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Inconsistencies and lack of turnovers plagued this unit in 2018." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteCanal Street Chroniclesa New Orleans Saints communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibrarySaintsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections InterviewsNew Orleans Saints SatireWho Dat HistoryCanal Street Chronicles TutorialNew Orleans Saints 2018 position grades: Safety New Alex Anzalone Jersey Stitched ,4commentsInconsistencies and lack of turnovers plagued this unit in 2018. CSTShareTweetShareShareNew Orleans Saints 2018 position grades: Safety Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsThe New Orleans Saints secondary opened the 2018 season in horrendous fashion. They gave up passing yardage and big plays in bunches, eventually leading to the team ranking just 29th in pass defense for the year. Despite the low ranking, the young secondary did improve their play as the season went along, even holding six of their last ten opponents to less than 210 yards passing. The Saints final line of defense, though inconsistent at times, played a big role in containing a few of the league's better receiving units. Today we see how the very back end influenced the fortunes of the 2018 New Orleans Saints. SAFETY The Daily Advertiser-USA TODAY NOne of the most intriguing storylines involving the Saints entering last season was how free safety Marcus Williams would respond to the devastation of the last second playoff loss to Minnesota. Williams, a second round pick in the 2017 draft, the 42nd overall selection, regressed a bit in his second year. He intercepted 2 passes, down from 4 in his rookie season. His tackle total also dropped, from 71 to 59 in 2018. Williams seemed to be slow in responding to plays over the top much of the year, and communication was often an issue between he and the cornerbacks in front of him. The 22-yr. old Williams is a good athlete, and has all the natural instincts of a solid ballhawking safety. He faces a pivotal year in 2019 to prove whether he can improve on the potential that earned him a spot on the NFL's All-Rookie team in 2017. John David Mercer-USA TODAY SportsVonn Bell quietly had a very good season for the Saints defense after a rocky start to the year. A second round pick in 2016 after a playmaking collegiate career, the 24-yr. old Bell has yet to record an interception in three seasons as a pro. He has improved in coverage each of those three years though, and has shown the ability to capably pick up an opposing wideout or tight end out of the slot. Bell is a dangerous blitzing threat when he does line up on the slot as well, and had a quarterback sack in 2018 to go along with numerous pressures. He is the secondary's best run defender Youth Trey Hendrickson Jersey , and was pivotal in the Saints number two defensive ranking against the run. Bell had a career high 88 tackles, including 62 solo, marking the third consecutive season that he finished either first or second on the team in tackles. Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesThe Saints signed veteran safety Kurt Coleman away from division rival Carolina last offseason, hoping to replace the free agency departure of Kenny Vaccaro. Coleman was a nonfactor, at best, often getting caught out of position or a step behind in coverage. New Orleans released Coleman shortly after season's end after not a single credited pass defensed or turnover created in 16 games of action. Brad Rempel-USA TODAY SportsChris Banjo is best known as an outstanding special teams contributor, and a vital part of that important unit. He logged some important snaps at defensive back each of his two seasons with New Orleans though, and has been able to provide some underrated depth on the back end. He had 2 interceptions last season, tying for the team lead. Banjo is an unrestricted free agent, but the team may try to re-sign him to retain defensive depth and his continued impressive special teams play into 2019. Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsPro Football Focus (PFF) graded Bell's 2018 performance with a 75.3, 27th among 101 eligible safeties and the highest PFF grade of Bell's career. Marcus Williams received a 73.7 grade from PFF, down a bit from his rookie performance but ranking 33rd among eligible safeties. Both Williams and Bell can cover well, are solid in run support, and even blitz well when called upon. The Saints need this position to react better against downfield throws and create more turnovers though. The two combined for just six turnovers in 2018; 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles forced, and 2 fumbles recovered. Despite the lack of big plays Trey Hendrickson Jersey Stitched , Williams and Bell are each versatile defenders and solid starters on the back end. Depth may be a concern however, particularly if they lose Banjo in free agency. A deep crew of safeties available in free agency could tempt New Orleans to upgrade the position, and it would not be surprising to see the spot addressed late in the draft. SAFETY GRADE = C- New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore sat on the turf with his hands on his knees, disconsolate as he watched Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans coast into the end zone after beating him for a 50-yard touchdown.It was a stark contrast to last November, when Evans caught one pass for 13 yards and received a one-game suspension after blindsiding Lattimore during a scuffle in the Saints' 30-10 victory at the Superdome.This time, the Buccaneers' offense socked the Saints play after play after play. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for a career-high 417 yards and four touchdowns while compiling a nearly perfect quarterback rating in Tampa Bay's 48-40 victory in New Orleans on Sunday.Evans, covered primarily by Lattimore, was targeted seven times and caught all seven throws for 147 yards. DeSean Jackson added five receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns.It was a new feeling for Lattimore, the 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year."It isn't going to get me down," he said. "Everybody gets beat. We needed to get slapped in our face one good time to see we're not on a level we think we're on."New Orleans, the defending NFC South champion, looked like the Super Bowl contender it expected to be on its opening drive, cruising 71 yards in six plays for a touchdown to go ahead 7-0.Then, the defense took the field.Jackson caught an easy 58-yard touchdown pass against a busted coverage on the Bucs' fourth play, setting the tone.The Bucs punted only once, and that came because Fitzpatrick overthrew a wide-open Chris Godwin after cornerback Ken Crawley fell. The only other times they did not score were on a missed field goal and when Fitzpatrick took a knee to run out the clock at the end of the first half and the fourth quarter."We have to wipe our minds clean of this catastrophe that just happened Youth Sheldon Rankins Jersey ," Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said. "We have to push forward."The Saints never sacked Fitzpatrick. He threw for scores of 58, 50, 36 and 9 yards, completed five more passes for at least 20 yards and had another one_a 65-yarder down the sideline to Adam Humphries_negated by an illegal block.Fitzpatrick, starting because Jameis Winston is suspended for the first three games under the NFL's personal conduct clause, had a quarterback rating of 156.2, just shy of the maximum 158.3."We couldn't stop anything," Lattimore said after New Orleans lost its season opener for the fifth straight season. "That's not going to get it done."Drew Brees and the Saints offense matched Tampa Bay for a while, going ahead 17-14 on a 28-yard pass to Ted Ginn. But the Bucs kept scoring while New Orleans committed two costly turnovers.Evans' long touchdown on Lattimore gave Tampa Bay a 41-24 lead with 2:58 left in the second quarter. He caught the ball at the 12 as Lattimore dived for him, but could not catch him."I have to be there," Lattimore said. "I'm all on an island by myself with no help. I'm a shutdown corner. I'm going to be frustrated every time somebody catches a pass on me."There was plenty of frustration to go around on a day New Orleans wasted 485 yards of offense. After the Saints scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and a pair of 2-point conversions to close the gap to 48-40, Fitzpatrick scrambled for 12 yards on third-and-11, allowing the Bucs to run out the clock.It was Tampa Bay's eighth conversion in 13 third-down opportunities."Take your pick," Saints coach Sean Payton said when asked what went wrong defensively. "We did not hurry the passer. Guys were open. Third downs were awful. They had over 500 yards. We didn't disrupt the timing to any element of the passing game and (had) too many penalties."I can't think of any positives."