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How Saints DC Rob Ryan Is Misusing Rookie Safety Kenny Vaccaro | Bleacher Report


How Saints DC Rob Ryan Is Misusing Rookie Safety Kenny Vaccaro
By Murf Baldwin

Jack of all trades, master of none...

Answer this question objectively; what has New Orleans Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro really done well? Most of you will point to his physicality when tackling. But can you name a jaw-dropping hit he's delivered thus far?

Some of you will point to the great range that he has. But his lone interception came on a poorly thrown pass by Arizona Cardinals' quarterback Carson Palmer—in what is referred to as a "gift" in football vernacular.

A ton of you will try to sell Vaccaro on being a great cover guy. Those doing that also sell bridges to the naive.

Let's not get it twisted. Vaccaro has all the makings of being one of the best players in the NFL. The ferocity with which he operates may only be superseded by his innate football intelligence. To put it simply, this guy is gifted.

So why hasn't he had more of an impact?

His stat line of 54 tackles, one sack, one INT and six passes defensed is solid. When you have as much talent as Vaccaro you're going to find ways to contribute, but when you compare his impact to some of the premier safeties in the league you can plainly see the difference.

...

Safeties by comparison Player Tackles FF INT PD Stuffs

Vaccaro 54 0 1 6 3

Earl Thomas (SEA) 78 2 4 7 0

Tyrann Mathieu (AZ) 65 1 2 8 4

Eric Reid (SF) 46 0 3 7 0

Mark Barron (TB) 72 0 2 5 2

ESPN.com

And the difference is the other players actually play safety.

Calling Vaccaro a safety is only partly the truth. In Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's multi-scheme approach, Vaccaro should be tagged with the title of "defender" because he simply has no home.

When Vaccaro was profiled for this column earlier in the season, his vast usage was met with a bit of elation. Finding one player who could fill as many as five roles was as uncanny as it was intriguing. But now as the season has worn on, Ryan has yet to let Vaccaro settle in on one position.

This is in part due to the Saints' log jam at safety. Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper and Rafael Bush are all good players in their own right. And it could be argued that Jenkins is the best player in the secondary.

Often all the safeties are played at the same time, which means someone has to do something they might not be very good at. And usually that player is Harper, who struggles to cover tight ends. But it also can be argued that Vaccaro is equally inept at defending slot receivers—or receivers in general.

Ryan should take note of how the Pittsburgh Steelers used a young Troy Polamalu. Vaccaro and Polamalu are almost like clones. They both are ferocity-based players who rely on instincts rather than technique. In fact Polamalu still struggles to track the ball and defend receivers to this day.

But his presence has been felt like no other.

The Steelers designed a scheme that allows Polamalu to roam around the line of scrimmage and affect plays any way he chooses. It's nothing to see him blow up a run play behind the line of scrimmage, sack the QB or pick off a pass meant for an underneath target. The common denominator being he's always around the ball.

Tell me you can't imagine Vaccaro in this type of role.

Vaccaro has similar traits and could make similar plays right now as a rookie. Putting multiple hats on Vaccaro has not allowed him to make the type of impact one would expect. Vaccaro has had a fine season, but he has the talent to be the best player on the defense present day.

Vaccaro should not defend receivers anywhere on the field. And it's debatable if he has the ball skills to play free safety as he once was advertised. But as an in-the-box safety, his physicality and instincts would make it hard for the defense to get a bead on what he's actually doing.

This would put a lot more on the opposing offense's plate, and would in turn make Vaccaro a lot more productive. One thing's for certain, Vaccaro will be an impact player in the NFL. It just may not be until the Saints allow him to settle into a singular role.

Make it happen Rob...