Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on New Orleans Saints No. 40 Delvin Breaux
The Countdown to Kickoff series continues on with a profile on New Orleans Saints cornerback Delvin Breaux.
There are exactly 40 days until the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers open up the 2016 NFL regular season with a Super Bowl rematch. In the meantime, we at NFL Spin Zone are going to profile a player each day as we countdown the days to kickoff.
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A few months ago, we began by previewing the rookie defensive end of the San Diego Chargers in Joey Bosa (No. 99). On Friday, it was New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, one of the better players in the league at the position these days.
While you would be hard-pressed to find a big-time star player that dons No. 40 these days, the list when it comes to the past is incredibly impressive. There’s Pro Football Hall of Famers such as legendary Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers, cornerback Mike Haynes (during his days with the New England Patriots) and Rams receiver Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch.
There’s also former Pro Bowlers such as Miami Dolphins safety Dick Anderson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback Mike Alstott and Dallas Cowboys standout special teams ace Bill Bates. Of course, there are also the memories of Cardinals safety and American hero Pat Tillman.
As for the choice here, it’s almost hard to believe that you can find a bright spot for a defensive unit that allowed a league-record 45 touchdown passes in one season. The New Orleans Saints also gave up the most points in the league in 2015 and were next-to-last in the NFL in total yards, rushing and passing defense.
The focus here is on 26-year-old cornerback Delvin Breaux, who has spent time on all levels of football before joining the Saints (as documented by Rodger Sherman of SB Nation last October). He played in all 16 games this past season and made 15 starts at left (11) and right (4) cornerback.
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According to the fine staff at Pro Football Focus, Breaux was the league’s 11th-ranked player in the league at his position and graded out No. 10 in terms of pass coverage. The former LSU product had his ups and downs and struggled a bit out of the gate but he proved to be a positive in a long year for this defensive unit.
Breaux finished the season tied for eighth on the club with 45 tackles and led New Orleans with three interceptions and 19 passes defensed. All told, he racked up four of the team’s 22 total takeaways.
“I think he’s got a unique skill set,” said Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to Mike Triplett of ESPN back in June. “He’s got size. He’s got speed. He’s got quickness. And he’s strong, so he’s able to match up vs. some of the bigger receivers, and he doesn’t get out-muscled.
“So I think when you combine all those attributes with his work ethic and his desire to improve, I think that’s where you see a good football player.”
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It’s a shame that the Saints don’t have a few more like Breaux. Defense has been a four-letter word in the Crescent City for far too long.