A different LSU option, can Delpit replace Von Bell? (1 Viewer)

[ThrowbackSaintXXL]

Nah u can’t lose ur most consistent guy in the 2ndary. Bell is part of the core that u wanna build around. Make it work n find the $

Also, u don’t draft a late rounder to compete with the likes of Nick Easton. Either u scrape up the $ to sign Brandon Scherff (which surely won’t happen now that you’ve decided to pay Drew, like a schmuck) or u draft 1 within the 1st 3 rnds

 

[ThrowbackSaintXXL]

Bell was the most consistent player besides Demario Davis on an inconsistent defense. You keep him especially since safeties are only getting paid about 6-8 million at best. You could go the route of swapping him but since you are likely getting a new #2 CB with apple departing it's easier to replace 1 player than it is two.

2014 was a good example of what happens when you try to replace multiple members of the secondary at once. Communication falls off a cliff

Kudos on the podcast bruh. Deuce couldn’tve found a better co-host ??

 

[MV2]

Honey Badger was way smaller. Can't judge heart/tackling by the size of the player.

With that said... Delpit did take a step back this past season. May be because of the shoulder injury. May be that he simply regressed... but someone will get a good player wherever he goes.

Mathieu has a compact build though. Despite is long and lean. I don't see him being very durable at the next level.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

Perhaps an injury was a factor, but in 2019 Delpit did not look like a first-round draft pick.

 

[UptMonsta]

Delpit could/should turn into what Vonn Bell is now. Similar players and I'll go out on a limb and say similar ceilings. But that would likely take some time. Vonn Bell is that good now. SS contracts aren't usually a premium and even if he gets some nice offers, our front office has shown that they will find the cap room to fit in our guys. I agree with Ellias, it's almost a certainty we'll have a new #2 CB next season. I really don't like the idea of having 2 new faces back there. Familiarity is important. An offense can score on you just as often on a mis-communication as it can from a DB getting burned. Probably more often.

Also, I don't really feel comfortable with Easton as our starter. In fact, that's the position I'm expecting us to take with our first pick in the draft. Not necessarily targeting a position over BPA, I just feel like our FO puts a lot of positional value on OL, DL, and CB. As it should. Of the 3, it seems blue-chip DL and CBs don't slide. A top OG could very well slide right to us. Like last year with the OC McCoy.

Delpit and Bell are different types. Delpit is waaaaaay rangier. Bell is a little more rugged in the box. I would make Delpit my free safety.

 

[Bespoke]

Delpit and Bell are different types. Delpit is waaaaaay rangier. Bell is a little more rugged in the box. I would make Delpit my free safety.

That's exactly my take away, a team that takes Delpit would be smart to utilize him as a Single-High, center fielding Free Safety to take advantage of his strengths. Ranginess, ball skills.

He's not a junk-yard dog, Box Safety like Bell is, the guy that better fits that role in the Draft is McKinney from Alabama, it's how he was utilized in college plus he has the build, frame for that role.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Kudos on the podcast bruh. Deuce couldn’tve found a better co-host ??

Well thanks my guy - on a cold day that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

[WhoDat_SB44]

What I really like about Grant Delpit is he could play either safety spot IMO. So we could draft him this year to battle CGJ for Vonn Bell’s starting strong safety spot. Then he could also battle Marcus Williams for the starting free safety spot. Then the year after we could possibly have Delpit and CGJ as our starting safeties.

If OU LB Kenneth Murray isn’t available Grant Delpit would be my next pick if he’s there. Bama safety Xavier McKinney would be my other target then wide receiver would be my pick if those 3 are off the board. Maybe a corner would be in the mix as well.

 

[Domeination]

I'm tired of drafting safeties. We need a WR in the worst way. Keep Bell and go out and get an offensive play maker.

 

[schuetter]

Resign Von and replace Marcus Williams please.

If we draft Delpit, it would be to replace Williams, not Bell.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Elias, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want him to go. I am not certain we can afford him.

And if we can’t, strong safety will be our biggest need.

