The Saints Have a Simple Kind of Plan

The second week of OTA's wrapped up today and a theme is emerging in regards to the defense.

Simple.

Last week corners Brandon Browner and Stanley Jean-Baptiste both made comments about the defense being stripped down and simplified. Coach Payton was asked at Thursdays practice if the defense was indeed being simplified. Coach Patyon:

“Yes to improve execution, reduce the variables, reduce the quantity, the amount that we are doing, I think that is something we talked a lot about in the offseason.  It is something that we have to do.  You are playing snaps a man or snaps a zone but in order to play with speed, improving the fundamentals and all the little things I think you have to look closely at the amount and if you can reduce the amount I think you have a good chance at improving the efficiency.”

Kenny Vaccaro stated that a lot of the confusion last year came from pre-snap checks reacting to motions and change in formations they saw in the offense. This year they're just going to line up and make people beat them. I personally like the approach. Seattle has one of the best defenses in the league and they run a very simple scheme, primarily a cover 3.  They draft well and play with good fundamentals, which has been a big theme so far in the Saints OTA's.

The Saints drafted 6 defensive players in this years draft, and for the defense to rebound, they need them to contribute. Coach Payton said as much before the draft. This could go a long way in making that happen, easing the strains of an already high learning curve. It's early but rookie middle linebacker Stephone Anthony has already made an impression in pass coverage, intercepting a pass last week and getting his hands on several on Thursday. Pass rusher Hau'oli Kikaha has been taking some first team snaps at SAM, but he's been blitzing from different spots along the line. P.J. Williams could vie for the starting nickel corner spot. Kyle Wilson has been running with the first team but has been reportedly getting beat quite often. If I'm betting on it, I'd say P.J. Williams is the starting nickel corner and Wilson doesn't even make the team.

Second year players could benefit as well. Vinnie Sunseri of Suneri and Sons was the only rookie defensive player to see any significant snaps last year. Stanley Jean-Baptiste has been running with the second team so far, miles ahead of where he was last year. Ronald Powell and Kasim Edebali will have an opportunity to be in the rotation with the injury to Junior Galette.

Davis Tull is another option, but he's still rehabbing from shoulder surgery and has yet to participate in any of the OTA practices or the rookie mini-camp. He's coming from a small school, so it's unfortunate that he's falling behind at such a valuable learning period for rookies. If he does contribute this year, I'm going to stick with my original prediction of special teams player and occasional pass rusher.

Perhaps this will finally get the team over the turnover hump. They've been preaching it for years but haven't been able to deliver on it. An improved running game could eat up more clock, keep the defense fresh and force teams to through it more.

4 Things to Consider About the Wide Receiver Position.

Wide receiver is by far the teams biggest question mark for fans going into training camp. Greg Jennings visited before the draft but wound up signing with the Dolphins. The team didn't draft one either, passing on Devante Parker to select Andrus Peat. While there is room for concern, the worry surrounding the position is perhaps overblown, and here's why.

1. Teams usually only have 4 receivers active on game day. 
   
   Some fans can lose sleep over who will fill the 5th wide receiver spot, but that receiver usually isn't active on game days unless he happens to be a return specialist. Even the 4th wide receiver receives minimal snaps and even less targets. Last year the top 3 wide receivers in receptions were Colston (59), Cooks (53) and Stills (63). The next closet receiver was Toon with 17 receptions. Cooks would have been even more productive if not for the thumb injury that ended his season. Of course the team traded away their top receiving target in Jimmy Graham for center Max Unger, which brings me to my next point.
   
2. The team won't be passing as much. 
   
   They might not be running as much as the Seahawks or the Niners, but the commitment to running the ball is real. There was commitment last year, but it wasn't always working because of deficiencies in the interior line. That looks to be remedied with the addition of Unger. The offensive line played it's best games last year when Tim Lelito started at center, and Unger is head and shoulders better than Lelito, who will move back to his more natural position at left guard. This should have a stabling effect down the line. The team invested heavily in their backfield this off-season by signing Mark Ingram and snatching up the versatile C.J. Spiller. There's also going to be a battle at the right tackle position, and whoever loses out will be too valuable just to sit on the bench. We should see a lot of heavy sets with an extra lineman.
   
