted Vaccaro, the kid can play.

Now, come on Jamie Collins

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

If he can jump routes we don't need him to keep up . :-)

The 40yd is as much about coming off the blocks as it is about true speed, which is why those that ran track usually fair better in the combine than those that do not.

If he can catch people on tape he is fast enough.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

as long as he plays faster than he times. that was mentioned to me about him

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

If he can catch this guy, I'm not worried about his speed.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Drafting Vacarro was the smartest thing they did. They now have two safeties that can come up and play man to man against the tight ends and slot receivers of the NFL. This guy is a sure tackler and turnover machine, which we were lacking in both areas. Dude is a playmaker.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Holy...

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

The void left by sharper may have just been filled.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Thats the feeling I'm getting from this aswell :)
I honestly think our defense is going to be solid. Atleast enough for Drew and the boys to score 30+ and laugh

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

I will never confuse him with Earl Thomas, but in the games I have seen over the course of two years, he has been a pretty solid tackler. With a little more attention to detail, I think he can be 'coached up' quite nicely.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Then we better have some luck at WR!

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

i would not line him up in the slot against any jitterbugs. they will eat him alive like any other safety.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

He's a corner who hits like a safety.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

With his leaping ability and athleticism, he is our best bet at stopping Gonzo.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

I don't think Vaccaro was a reach at 15. He was the considered by all the best Safety in the draft.

San Fran moved up to 18 to grab Eric Reid who was not considered the talent that Vacarro was.

This way you now have two safeties that can play free safety, strong safety and corner nickel. Much easier to hide coverages with Jenkins and Vacarro than with harper. Jenkins downfall came from Spag's scheme, Harper was never what we thought he would be when we drafted him.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Handwerger seems to have no idea what he is talking about

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Coming to Reid's defense, prior to his underachieving senior season(expectations were sky high), he was arguably the top safety in the nation. He's just as athletic if not more than Vaccaro and possess a high football IQ w/o any baggage. He was a sure fire first round pick. His selection by the 49ers goes to show teams do their due diligence and just don't base things off a single game or season. Their isn't a big disparity in their talent as many would think in my honest opinion.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

Well if not that big a disparity it still stands that Vacarro was not a reach at 15 unless San Fran reached also.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

We've been pounding the table that we've got to quit screwing the pooch in Round 1...

We can only pray - don't say anything though, Saints FO may start pulling a Mora to show up the very fans that financially support them...

That's valid, but I'd like to take this another way...

I'd like to see 40 yd sprints, shuttle runs, hell, all drills done in full pads!!!

(F*** the collective bargaining agreement, get is modified, throw in an extra million per team salary cap)...

I'd prefer Jones if we had to pass on Ogletree who's now playing for the...RAMS!!!

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

The criticism of Reid was that he was not as good without Morris Claiborne and the Honey Badger flanking him...valid question to ask...

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

The defense as a whole took a step back, it wasn't just Reid. The Tigers for whatever reason didn't generate a lot of pressure last year as they did in the past... and that definitely coincides with the secondary production. They also started to freshman corners so the continuity and chemistry wasn't always there. When one part isn't functioning as it should, other areas can take a hit along with it.

With that said, he certainly should have made more plays last year. The pressure, hype, and weight of the defense was too much for him to handle. San Fran was the perfect fit for him to grow into a very good player. They're strong on every level and he just needs to play his part.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

"Seemed to have missed" That's what you say in the event he is an all pro and defensive rookie of the year or a complete bust.

Re: Handwerger: Saints seem to have missed opportunity by taking safety
 

when do yall think he wouldve been drafted if we didnt get him at fifteen. My other question would be if we couldve traded back and still drafted him.