I think we can afford him, but here's my dilemma. The Saints technically drafted his replacement in CJG. I Think that's a fact, although Allen has shown he's ok with using a Safety as a nickel back...he prefers a Corner in that position and Andrew Judge alluded to the Saints liking Jenkins a slot DB and more of a spot starter on the outside.

That means there is a scenario where the Saints allow Bell to walk so that they can use the money to sign or trade for a top tier #2 CB to pair with Lattimore and Jenkins in the slot. To which in that case I'd say yes, allow Bell to walk. The Disciples of Buddy Ryan (which Allen is since he comes off the 3G tree) need 2 good CB's for the defense to operation well. Last year the defense began to look normal after Eli Apple came back down to earth following a good start to the season. B4 Apples arrival the defense started bad when Crawley didn't have the 2nd year as a starter everone was looking forward too after his finish the previous season.

So yeah if you can help it I would keep Bell, logic says Keep Bell, but with the emergence of CJG and the rumor that the Saints like Jenkins in the slot everything points to CJG being your starting safety next year.

 

[MLU]

My question was more about the players. I really don't have a bone of where are players may come from. I don't have a preference for any college football team.

I asked about LSU's Delpit because I know people here follow the tigers with more passion and detail than I do.

For the games I saw, I have a good impression about Delpit, I just wanted to read opinions about him as a player and if he fits our scheme.

Yes, he fits the scheme but he's not going to replace Bell. He's going to replace Williams and mix into the box with Bell. Delpit's issues are with wrapping up. He positives in coverage, blitzing, matching up, etc far outweigh any negatives he has for missing tackles in a season where he played injured and had to cover for a lot of mistakes with other players for almost the entire season. When Todd Harris went down, the LSU defense took a few weeks to recover and they were still not the same in the secondary.

 

[Slaw]

I think we can afford him, but here's my dilemma. The Saints technically drafted his replacement in CJG. I Think that's a fact, although Allen has shown he's ok with using a Safety as a nickel back...he prefers a Corner in that position and Andrew Judge alluded to the Saints liking Jenkins a slot DB and more of a spot starter on the outside.

That means there is a scenario where the Saints allow Bell to walk so that they can use the money to sign or trade for a top tier #2 CB to pair with Lattimore and Jenkins in the slot. To which in that case I'd say yes, allow Bell to walk. The Disciples of Buddy Ryan (which Allen is since he comes off the 3G tree) need 2 good CB's for the defense to operation well. Last year the defense began to look normal after Eli Apple came back down to earth following a good start to the season. B4 Apples arrival the defense started bad when Crawley didn't have the 2nd year as a starter everone was looking forward too after his finish the previous season.

So yeah if you can help it I would keep Bell, logic says Keep Bell, but with the emergence of CJG and the rumor that the Saints like Jenkins in the slot everything points to CJG being your starting safety next year.

I'm not buying that rumor at all. Malcolm Jenkins, CJ Gardner-Johnson, and Patrick Robinson can play in the slot. Janoris Jenkins is the only player on the roster capable of being an effective CB2. The way they addressed free agency tells me Janoris is CB2.

 

[St.Dan]

I'm not buying that rumor at all. Malcolm Jenkins, CJ Gardner-Johnson, and Patrick Robinson can play in the slot. Janoris Jenkins is the only player on the roster capable of being an effective CB2. The way they addressed free agency tells me Janoris is CB2.

Ellias' thoughts were before the free agency frenzy period, and we see no apparent takers for Bell. Looks like he's going the Vaccarro route of having to settle for an offer down the line closer to the season (whenever that'll be). Totally agreed on Jackrabbit being the CB2.

 

[Slaw]

Ellias' thoughts were before the free agency frenzy period, and we see no apparent takers for Bell. Looks like he's going the Vaccarro route of having to settle for an offer down the line closer to the season (whenever that'll be). Totally agreed on Jackrabbit being the CB2.

I do think Delpit would be a solid selection. I believe Dennis Allen has always wanted his safeties to be interchangeable. Delpit could be the successor to Jenkins at SS, while Gardner-Johnson plays in the slot. Or he could be future at FS, giving us the possibility of two starting safeties that are 100% interchangeable between FS/SS/Slot