3. The ball will be spread around more. 
   Anyone who's watched the Saints since 2011 knows that the offense was increasingly running through Jimmy Graham. At times it was unstoppable, but some teams had the players to rough Jimmy off the line and down the field, and the offense would often sputter. This was especially problematic last year because the team no longer had Darren Sproles. Sproles was Drew's safety valve who was a mismatch coming out of the backfield.  He was moved around pre-snap to give Brees information about what coverage their opponent was in. C.J. Spiller fills that role perfectly and could even surpass Sproles. That combined with increased targets to Ben Watson and Josh Hill should go a good ways in replacing the production of Jimmy Graham. I don't expect the offense to be as prolific in years past but that's not due to a lack of ability. I think Payton wants to help his defense out and have more methodical drives; to play complimentary football. Running the football and being unpredictable with targets will help them to achieve just that.
   
4. The team has faith in the guys they have. 
   
   Coach Payton has been uncharacteristically candid this off-season. The man says nothing without thinking about it exhaustively. He could be speaking to his team thru the media, sending them messages good and bad. In the flurry of trades, Payton made the statement that the team doesn't trade away a player unless they have someone to replace them, or else you're just getting worse and not better as a team. While they did explore bringing in other players and added veteran Josh Morgan, the team did not go to any great lengths to bolster the position in the draft or free agency. They had the opportunity, which tells me they have confidence in what they have in house. 

Saints Simplifying the Defense in Their Efforts to Improve It.

The first week of OTA's are complete and we may have gotten a glimpse of what Dennis Allen's role will be on the team.

Thursday's practice was open to media and he was seen working with the secondary. This isn't a surprise. Most assumed that this was a primary reason he was brought in, but perhaps what is surprising is how hands on he seems to be. The Saints website released photos of the practice sessions, and several show Dennis Allen holding up a dummy for tackling drills. Tackling needs to be a point of emphasis as the team was dead last in tackling efficiency according to Pro Football Focus.

(Dennis Allen runs tackling drills with the Saints secondary)

The team is also reportedly simplifying the defense. The Advocate's Nick Underhill:




The team fielded the worst defense in NFL history in 2012 under Steve Spagnuolo, and a big reason for that was that it was needlessly complicated. Players reportedly had multiple checks every play which is problematic for a defense trying to learn a scheme. One of the knocks on Rob Ryan is that his defense can be too complicated at times and we saw that manifest itself last year. Dennis Allen could be helping to rein in those tendencies in Ryan, who's an otherwise great defensive coordinator.

Other things of note:

- Coach Payton that this week was base defense oriented and the team was running primarily a 4-3 front

- Lewis and Browner were the starting corners while Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Terrence Fredrick ran with the second team

- Anthony Spencer was taking snaps with the first team in place of Junior Galette. Maybe a message is being sent to the somewhat troubled pass rusher?

- David Hawthorne is the starting middle linebacker as of now, but that could change quickly. Stephone Anthony reportedly looked great so far, picking off a pass from Luke McCown.

History and Opportunity Led to the Drafting of Andrus Peat.

(Rookie Tackle Andrus Peat during rookie mini-camp.)

Every team has their weaknesses, but there's usually one in particular each season that does them in.

The challenge for coaching staffs and personnel departments is addressing current needs while making sure other positions don't go to pot. While you always want to fill immediate needs, the latter is just as important as the former. An area of strength can soon turn into an area of weakness if neglected, or in the Saints case, taking project players and reaching for them in the process.

There has been a lie circulating for years that the Saints don't value offensive tackles, but the team spent a 2nd round pick on Charles Brown in 2010. Brown spent the majority of his time as a back up, but earned the starting job in 2013. He was bench late in the year and the team didn't attempt to resign him. He was a converted tight end in college and never really developed the strength needed for the position. He was raw, and they reached for him. This happened repeatedly with players like Martez Wilson, Corey White, Tavon Rooks, and to the chagrin of Saints fans, Stanley Jean-Baptist. This practice led to the firing of Rick Reiprish and the hiring of Jeff Ireland.

While a failure as a GM in Miami, Ireland excelled at scouting during his time in Dallas. Many thought that the Saints were blowing up their roster but this was a controlled demolition, albeit a risky one. The roster already had it deficiencies, and they traded away some big pieces of it. If the Saints don't nail the 2015 draft, and the team flounders again, then they really are looking at a rebuild, this time with Brees as their trade worthy asset. The fact that the team didn't even try to rework or extend Brees's contract makes it more than likely that they see that as a real possibility.

The drafting of Andrus Peat caught fans and analyst by surprise, but I believe it caught the team by surprise as well. They probably didn't think he'd be available at 13. I know some have complained that you could have gotten him at 31, but mock drafts aren't reality. The draft comes and shows us just how different the teams boards were from the analyst's projections. Pass rusher was one of the top needs. Dante Fowler and Vic Beasly went early. Randy Gregory (positive drug test) and Shane Ray (DUI) were too much of a risk that high, and Bud Dupree was a raw physical specimen, the very thing they were trying to get away from. In hindsight it was either Peat or Devante Parker. Parker would have provided a true #1 receiver and excitement, but Peat provided something much more valuable.

(Zach Strief could see his tenure as starter end this year)

I may be in the minority but I think Peat is going to start this year. Zach Strief has been one of the most consistent performers in recent history, but he has missed 10 games since becoming the starter in 2011. Peat was the most pro-ready tackle coming out of the draft. Sean Payton has raved about how fluid his movements are for such a big man. Peat is like a more physically gifted Zach Strief. They are both 6'7'' tackles with long arms, but Peat's ceiling is much higher. He could be an all pro. You can't keep this guy on the bench. If he's not the starter, he will see the field a lot in heavy, unbalanced lines this year.

This brings me to two objections I've seen repeatedly.

"So we're going to be paying 4 mil a year for a backup?"

and

"So we spent the 13th pick on a right tackle?"

First off, if you have more production and great depth at the tackle position to where you never have to play Bryce Harris, is that not worth 4 mil a year? That could mean the difference between winning one or two games. It is also highly probable that the team will ask Strief to take a pay cut after the season.

Secondly, the distinction between left and right tackle is becoming less important. Teams play in sub-packages most of the time. In passing situations, when the pressure is on, teams are looking to put their best pass rushers on the field. They're not sitting there saying "Well, you have the strength to set the edge and the athleticism to cover tight-ends, so why don't you go out and rush the quarterback off the strong side against their 5 receiver set?" While it is true that the teams most talented pass rusher does rush mostly from the blind side, they will rush from the strong side at times in an attempt to create a mismatch. Then you have exotic blitzes, stunts and overloaded fronts. You need capable pass blockers on both sides in today's NFL.

There is also the distinct possibility that there could be some position changes along the offensive line. While Sean Payton said there were no plans for any of their tackles to play guard, Peat's position coach may have clued us in that it's at least been discussed.

From Larry Holder's article on Nola.com:

"What we have to find out for next season is who are our best five players and how do we put them on the field at the same time," Saints offensive line coach Bret Ingalls said after Saturday's practice. "I can't answer that question today, but that's the goal. Put the best five players out there.
"If he's playing tackle or if he's playing guard or if he's playing wherever he's playing, we're going to find the best five guys. Talent-wise, I think he's capable of contributing." 

You can read the rest here.

There have been questions to whether or not Brees could see the field with a 6'7" guard. The truth is Brees has always been short and has developed ways to compensate. He tends to drop back deeper than most quarterbacks to give him more time and a greater view of the field. He'll tilt his head back and stand on the tips of his toes to get every last bit of height out of his 6'0" frame. His footwork is one of the best in the league and he's a master of maneuvering around in the pocket to see through passing lanes and avoid pressure. Things fall apart for him when he's pressured up the middle. If Brees has a clean pocket the added height in front of him might be negligible.

The selection of Andrus Peat was uncharacteristic, and here's to many more like it.

Saints look to Shrink the Field in 2015

(Marcus Murphy during rookie mini camp)

The Saints had nine picks heading into the draft and surprised everyone by using all nine. Payton stated that the picks acquired during the off-season would be use to shore up the defense. He was true to his word, and the team picked 6 defensive players and 2 offensive players going into the 7th round.

During the later rounds in the draft teams are usually looking for raw physical specimens, long term projects. Maybe you take a flyer on a player who fell because of an injury that will take some time to come back from. The Saints went a different direction with their 7th round pick, and it might pay off more than people initially thought.

