The New Orleans Saints got back on the field for another set of OTAs on Tuesday, and the image of a Klint Kubiak offense continues to come into focus.
Scroll below for attendance, notes, QB stats and more from the day's action.
TAKING ATTENDANCE
It was another day with double-digit absences from voluntary workouts, though several players are dealing with injuries and it's also unknown whether anyone listed below was at the facility despite not being out on the field.
With all that in mind, here's who we didn't see on the field for the second set of OTAs.
- WR Stanley Morgan Jr.
- WR Rashid Shaheed
- CB Marshon Lattimore
- CB Paulson Adebo
- CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
- RB Alvin Kamara
- LB Nephi Sewell
- S J.T. Gray
- LB Jaylan Ford
- DE Nathan Latu
- RT Ryan Ramczyk
- OL Oli Udoh
- DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
- DT Nathan Shepherd
- DE Chase Young
Several players on the list above, including Young, Ford, Latu, McKinstry, Ramczyk and Sewell are working back from injuries and their absences are relative to that situation. Two notable players absent for the second consecutive week are that of Kamara and Lattimore, though those veteran players can be trusted to get the work in on their own.
It was revealed on Tuesday that Kpassagnon tore his achilles during an offseason workout and he won't be returning any time soon. Shaheed is dealing with an illness, while Shephard's two absences were confirmed to be family related. The lone player that made his debut at the second OTA session after missing the first week was RB Jamaal Williams.
Again, these workouts are voluntary, so absences are not indicative of a budding issue. That said, with a new offensive system being installed it would certainly be a plus to see a player like Kamara in on the action during the final set of OTAs in a week. We shall see.
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EAGER PENNING
In watching Trevor Penning a good bit today, I saw a player that seems eager to prove he's got what it takes to play tackle at the NFL level. Maybe a bit too eager. On at least one run set he was leaning early and ended up false starting. That said, I haven't seen anything concerning for him thus far.
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He's a young player that seems a lot more comfortable, whether that be in answering questions in the locker room or out on the field. It's a benefit of having a real offseason and it seems he's taken the idea of a "fresh start" to heart, something first broached by Dennis Allen during a phone call in March. Penning said that he doesn't consider the switch to be particularly daunting as a concept, he's worked at RT a good bit in drills, though he's still yet to appear at the position in an actual game.
It's worth noting that while Fuaga is getting doubled up reps on the left side, most likely to fast-forward his progress to some extent, those second team reps are going to Landon Young on the right side. That, to me, reads like the most likely insurance policy if the project with Penning goes belly up. For now he's holding up in pass pro, and that's the biggest question. There's a long way to go.
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MILLARD HAD A DAY
It was a day that started with safety Millard Bradford getting called out during special teams work by an assistant coach, but at the end he pulled down a pair of interceptions. Blame can be put at the feet of the QB and WR for failing to execute, but plays made are plays made, and he made them.
There will be depth positions to be decided at safety and that's not a bad place to start.
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FLASHING AGAIN
The Jake Haener to Jordan Mims connection looks like it's year in the making. That's because it is, the pair played together at Fresno State, so when the QB unleashed a high ball down the sideline on a rail route, he knew the RB could come down with it. He did just that, going up over the defense for an impressive hands catch that I'd qualify as the play of the day.
Mims and TE Michael Jacobson are two under-the-radar players who just seem to flash every day we watch them. Both are guys that spent a good chunk of the 2023 season the practice squad and also took the opportunity to get more work at rookie minicamp. They'll be in contention for depth spots on the roster, for sure.
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MEANS IN TRAFFIC
The positive thing for Bub Means early on is that he's drawing the attention of his QBs. The less positive thing has been the results.
Bub was targeted four times during Tuesday's practice. Two of those balls were intercepted and the other two were tipped for what should've probably been interceptions. You can't lay the blame completely at the feet of the WR for interceptions, but being able to fight for contested catches has to be a key part of his game at his size, and there's some work to do.
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REZJOHN'S TIME
One of the few benefits of not having three of your top four cornerbacks (Adebo, Lattimore and McKinstry) for a day of OTA work is you can establish a solid pecking order of the players in the depth battle. That's how we know that Rezjohn Wright is at the top of the rotation there, getting first-team reps alongside Alontae Taylor on the outside.
Shemar Jean-Charles and Faion Hicks got second-team reps. That'll be something to watch going forward.
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TRACKING THE QB
Derek Carr hasn't done anything to blow the field away, but he's been very consistent and taking what's there. Considering this is a new offense and he needs to hit the ground running, that's what you want to see. He completed all eight passes on the day, at one point hitting a deep dig downfield to a wide open Equanimeous St. Brown after which he could be heard yelling "they've been reading the script," indicating that he went off-script and the defense got caught.
Haener had another solid day, completing 6 of 8 attempts, but this time with a pair of sketchy decisions. He threw a ball into traffic targeting Cedrick Wilson with the ball deflecting off the WRs hands into dangerous territory. On the next rep he hurled a ball late and across the field targeting Dallin Holker in double coverage. The ball was tipped and nearly picked.
The accuracy and timing have been good thus far and he's easily No. 2 in the pecking order.
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Spencer Rattler has plenty of time to develop, but Tuesday was another tough day for the 5th round pick. Curiously, his biggest struggles have come in the 7-on-7 sessions with no pass rush to speak of. These drills are all about decision, timing and accuracy, and it just hasn't been there. On his eight reps in those drills that we've been able to watch, he's 2-for-8 with a pair of picks and another four passes that could've been picked. He settled in a bit in 11s, but did throw another interception targeting Bub Means downfield, a ball that the WR could have probably competed a bit harder for to at least make sure the ball landed on the ground.
By all accounts he's doing things the right way and has the ability to make these corrections. It's also important to note that by the end of this week he'll have had four OTA practices that we didn't watch, and the open ones could be the aberrations. There's plenty of opportunities for him to put on solid showings prior to minicamp, but it'd be positive to see him stack some solid days prior to the long break in June.
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LAGNIAPPE
Nathan Peterman was working in drills this time after being held out of practice last week, but he still wasn't getting reps in team drills. The pecking order is clear there. He's still a guy who should be able to provide a veteran presence on the practice squad, potentially, during the season, so there's value in keeping him around. ... With Tanoh Kpassagnon out for the season, there's another roster spot to be had along the DL. Trajan Jeffcoat is my early pick for a player who could stick around with inside/outside potential. ... Taysom Hill was working with the TEs this time and lined up at fullback during team drills. He's going to be used all over the map, as well he should be.