About halfway through practice on Wednesday, things got VERY loud. And that was very much by design.
As the team went into their first set of full team drills, the speakers on the sidelines were switched on. It was a combination of club music and crowd noise, and forced the offense and defense to communicate with hand signals and silent counts.
"The biggest thing is we’re going to have to operate in those situations and not beat ourselves,” head coach Dennis Allen said.
The results were a mixed bag. Twice the second team offense had pre-snap penalties. At one point it looked like Juwan Johnson got lost over the middle of the field for a big gain. Those are the type of wrinkles you're going to be working out. If the defense plays a starring role at home, they'll have to deal with the noise. On the road, the offense will have to do the same. That's the type of situational prep that I'd expect to see heading into Week 1.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
First thing's first: Jimmy Graham returned and looked no worse for wear. That's an immensely good sign for him, and the next question becomes whether there's a spot on the roster for him.
“He had a good day today," Allen said, "so it was good to see.”
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Here are the players not seen at all on Wednesday:
- TE Taysom Hill (oblique)
- WR Tre'Quan Smith (groin)
- WR A.T. Perry (illness)
- WR Rashid Shaheed (groin)
- RB Kirk Merritt (unknown)
- RB Darrel Williams (groin)
- LB Ryan Connelly (knee)
- OT Landon Young (knee)
- RT Ryan Ramczyk (rest)
- TE Jesse James (groin)
- WR Lynn Bowden Jr. (groin)
- DE Cam Jordan (rest)
Another important return was that of Marshon Lattimore, who got back for stretch and early individual work, but did not participate in team drills. He'll work his way back and I expect he'll sit out of the preseason game regardless of his status, but a good sign regardless. Demario Davis also practiced again and appeared to be a full-go.
DT Bryan Bresee was poked in the eye and left early.
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KIRKWOOD HERE TO STAY
It's obvious to anyone watching that the Saints and Derek Carr are fans of what Keith Kirkwood brings to the table, but I'd have bet money early on that he was headed back to the practice squad. By the looks of things, I'd have lost that bet. He's been consistent and available and making plays seemingly every day. He had an incredible one-handed grab in 7-on-7s today over Alontae Taylor in coverage, and it's not even the first time I've said that.
But, in my opinion, the story is told by the fact that he didn't play in Week 2, a game where it seemed only the players competing for roster spots or roles took the field. I'd guess he slots into the roster spot I'm going to be taking away from Tre'Quan Smith in my next roster projection. They do a lot of the same things, but I just trust Keith to be available and that's important to me. Oh, and he's 100% earned it, if that wasn't clear.
KPASSAGNON KEEPS COMING
I don't know how many reps you'll be expecting out of Tanoh Kpassagnon this year, but it sure feels like he's made himself a much bigger presence in this year's camp than I remember previously. Today he had at least two sacks, possibly three, and he was a constant presence in the backfield. He's got long arms and will be a pest at the line of scrimmage. Considering he's probably the No. 4 DE on the depth chart, I'm starting to feel really good about what you have at that position even with the struggles of rookie Isaiah Foskey.
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THE REALITY OF MIKE THOMAS
There's been a lot of conflicting information about exactly where Mike Thomas is heading into the 2023 season. We see flashes of the all-pro MT, but that's what they are, and I think that's what we should expect. We still get those "wow" moments at points. He had one on a pivot route in red zone drills today where he beat the DB clean for an easy touchdown. But I've also seen his feet get chunky at times. There have been some drops and stumbles. It's been imperfect. And that's the reality. He can still make big plays in big moments. He can still battle for balls and make DBs beg for mercy, but he'll also get locked up in spots. The emphasis won't be as heavy on him as it was in the past, and that's OK. I still think he's a vital part of this offense doing the things he does well, because he still does them better than most.
OLAVE IS A MACHINE
This is something of a combo with the note above, because the ease with which Olave has made spectacular catches throughout camp has been something to behold. He made back-to-back one-handed grabs in the corner of the end zone during 1-on-1s that drew audible gasps from onlookers. Did he get both feet down? It's tough to say without camera angles and replays, but I know he can get his feet down, and these were close-proximity reps. He's as confident as I've seen and primed for a huge year.
TURNER MAKING PLAYS
I got a chance to chat 1-on-1 with Payton Turner this week, and one thing he made clear is that his health is not something he's taking for granted. He hasn't missed a day of practice, and it shows. He's a constant presence in the backfield and he's using his size well. He batted down a ball today that looked like it had a chance for a big play. I love what I'm seeing out of the defensive line overall.
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