Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Duck Dynasty's Willie Roberson is in the background in the picture!


If you hadn't noticed, only a few New Orleans Saints remain from the 2009 Super Bowl team.

In the four years since the Saints upended the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, the roster has been overhauled almost entirely, especially on defense.

Only five defenders remained from 2009 when the Saints opened training camp in late July. Season-ending injuries to linebackers Will Smith and Jon Vilma and cornerback Jabari Greer have reduced the number to two: safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Roman Harper.

The longtime friends and backfield mates will take the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday. And Jenkins and Harper know it very well could be the final time the duo protects the back end of the defense as a tandem.

"I hadn't thought about it. But if it is, it is," Harper said when asked if this could be his final home game as a Saint. "If I've got to come here with another team, I'll do that, too."

Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper | NOLA.com

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I like Harper. I would keep him over Jenkins. We will switch to a 3-4 next season and Harper could be very handy.Although his salary might need to be tweaked.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

People can defend Harper, but their has not been anyone that has burned us so much especially in key games than Roman Harper.

Theirs plenty proof to back it up, last week vs Carolina 2 big plays he was the target, San Fran playoffs 2011 he was the target, Seattle 2010 he was the target. Hes been the target and recipient of too many TDs thrown on the defense in recent years, he usually gets pissed off because of it that hes in someones face after the play talking ****, remember a couple years ago when he hit Steve Smith in the end zone? All Harper does is take bad angles, bad judgement, and is not speedy enough to even be out there.

With Vaccaro gone, its going to get worse for Harper.

People wont admit it, hes the new Jason David of this era. Do away with him, things like this will get cleaned up.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Wow, needless to say I disagree with almost everything you said.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Leave it brother, we are fighting a losing battle when it comes to defending roman harper, the threads never end and no praise we give him will be listened to

If it is his last game as a saint, i for one will miss him on the field

Most sacks by a safety in the NFL
Pretty much won the season opener with 2 huge turnovers

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I have to agree with Danno and Dizz, I'm a Harper supporter as-well

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

A starter for 8 seasons, under 3 different coordinators, two pro-bowl appearances etc etc...

And some jackwaggon dares to compare him to Jason David?

Asininery, complete asininery.:p

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I wouldn't go that far. Harper will be back.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Vaccaro > Harper

Bush > Jenkins

IMO they both walk in the off-season.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

God not this again! Offense has a bad game its Harpers fault, Kicker misses a FG to lose a game its Harpers fault. Harper Harper Harper. Heres an idea how about we get LB's who can cover And stop putting Harper in tough spots.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

'asininery' makes it through spell check? That's awesome.

I'll take Harper, albeit at a discount. We have bigger issues to worry about.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

You don't know what u got till its gone just ask the chargers Lol bush will be the reason we let harper go or money that's how it goes.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Yep, Harper's only problem is he covers like he's a Strong Safety. Oh wait, he is!

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Kind of a rude article if you ask me.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

If I'm not mistaken, the infamous late hit on Steve Smith in the end zone was because of something Smith did to Malcolm Jenkins earlier in the play, when Jenkins got tangled up (punched maybe? pushed off?) and went down -- not because Harper was the one who got "burned" on the TD. I'd have to watch it gain, but as I recall, Harper came racing over from way far away, where his part the action was, to make that late hit. The way I remember it, it was Jenkins' responsibility to make the play/make the tackle/bat the ball/intercept, and Smith did something to Jenkins and mauled or taunted him. So Harper was PO'd about THAT.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Key, discount. Remember the talk after last season about how our money was spent? Even with Drew's contract, we spent more on defense than offense, and did not have anything good to show for it.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I can't admit that any of the Harper defense helps me @ all. I have never been a fan of his. Most sacks by a safety..... cause nobody on the line could get to the qb. When he was out for that 3 or four game stretch... it was the best I saw the defense play this season. I am not saying he could not be a benefit to this team... but he earns way to much money. I could save 7 million dollars if I cut him..... 7 million dollars.... If this helps the Harper defenders Jenkins is far worse than Harper but this not saying much.... I'll take Bush Vaccaro Quddus first and then if we have to choose between Jenkins and Harper i'll take whoever takes the cheaper deal.....

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Harper is a good "in the box" safety. Just don't put him in coverage. He sucks in coverage. As for Malcolm Jenkins, well......???

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I would miss Harper.....Jenkins not so much.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I never understood the love for 2 of the worst starting safeties in the league year after year. However I am not going to tell you what to enjoy and what to dislike. I am glad you have enjoyed watching them over the years, I can't say the same.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I agree with this.

Jenkins deserves all the criticism he gets, but a lot of Harper's is unwarranted. He's a good player.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I think it's likely due to the average fan not knowing the difference between a SS, FS and CB.
Harper was a good SS. Too bad too many fans don't know what a SS is.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Very true!! I don't think Harper is the best SS ever but he is much better than most.A good SS is hard to come by. I do think when it said and done V might be the aire to Harper. V has a SS mentality. Look how well Harper played with Sharper compared to with Jenkins, it's really no comparision.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

While Harper is a much under-appreciated SS, Vaccaro has all the tools to become a Superstar DB. He's a tad better than Harper is at SS, but he's much better as an all around DB.

Vaccaro has Polamalu potential, but potentially being better in coverage. Wow!

He has a long way to go because his coverage skills are only slightly better than Harper's right now, but the sky is his limit for him.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Danno, you do make this interesting, it will depend on how the DC wants to use him, I see what your saying.It would take 2 more pieces to use him that way, maybe 1 if Cory White pans out which I think he will, I could only hope White turns into a Richard Sherman type. A really good true FS is a must to play him that way.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

+1

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Remember when he made the huge INT versus ATL this year to win the game on the best TE to ever play football? Jenkins is much worse than Harper.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Harper is a good in the box safety. He's not good in coverage. Simple as that. His salary is his major drawback to the team. For the right price, I would love to see him back in a role with the team. But, if the Saints could find another Vaccaro type player, it wouldn't concern me in the least if Haper and Jenkins moved on.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I'd miss neither and hope Loomis sees the light and replaces both of them this offseason

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

I think Jenkins is a lot better when playing next Vaccarro and vice versa. Harper and Jenkins are a bad combination. Either is a lot better when the other isn't on the field.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Yeah he has most sacks by a safety, thats because they rather use him in a LB role than be in the secondary. Quite frankly LB is where he belongs.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Have we already forgotten that Jenkins and Harper were both receiving high praise during the first half of the season?
Once the offence starts sputtering and can't close out games these 2 are the first 2 thrown under the bus.
I imagine we'll see them both back, albeit at a discount. I imagine Vilma and Smith will be gone though and I could see Brees and Colston having their salaries adjusted just like Brady's.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Harper sat for basically two months at the beginning of the season.

I'm not sure "having their salaries adjusted" is an option.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Gregg Williams is the only person who understood how to use Harper, maybe it was because of bounties. The only Saints players I want to sign again are Graham and Joe Morgan, maybe Strief.

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

That's not true, Ryan's 3 safety looks with Vaccaro, Jenkins, Harper were great...

We saw some of that tonight, with Bush, Harper, and Jenkins...

Re: Sunday could be final home game in New Orleans Saints uniform for safety Roman Harper
 

Say what you want about Harper but our run defense got better immediately after he came back from injury. Our run D was looking pretty damn bad before that. That being said I do think we can upgrade cheaper.