Safety in early rounds?

I think it's a possibility if one falls. We need depth but not starters.. we have two starters at safety long-term. There would be no sense in using an early pick for a guaranteed backup.

ETA: Unless they really wanna play a 4-2-5 all of the time

Tho the Champ may drop back to a safety role....
I like Brooks out of Florida in the 2nd round
blazing fast and played corner as well
very versatile and athletic player.

quote:

---

Unless they really wanna play a 4-2-5 all of the time

---

Even then, and especially how the depth of the positions have flipped, we could play standard 4-2-5(nickel) with 3 corners which we will more than likely do.

The ONLY reasons we played so much 3 safety was due to the depths at CB(2 legit starters and later only 1) vs. S(3 legit starters and later 4 once Bush showed out) and injuries to our 3rd(early 2nd game) and then 2nd(10th game) corners.

The 3 safety thing is the most overblown thing outside of people thinking we actually played 3-4 and Galette was an OLB.

I wouldn't say target, but if one is BPA that is the type we would look at being, as you said, Vaccaro and Ball are both more close to the line SS types.

Edit:
And right about Jenkins and Vaccaro. At times they were our third "corner". Now that Jenkins is gone, we have Byrd and Bailey, Robinson is (hopefully)healthy, and White has more experience, I think corner is stronger and our safety roles will be more defined(they said as much with Vaccaro).

People shouldn't overlook the fact that Robinson has 25 legit starts to his name(plus 2 starts as a nickel; one a full season).

Another thing to look at is contracts and how long these guys might be with us.

You look at safety and you have your top 3 set for the next 4 years, if not longer. Byrd has 6 years, Vaccaro 3 left + a 5th year team option, and Ball just signed on for 3 + a RFA year after that.

At corner, we have Lewis for 4 more years, Bailey for 2(if he lasts both years), Robinson for 1, and White for 2. Outside of Lewis, it isn't looking ideal.

We'll very likely need another corner before we need another safety, but we don't NEED to draft either this year, and we can get away at safety with an UDFA and maybe a vet added on for depth(plus the fact that Bailey and White could be potential fill ins).

quote:

---

At the moment I only see C being a clear target almost regardless of BPA(though there has to be some value). Then I think WR, LB, CB, and G have a position advantage if BPA is close.

---

You have to give the FO credit; this is the first time in a long time that the BPA approach is absolutely legit. They did a great job of filling holes.

Yea, there is a need for a WR and C, but we could be very effective with what we have.

Colston is viable, but he is getting old and is injury prone. Pierre Thomas caught more balls than Colston did last year.


Morgan, Toon, and Tanner haven't proved jacked shite.


If there isn't an immediate need for a WR, then there isn't an immediate need at any position. We need to add depth there, which will do us good this year, but more importantly for the future.

our WR's corps was pretty terrible last year compared to most of the other years under Payton. We've lost Moore, Colston will be a year older, and we've added no one up until this point.

Do we want Brees to lock in on Graham all year long again because no one else can get open? Brees isn't getting any younger. You have to replenish his weapons NOW. We've ignored it for too long, just thinking guys like Colston & Moore would be immortal. Brees is too big of an investment to be having to throw balls to Andy Tanner.

so yea, its priority #1 in my eyes and its not even close.

I would rank center second as its much easier to get a serviceable one than a explosive playmaker for the offense.

We all know that Brees held the ball too long sometimes for lack of open targets. I think CSP has little patience for getting the right blocking and the correct play called only to see no one able to separate and give Drew a target.

Vets will be available before camp and during but for true playmakers he will look to the draft. Wouldn't be shocked at all if first two picks are new toys for coach. So far Rob's gotten all the good gifts.

quote:

---

Brees held the ball too long sometimes

---

That was rare. More often it was the line giving him almost no time to find receivers and no time for the receivers to create separation.

Everyone wants to put it on the receivers, but the line played a much bigger part of our struggles. Once Evans got healthy it helped, but putting in Armstead in over Brown you could see the difference.

Again, I'm not saying we don't need receivers at all and I'm not saying we won't draft one, but everyone is making it out to be like the cupboard is bare and we are desperate.

I wouldn't be shocked with a 1st round receiver(especially if Cooks is there; pretty sure they were talking about him when they said there was a receiver that opened eyes at the combine), and I also wouldn't be shocked if we didn't get one until the 4th.

Look where they took Stills, and you could say we were in a similar situation last year when that happened.