Crusader

When the New Orleans Saints used their first-round draft pick last week to select free safety Kenny Vaccaro, Malcolm Jenkins knew he had been put on notice.

How could he not? Jenkins was the Saints' starting free safety last season. Vaccaro's arrival was a clear sign that Jenkins was heading to a backup role ... or worse.

But Jenkins didn't want to create tension, so he decided to tweet Vaccaro a welcome message. It was opposite from the way Reggie Bush handled the same situation after the Saints drafted running back Mark Ingram in 2011. Bush infamously tweeted, "It's been fun New Orleans."

Sure enough, Bush was gone three months later.

"It makes it an awkward situation in the locker room," Jenkins said Saturday, according to The Advocate.

"If you kind of look back at history, you see when we drafted Mark Ingram, how Reggie handled it ... it was kind of the opposite."

We're amused by Jenkins' decision to publicly drag Bush into the conversation here, but this really was a move about self-preservation. Jenkins was a struggling starter on one of the worst defenses of all time. Entering the final year of his contract, Jenkins can make a) a good impression or b) plans for an exit.

He wisely chose the former.

Malcolm Jenkins didn't want to be like Reggie Bush - NFL.com

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W.T. Sherman is my favorite General. After all he did order Atlanta to be burned to the ground.

hagan714

I still do not see Valcarro as a replacement to Jenkins. I just can not get there from here.

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TheOak

Time

QBREES9

Class move.

rezburna

Reggie Bush is right in the boat with Ricky Williams and Carl Nicks for me.

AsylumGuido

Time to step up like Malcolm can and prove his worth. I love the kid. He was thrown into a retarded attempt at a defense that had no chance of success and was repeatedly forced to try to cover the mistakes of CB's that were not fitted for zone defense. Of course he would look bad.

Understand what I am saying here ... Malcolm is the real thing.

TheEnigma

I wouldn't want to be either

Dewayne318

I think he and Vacarro shud start together

saintsfan1976

Yes, i agree, in certain packages.

Let's not get caught up on the depth chart on paper here fellas. Rob Ryan will use his players to their strengths and put them in situations to make plays.

Malcolm Jenkins (like Vacarro) was drafted for his versatility. He played well early on and struggled recently but I think most of us here agree we can attribute that more to Spags than MJ.

Harper still brings some value albeit at a hefty price, this season at least..

Vacarro and Jenkins will be playmakers under Ryan and who "starts" won't be important.

homerj07

Smart move. They don't want a moody petulant child in the locker room (which is why they got rid of Bush)