Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

(Mike Triplett)


Current depth chart:

Kenny Vaccaro. Age 22, signed through 2016, with team option for 2017. 2014 salary and bonuses: $833,396. 2014 salary-cap number: $2.14 million.

Malcolm Jenkins. Age 26, unrestricted free agent.

Roman Harper. Age 31, signed through 2015. 2014 salary and bonuses: $3.15 million . 2014 salary-cap number: $5.87 million.

Rafael Bush. Age 26, restricted free agent.

Jordan Pugh. Age 26, unrestricted free agent.

Analysis:

[+] EnlargeKenny Vaccaro
AP Photo/Bill HaberSaints safety Kenny Vaccaro looks to be a star in the making.
The good news here is that the Saints nailed their first-round draft pick last year with Vaccaro, who quickly emerged as a versatile every-down player for them. Although his season ended early with a fractured ankle, Vaccaro should be fine by the summer. And he has the skill set to become a future Pro Bowler.

Behind Vaccaro, however, this position is loaded with question marks. Jenkins is an unrestricted free agent. Bush is a restricted free agent. And Harper will almost certainly need to agree to a pay cut to stay in New Orleans. I think the Saints will consider bringing all of them back at the right price. But it’s unlikely that everyone will come back. And the Saints like to feature three safeties in their nickel defense, so they will certainly look to add one or two newcomers through free agency and the draft.

Jenkins, a former first-round pick himself, is a tough call. He has always shown great potential as a playmaker, but he has also been inconsistent at times in pass coverage and as an open-field tackler. He started out great last season under the direction of new coordinator Rob Ryan, and they look like they could be a good match. But if another team is willing to pay for Jenkins’ potential, the Saints may let him go this offseason because of their salary-cap constraints.

Harper has also battled inconsistency in recent years -- especially in pass coverage. And he became the Saints’ No. 3 safety last season after Vaccaro’s emergence. But Ryan’s defense seemed to be a good fit for Harper, as well. He started strong in 2013 before suffering a knee injury that sidelined him for half the season. Then he finished strong with an excellent performance in the playoff loss at Seattle. I think it’s possible Harper could stay in New Orleans if he agrees to a contract near the veteran minimum. But if another team is willing to pay more, the Saints will likely let him go.

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Ranking New Orleans Saints needs: No. 6 Safety - ESPN

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

V- a baller and should only get better
Harper- really good SS- I would keep but he does need to give a little money up, he's a little pricey but kicks butt in the box and tackles.
Jenkins- if there has been a time to make a secondary better it's now. Let him go and draft a ball-hawk cause if you keep Jenkins you want have 1 and his tackling is pathetic.
Bush- quality depth at FS-hits hard.
Pugh- ????? I don't know about.
Ed Renolds would look good in a Saints uniform and would be cheaper and better than Jenkins.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

I've seen us getting Pryor out of Louisville in 2 mock drafts, but one was Walterfootball...Still, I would feel pretty good if Pryor fell to us at 25, dude is a monster tackler (you'd like that halloween_65) plus I get the feeling someone like the Bears will make a play for Jenkins, driving up his price tag.
Pryor+Vaccaro would give our secondary some potential long term stars and we have Bush+Harper for depth.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

Whichever prospect looks like they're gonna be the next Earl Thomas, that's the guy I want.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

Vaccaro is a great safety. He needs someone to pair with that is another FS that tackles well. Reduce Harpers contract.....keep everybody healthy and maybe we can recreate the defensive domination from this year.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

Excellent hitter but what I liked the most in the video, the guy plays with leverage when he hits you don't see that everyday, Ronnie Lott played with leverage. After Jenkins being a 1st rounder leaves me gun shy but this guy reminds me nothing of Jenkins which is a good thing, and 2 solid tackling, hard hitting safeties in our backfield would look great. I'm in.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

Pryor appears to be a hit away from a concussion. How are his skills in pass coverage? I'm not knocking the kid but I want a safety who has good instincts, ball hawking ability, high football IQ and not just a big hitter. Ha Ha Dix of Bama is still on my short list of safeties I would like to see in black and gold.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

Malcolm Jenkins should never have switched to safety. I wouldn't mind resigning him if we moved him back to CB as a nickel or dime back. I love Rafael Bush, but he doesn't seem like a true free safety; more of a versatile in-the-box safety like Vaccaro. We definitely need that ball hawking centerfield FS and if Pryor is capable of being that guy then I'm fine with grabbing him if he's available.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

Walters football has him. It said he has cover skills.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

What about finding some average WR with fluid hips and a sense for the ball and make him a DB, you never know, it could work.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

That's pretty much what happened with Richard Sherman and it worked... Why not?!

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

If Clinton-Dix fell to us I would be thrilled, but I just don't see him getting past St. Louis or Chicago

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

They did that with Sherman, but at Stanford, not sure how it would work at the pro level. kinda reminds me too much of the Devon Hester-to-receiver move, though.

Re: Ranking Saints needs: No. 6 Safety
 

I've seen a couple highlights where he's made some pretty amazing INTs, but that's still from highlight reels. I'll see what I can find in Louisville game film on him, but see my comment about Clinton-Dix.
*NOTE* Pryor has the same number of INTs as Clinton-Dix and more forced fumbles.