RB Marcus Murphy out of Mizzou was one of the highest ranked KR/PR in the draft. Murphy was a prolific returner during his college career. He averaged 29.6 per kick return and 10.4 per punt return his senior year. In comparison, the Saints averaged 25.9 yards per kick return and 7.1 per punt return last year, ranking them 30th and 31th in the league. Jalen Saunders joined the team during the latter half of the year and provided a spark in the return game. However, Saunders isn't much more than a returner at this point in his career, registering 1 catch for 7 yards in two seasons.

Travaris Cadet was the primary kick returner the past three years but was mostly below average. The team tried Brandin Cooks at punt returner last year, but he never looked comfortable.

Murphy is a natural returner with fearlessness and vision. Murphy will never be a featured back he's not a one trick pony. He's a capable runner and even lines up in the slot. Murphy possesses excellent balance and is elusive, which makes him hard to bring down. C.J. Spiller has an injury history and he could fill in for Spiller in a pinch or rotate to save wear and tear on the former 1st rounder. If Murphy beats out Saunders as return specialist it would save a valuable roster spot elsewhere, which is huge because the team may have to keep 3 quarterbacks on the active roster this year.

Ever since their Super Bowl winning year the team has stressed the importance of winning the turnover battle. You keep your own drives alive while giving your offense extra opportunities to score. Winning the field position battle can also swing the direction of the scoreboard. A good return can mean the difference between a field goal and punting. Touch-backs are more common since the league moved kick-offs to the 35 yard line, but when it is returnable , it's nice to have someone who can get it past the 20 yard line and beyond. The Saints were routinely having to drive the length of the filed yielding more yards than points. While they finished 1st in yards, they came in 9th for points per game at 25.1. The defense ranked 28th in points per game averaging 26.5. The thought behind picking Murphy makes a lot of sense: pick a player who will most likely spend years on the practice squad (if they makes it at all) or draft one of the top kick returners who can play right away.

He is small in stature (5'9") but has decent weight on his small frame (193 lbs). He ran in the 4.6's at the combine but managed to post a 4.53 and a 4.57 at his pro-day. He looks fast enough on film and played in a major conference.

If you haven't watched it yet, do yourself a favor and watch his highlights:Highlights

Why an Undefined Vaccaro Isn't a Bad Thing.

When Kenny Vaccaro was drafted 15th overall, most of the fan-base hated the pick. Many, including myself, were crying out for a pass rusher.

“How could you pick a safety with Jarvis Jones on the board?”

It’s worth pointing out that the much lauded pass rusher has managed only 3 sacks in two seasons in Pittsburgh.

Perceptions changed once Vaccaro suited up. The rookie was feisty in practice, laying into established veterans without hesitation. He would seemingly coming out of nowhere to lay his shoulder into someone or slam people into the ground. Vaccaro was all over the field, lining up at nickel corner, dropping into zone, blitzing off the edge and even played some outside linebacker in sub-packages. He brought a physicality and nastiness that the secondary had lacked for some time. The defense fed off of his energy. His performance was instrumental in turning around the worst defense in NFL history, finishing the year ranked 4th overall. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said that he had never thrown that much at a rookie, and while he had his share of mistakes, Vaccaro thrived before breaking his ankle week 16 in Carolina.

(Vaccaro being carted off in Carolina)

He performed so well that the team felt comfortable cutting ties with fellow strong safety Roman Harper. They let Malcolm Jenkins explore free agency and replaced him with Jairus Byrd.The team looked to rival Seattle as one of the best safety tandems in the NFL.

It was reported that Vaccaro would have a more “defined” role in 2014. The logic behind the move seemed sound. With a more focused role, Vaccaro would be able to refine his game and build off the success of his rookie year, but there were a couple of problems.

For one Vaccaro was tentative coming back from injury. There’s the residual pain to contend with, but perhaps the bigger hurdle is the mental one. Re-injury is an ever present threat. It takes time to regain trust in your body. Vaccaro is more quick than fast, and the hesitation nullified a good portion of his quickness. This delayed reaction time manifested itself in missed tackles. Vaccaro recorded only 3 missed tackles in 2013, but that number ballooned to 18 in 2014.

It wasn't just hesitation. It’s quite possible that the coaching staff had something different in mind before the season started, but how he was used to begin the year really didn't fit his skill set. The team realized towards the end of the pre-season just how deficient they were at corner and played a lot of off man and zone to compensate. It never suited him. While he can play deep from time to time, he’s a box safety if there ever was one. It’s not due to a lack of athleticism. He needs to be near the action and to freely move around. I don't know if calling a football player near sighted is something that's done, but it really does apply to him. He was “benched” later in the year, and his performance improved after he was used in a fashion more similar his 2013 season.

