The New Orleans Saints are coming off the worst defensive season of any team in NFL history, and Thursday night’s selection of safety Kenny Vaccaro is intended to be a critical piece in the shake up of their troubled secondary.
The Saints, who picked up Vaccaro 15th overall in a draft dominated by linemen, are switching to a 3-4 defense this year after the return of Head Coach Sean Payton and the removal of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Vaccaro’s selection calls the future of current safety Roman Harper into question, and has left many wondering why the Saints didn’t select a linebacker or someone to shore up their defensive line.
Vaccaro is the first safety the Saints have drafted since 2009, and the first Longhorns player since taking Ricky Williams in 1999.
The Saints won’t have a second-round pick, revoked by the league thanks to the bounty scandal that plagued the team all last year — their next pick will be in the third round, number 75 overall... unless the team trades up. Talk has centered around a trade for running back Chris Ivory, but nothing is definitive yet.