Free-agent safety Vaccaro visits
The Miami Dolphins are hosting safety Kenny Vaccaro on a free-agent visit that began Thursday evening, and his signing could change the complexion of Miami’s defense.
The visit, which was first reported by NFL Network, is the first free-agent visit for Vaccaro, a 2013 first-round pick. He has started 67 games for the Saints over the past five seasons despite battling numerous injuries, and being hit with a four-game suspension for taking Adderall in 2016.
He has 385 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and eight interceptions in his career, which featured him being used as both a strong safety and free safety, and a nickel cornerback.
Vaccaro, a former University of Texas standout, had 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three interceptions in the 12 games he played last season before being placed on injured reserve with a groin and wrist injury.
The Saints have moved on, and the free-agent market at safety has been quiet, leaving former starters such as Vaccaro, former Chiefs safety Ron Parker, former 49ers safety Eric Reid and former Chargers safety Tre Boston without a team.
When asked at the NFL Annual Meeting about the safety tandem of Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald, who played together for the final eight games of the 2017 season, coach Adam Gase said they didn’t play as well as expected when paired together, hinting that change could be coming.
“I don’t think it really turned out as well as we thought [based on] what we saw in training camp,” Gase said, referring to McDonald’s return from his eight-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
McDonald, who has started 61 games in five seasons, had 45 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups in the eight games he played for Miami last season. Jones, a sevenyear starter who was selected to his second Pro Bowl last season, led the team with 122 tackles, and contributed 1.5 sacks and two interceptions. “Both Jones and McDonald struggled covering tight ends downfield, and Miami’s inability to find a defender who can stick with talents like New England’s Rob Gronkowski, Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Oakland’s Jared Cook, led to major struggles in 2017. At one point late last season, defensive coordinator Matt Burke said he didn’t have anyone who excelled in that role.
Adding Vaccaro would give the Dolphins the flexibility to play three highlevel safeties on the field at the same time in the team’s nickel package, and possibly its base defense.