(Vaccaro making his first career interception)

Vaccaro should be on the upswing after a full year of being healthy and a return to a more comfortable role. The biggest factor that could improve his play is the surrounding cast.

During a bulk of 2013 the Saints had a competent pair of starting corners in Keenan Lewis and Jabari Greer. This allowed Ryan to be creative and play a lot of 3 safety sets and other creative coverages. Vaccaro and Jenkins moved around quite a bit and both spent time in the slot. Roman Harper was used in a limited role closed to the line of scrimmage, and Rafael Bush was mostly used as a deep safety. All four of these players had flaws in their game, but Jenkins and Harper in particular provided veteran leadership. Rob Ryan was able to play to their strengths while covering up a good bit of their weaknesses. Even after losing Greer for the season in week 11, the Saints were able to compensate, although his loss was felt.

Last year there was no complement to Keenan Lewis, and there no solid nickel back play until later in the year, when Patrick Robinson filled the role rather well. Both starting safeties started out the year being misused and then injuries began to deplete the position. The communication and leadership they had over the years was no longer there. The front office went into free agency and the draft wanting to add high character guys who have a passion for football. If the Saints had enough of those players last year they probably don't lose their last 5 home games and miss the playoffs. The team was successful in adding depth, talent and leadership in the secondary.

Before the free agency period started they signed CFL star corner Delvin Breaux, who Payton sees as an outside corner. Breaux was recruited by LSU, but due to a neck injury sustain in high school he was never able to suit up for the Tigers. He possesses real NFL physical attributes and talent and Keenan Lewis predicted that he'll be a starter by the end of the year. Early into the free agency period they signed former Seattle and New England corner Brandon Browner. Browner brings a physical style of play, press man abilities and a much needed locker room enforcer. Right before the draft they signed former first round pick Kyle Wilson, who was brought into compete for the nickel position. Wilson is much like departed 1st round pick Patrick Robinson. While he never lived up to his draft status he proved to be somewhat useful as a nickel back. P.J. Williams was drafted in the 3rd round. He was originally projected as a late first/early second round pick, but fell due to a DUI charge that was later dropped. He will also compete for the starting nickel position, but offers some versatility as he can play outside corner as well. Williams looks to be an eventual starter. Trading back into the 5th round, the Saints took Damian Swann from Georgia. Swann has a skill set similar to Malcolm Jenkins, being able to play nickel corner and safety. Last years second round pick Stanley Jean-Baptist could wind up benefiting from the new additions as the team finally has the personnel to play press man, which is what he's most comfortable with. With the starting corners solidified, improved depth and real competition at the nickel position, Vaccaro should be free to do what comes natural to him, which is a little bit of everything.

Last Chance Andy

From what I gather, "Last Chance Harvey" was a 2008 Dustin Hoffman film about a man who's sad and walks around a city with a woman to make himself feel better.

 But we're not talking about Dustin Hoffman, and this ain't no movie. This is real.

Andy Tanner has managed to stick around with the Saints going on 5 years now. This might be the best chance he'll ever have to make and stay on the 53 man roster.

I feel for the guy. I really do. He's the girl that came out of the bathroom after couple's skating had already started, eating a snow cone and everyone thought she was gross.

He's Mitt's little known son who never manages to make it into family pictures, Zipp Romney.

Tavon Rooks hire him as his image consultant.

As luck would have it, the Saints did not draft a wide receiver. They did bring back Joe Morgan, and recently signed Josh Morgan, R.J. Harris and Kyle Prater. Morgan and Tanner have different skill sets. R.J. Harris and Kyle Prater are long shots. Josh Morgan is more known for his run blocking than anything.

When you look at the roster you really don't see another true slot receiver in the traditional sense, although Cooks and Colston will run their fair share of snaps out of the slot.

It's for these reasons that Andy Tanner Mania has taken over. It's all anyone can talk about. Check out this thread on tigerdroppings: Could Andy Tanner fill a Lance Moore type of role?

                                    

Calm down you guys. He's just a high motor gym rat who's a coach on the field. Sheesh.