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...

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

true enough

round 3 steal?
Eddie Jackson FS/CB Alabama 6000 194 4.53 #4 Sr

Bad part with all the injuries last year we really have no idea what he wants to run in the secondary/ In oakland he liked the single high safety look but depth at safety was an issue there.

Eddie Jackson is listed as SS but he player more of a single high safety look with bama. maybe his tackling skills got him that label. he dropped down in the box, slot and out wide. Out wide is not his best position. Again it is his versatility i like.

Sleeper
David Jones FS/SS/KR Richmond 6015 210 4.53 #13 rSr

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Marcus Williams, S, Utah
Budda Baker, S, Washington
Obi Melifonwu, S Connecticut
Justin Evans, S TAM
Malik Hooker - S The Ohio State

At worst all are 5th DB/rotational players who can fit in just about anywhere.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Safety is a B-
On our defense we have too many other concerns, unless Anthony wakes up and our corners automatically become healthy enough to play 16 games.

End of 2016 Regular Season NFL Injury Data Summary: The most injured teams in the NFL through the 2016 regular season were the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints . The Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans were the healthiest teams through…

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Marcus Williams, S, Utah - i could live with it

Budda Baker, S, Washington - too short to play in our division

Obi Melifonwu, S Connecticut - 4 round jump to the 2nd rounder after senior bowl ? makes me wonder if the risk is too high. tempting as it is a 3rd is as high as i would go

Justin Evans, S TAM - love his tackling but his angles in mid to deep coverage leaves a lot to be desired. another SS?

Malik Hooker - S The Ohio State - i see the stud on the field but boy oh boy the mental errors. Is experience really the issue?

Add
Quin Blanding FS/SS Virginia 6011 205 4.58 #3 Jr

UDFA
Leon McQuay III SS USC 6011 195 4.52 #22 Sr

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Hagan,
I've seen Malik's name mentioned with JByrd coming out of college. Do you see it that way?

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

I would take Peppers. A steal if he makes it round 2. He has slid some.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

Peppers isn't sliding to Round 2...

Why cut Byrd till you have better in-house?

Reports of Byrd being a problem in the locker room?

Kenny Vaccaro would be a good Free Safety...

As of now, Vonn Bell wasn't worth the move up...

Will Erik Harris get a shot on defense vs coverage teams?

Jamal Adams and Jabrill Peppers are the only two names to know for Day 1...

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

I'd keep Kenny right where he is at. He has played SAM, WILL, nickel in games and has been extremely effective... very good versatility.

If we can tighten up the corner back position this off season, he can be even more effective at the SS along with his typical WIL/SAM duties. It would be nice if there was someone else who could cover Greg Olsen while Kenny blitzes but I see no one else capable at the moment.

This is one guy I'd extend.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

The two huge upside gambles at 11 IMO are

*Malik Hooker FS OSU 6020 206 4.54 #24 rSo
Hooker is able to make so many plays on the ball because of his incredible vision and range. He does a great job of reading the quarterbacks eyes and taking off towards the intended target as soon as the QB commits. Once he gets to the ball, his ball skills are put on full display. He looks like one of the best defensive backs in the nation. The talented safety can sometimes bite on fakes. Mental break downs are a bit too comon so how steep the learning curve will be with this rSo? tackling needs work

vs

Marlon Humphrey CB/FS Alabama 6005 196 4.49 #26 rSo
Rolling the dice a bit here and betting on upside. Med risk/High reward. The “future NFL corner” written all over him? Great athleticism, size and speed. Bama CB worry me but....how do you tell a 1st rounder to return to school? “He’s the most complete corner I’ve seen come out of there,” said one scout. “He’s as violent I’ve ever seen a corner be. I guess a little of that comes from the dad and he just carried it over. He can be a big-time player but he’s got to get some eye discipline.” Relies too much on his physical gifts

I will roll the dice on Marlon Humphrey before Malik Hooker. at 11 all day long

As for the Byrd bit I see little comparison. Byrd was not as gifted but heck of a lot more disciplined. Hooker is a bigger faster version of Vonn Bell. Both look totally lost out there way to often.

Kenny to FS would scare me to death. Keep him in the box and jump him all around to drive people nuts.

What if

1st
Marlon Humphrey CB/FS Alabama 6005 196 4.49 #26 rSo

Round 2 options
Gareon Conley CB OSU 6002 195 4.50 #8 rJr
Cordrea Tankersley CB/FS Clemson 6002 195 4.48 #25 Sr
Quincy Wilson CB/FS Florida 6012 211 4.54 #6 Jr
Obi Melifonwu FS/SS/OLB UConn 6032 216 4.58? #20 rSr

3rd
Eddie Jackson FS/CB Alabama 6000 194 4.53 #4 Sr

Would go a long way to solving issues in the secondary.

How would saints nation react first three rounds dealing with secondary?

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

I wouldn't want Peppers at FS, only SS. As far as Vaccarro at FS it would be a disaster waiting to happen. Not so sure he doesn't slide some. I'm not so sure Harper will be back? Byrd, Peppers, Bell and Harris wouldn't be so bad. The only $ are Byrds contract and the rest are on rookie deals. Vaccarro is on a 5th year option and will want $ next season and as far as his total body of work since being drafted he's not worth big money.

Re: GRADING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: SAFETY
 

We have this penchant for throwing away draft picks. It is a well known fact that we are rarely at the podium announcing a Saints draft pick. Fewer than any other team in recent history. And many many teams build through the draft rather than relying on free agents to win. Apparently it's a good formula that can produce results, just ask Bill Parcells and Bill Belichic. Their was improvement the last two years and especially last year when Ireland was thoroughly ingrained in the drafting process we have done a substantially better job drafting. I do believe we need another safety in the draft.

Back to the safeties.:

I thank Roman Harper and wish him well. I'm glad you came back as a Saint. Thanks for signing my gear.

Byrd is showing that with a little talent he can make things happen. With the returning players from IR and the new coaches I believe that he will contribute more along the lines we had hoped for.
I would not extend or restructure his contract where we push money forward. I would like to give him a pay cut and let him show the league that he's still a good player while we continue to develop Bell.

Bell passed the eye test to me in his first year when he was thrown into the fire. He should be valuable moving forward if he continues to grow and doesn't take a hit from the dreaded sophomore slump.

Vaccaro spent the last four weeks on suspension because the team is expecting him to have a large impact on a growing young team this year and be a leader going forward. I see that the has trade value but I believe that he has more value to Dennis Allen in continuing to install his defense. Vaccaro can line up all over the defense and to a certain extent can play a joker role.

Harris is the wild card here. From what I recall he was turning heads before he got injured. He was an UDFA and can be replaced if he doesn't continue to develop. I like him and want him to be another "Canadian Beast ":hallucinate: