New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

When Saints fans think of a nickel cornerback, typically, they think of an actual cornerback playing the position.

Ex-Saints player Randall Gay comes to mind as a player used primarily as a third defensive back to defend the slot wide receiver. Players in recent history who also saw time as the third cornerback in nickel packages were Tracy Porter, Corey White and Elbert Mack. All were true cornerbacks.

But that's not the pattern new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff are following. They're experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Kenny Vaccaro as primary nickel cornerbacks.

Cornerbacks who lack the quickness and technique are the ones typically converted into safeties. McGriff said Jenkins and Vaccaro can make the transition to nickel corner. Jenkins and Vaccaro have received the majority of the snaps the past few training camp practices at the nickel with the first-team defense.

"When you look at Malcolm Jenkins, when you look Kenny Vaccaro, what you see is safeties that have feet similar to a corner and have the ability to go in the slot and cover the guy as well as not hinder us in being able to stop the run," McGriff said. "It's a blessing to have safeties like those guys that can roll down and play slot corner and be efficient and effective in covering, but at the same time you don't lose any force in the run game because those guys can play the run as well.

"They are built to play both."

Jenkins isn't a stranger to playing cornerback. He was a consensus All-American at the position during his senior season at Ohio State in 2008 and was the top-rated cornerback entering the draft in 2009. The Saints made him the first cornerback selected in that draft class, and Jenkins played his first NFL season at cornerback.

"In my mind, I still feel like I can play corner," Jenkins said. "So I've still got good feet and good technique and (that is) something I still work on pretty often.

"I'm definitely still comfortable in that position. I just look at it as a challenge and it's something that I want to do."

Read more: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback | NOLA.com

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

I like this. the more flexibility you have on teh roster the better.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

I don't understand this. What is the benefit of putting a safety there instead of a cornerback? Am I taking this the wrong way or is the coaching staff saying our second string corners suck juevos?

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Seens the best way to get the best plsyers in the field. Should give Vaccaro plenty of snaps until he takes over fron Harper full time.
Cant wait to see some of the youngsters start playing next week.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Jenkins best season as a Saint was when he was doing exactly this. Being a nickel safety hybrid. He plays better closer to the line rather than patrolling a deep centerfield. Vaccaro has the same type of ability. I remember someone trying to ridicule me after the draft when I made the Jenkins/Vaccaro comparison. Apparently I'm pretty clueless.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Well I hope it works. I'm still hoping Corey White makes a bigger impact this year.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

experimenting -
1. Preform a procedure to determine something.
2. Try new concepts or ways of doing things.


Its preseason, this is the time to experiment.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Jenkins has no instinct at FS whatsoever, maybe the coaches see this and are trying to find a spot he could possibly help at instead of getting rid of a high 1st round draft pick. The guy has the tools but don't get it. Maybe they tell him" see that guy there, run with him and do not let him catch the ball". Someone has to replace him at FS this year or next !! We need a centerfielder bad.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Really?!

A rookie safety converted into a corner is a true cornerback?

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

What is a "true cornerback"? Is it defined by size/speed, skill/ability, what they played in college?

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Moot point... the author clearly meant that the players in question were all natural corners, which is incorrect in the case of Mr. White.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Fin, I thought white played cb in college. Some projected him to safety but he played cb iirc,

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

He lined up as both, but entered the draft as a safety as far as I'm aware.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

I'm pretty sure he played cb his entire career at samford

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

He played corner at Samford but was projected as a safety going into the draft.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Ok. I believe you guys, but I recall seeing film on him lining up as a safety. And also I have a memory of Mayock talking to Loomis after the draft and asking if they were going to use him as a safety, and Loomis said they were not sure but that they were probably going to use him as a cb, which was a conversion they had had some success with Jenkins earlier on.

But I'm probably remembering it wrong... :-(

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

I don't doubt he took some snaps at S either.

I'd actually like to see him at S eventually. I want to see him truck someone at full speed... he's built like a rock.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

I'm hoping our coaches don't plan on starting Malcolm Jenkins at free safety this season... Considering how mediocre he's been at that position and now he's getting less practice reps there. It was a failed experiment, let's just admit it and let him be the nickel cornerback. And yes, any other option at free safety would be an improvement.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

It would be a player who is listed as "active" on an NFL roster with the letters "CB" next to that player's name in the position column and receives a paycheck that allows the team to list him at a position because they wrote said paycheck...:clown:

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

For those that play fantasy football, Marques Colston was listed as a Tight End (TE) his rookie season, much to the dismay of my fellow Team Managers in a local league who since, no longer speak to me for being unreasonable, and using bad form for continuing to use him as a TE to my advantage...

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Thank you. Not sure how someone argues whether a person is a "what" or not, them when asked to define "what", says the definition is moot.

Example : I am a natural assh0le. By skill, size, speed, and I did it in college; and as you pointed out... My wife says I am. :-)

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Boy I sure hope so. Vacarro played a little corner at UT but didn't like all of what I saw. He was ok covering in the slot but I think he will be more effectively suited at safety (used a lot in man/man at the safety spot). On the other hand, UT didn't have a clue on D at times..

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

You sure about that? He shut down some prominent guys in the slot last year. It's all over his scouting reports. We talked about that on here... I forgot who is was.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

If you look at the KSU tape, it was probably one of Kenny's worst (missed coverage assignments/poor angles) performances of the 2012 season along with the OSU game in Stillwater. Those two opponents stand out in my mind from last year. And yes you are right, he did play well against WVU Tavon Austin.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

You know how you know the answer but just can't get it off the tip of your tongue? Now I can stop going through all my post. :)

It's college... they all have bad games. But for the most part, it's suppose to be one of his strengths... the ability to cover whoever, whether big or small, in the slot. You are right though... I remember watching some highlights of Vaccaro for that game and he took a lot of bad angles chasing down some guys for tackles. I don't recall whether it was from the slot or at S though.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Fin, got your back on this one...

Corey White*|*Samford,*SS*:*2012 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

ProFootballWeekly.com - Draft Prospect - Corey White

Corey White Scouting Report (Samford S) - Draft Insider

Corey White, SS, Samford, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

You are correct that several scouts and scouting agencies had projected White as a Safety...

I had hoped White would be assigned to Strong Safety to replace Harper as I'm in the camp that agrees to disagree about Harper and how he's a liability to the secondary...

Anyways, I still believe the Saints have to find a way for him to get on the field without injury to another player as he needs reps/live fire to get even better...

If Harper's at the end of his contract and Jenkins' extension is not cap friendly with the pending Graham deal, I could see the Saints think tank projecting a Safety tandem of FS Vacarro and SS White next season and beyond...

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Nah, I have a feeling that Corey White will be forming a CB tandem with Keenan Lewis in the future. Kenny Vacarro is a more natual strong safety so either Rafael Bush or Isa Abdul-Quddus is the future at free safety... Or we bring one in via the draft or free agency.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

with the nfl love affair with double TE sets were both tE can catch you need the flexibility out there.

I do not care what position they are listed at all i want is the best pass defenders on the field on second or third and long. all matched up correctly.

at times S lined up in the slot works and other times 5 cb work best.

now this is the aspect of Rob's coaching coaching that leaves me really wanting. so far it has not been his strong suit

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

I just hope it isn't too much for the players while also learning a new defense.

Re: New Orleans Saints experimenting with safeties Malcolm Jenkins, Kenny Vaccaro at nickel cornerback
 

Jenkins is still here? Oh well, there is still hope. We still have to cut close to half the players in camp. NO, I am not a fan of his bad angles and bad tackling.