Just two weeks into the season, the Saints are planning for a major move on defense.
They spent the early portion of the week calling teams and shopping former first-round safety Kenny Vaccaro, according to multiple sources.
A playmaker on the back end, Vaccaro is a do-everything defensive back who was a starter right off the bat for New Orleans. He'll play this season on his fifth-year option, a one-year guaranteed contract worth $5.7 million.
On one hand, for a defense that struggled mightily last week with youth and inconsistency, it seems odd to shop one of its best players. On the other hand, contract talks this past offseason did not prove fruitful and he's a pending free agent for 2018. Talent has not been a question, but there has been some inconsistency.
Reserve safety Vonn Bell is a former second-round pick whose playing time would increase.
Can the Saints actually trade Vaccaro? Teams certainly were intrigued about a former top pick being available. And in the current, trade-happy league, it's a situation that bears watching.
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