GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Quick read and grades at the safety position for 2016 :bng:.

Posted by brianpavek on February 9, 2017

The 2016 is now over as the Saints disappointingly ended with a 7-9 record for the third year in a row. Instead of wasting my time watching teams who I hate (meaning everyone NOT the Saints) I’ll be looking at each position group for the Saints and grading them player by player based on my own notes throughout the season, and also rewatching the games… because the pain just wasn’t enough the first time.

Next up is the Safety:

Full article: Grading the 2016 New Orleans Saints: Safety | The Saints Nation

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

My Personal View

Vonn Bell - has some upside and I believe he is a great tackler, however to say he was touted as a Ball Hawk, he quit on far too many plays. I can remember at least 3 different times a QB overthrew the ball, Bell had a chance at picking it but he intentionally slowed down and let it fall incomplete. There was even a time where a DB looked at him with outstretched arms like "wtf are you doing??"

Jairus Byrd - Had his best season with us but the multiple injuries he's had since he's been here have taken their toll. Give him another year, he improved tackling wise and played better when the coaches actually used him correctly. He is not the deep center fielder that Darren Sharper was, Byrd needs to play closer to the line and read the QB's eyes.

Roman Harper - Thanks for memories Roman, but it was difficult to watch in 2013, it's even worse now. Let him go.

Kenny Vaccaro - Was easily having his best season before he acted out of stupidity and started using PED's. As if he tried to use the "I didn't know they weren't allowed" stance, if we as fans know what NFL players are and aren't allowed to use, then how does someone who's job it is try to get out using that excuse.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

In my opionion it's no better time to put Vaccarro on the trading block. Due to the secondary(cb's) getting banged up and Kenny boy flying(adderall) all over the field his value is as high as it's going to get. Looking at the D rankings as a whole(28th) and having to run a 3-3-5 set because of (glass) cb.'s with a deep,deep draft on D players he might get us another mid to late 2nd or early 3rd pick.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

To trade you have to have a trade partner. What would another team have to gain by trading for Vaccaro if his replacement is out there in the draft? Why not just go for the replacement themselves? Just saying. But maybe I'm missing something.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

They may like Vaccarro? and might not be positioned in the draft order to get that particular player,? or may feel that a 2nd or 3rd would be worth it?. Could be wary of starting rookies? They might not feel a better player is out there? I do though, I would shop him and if they bit, pull the trigger.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

You would, but would Payton and Allen. That is the key. They have seen every snap he has participated in game and practice. They simply have more data to work with than we do.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

They also have a 28th ranked D. I don't put much faith in their decisions when it comes to judging D players at all. Kind of scary to me when they have all the data to go by and continue to be bottom dwellers. I think if Allen don't get it done this season him and Payton are done and it will be well deserved.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

after reading that I must have been watching the wrong team all season.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Byrd was pathetic

Always outof position
Never helping overthe top
Broken ankles by recievers juking him
Tentative

So he shows up in the last Bucs game
Cut him

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Sure wished we hadn't gone and spent two picks in last year's draft...

They're some amazing safeties who'd be great for us this year...