To put it into automotive terms, rookie minicamp is is the equivalent of hitting the streets on a moped.
The engine's got gas in it and you're chugging along toward your destination, but no one's going to call it your first car. That'll come later when you're driving something that can actually hit the speed limit.
The same held true for the New Orleans Saints rookie class in their first three official practices of their career, with the media in attendance for Saturday's session. The most important part is learning the rules of the road.
"We certainly do like seeing them move around and play football, finally ... but a lot of it is about the classroom," head coach Kellen Moore said, "the mental side of this thing, creating really good habits."
With that in mind, don't expect me to draw any hard-line conclusions throughout the rest of this notebook. This week was about young players -- and a few veterans -- dipping their toes in the water of NFL life. But that experience is more complex for some, including first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr., who saw reps at every offensive line position other than center. His first reps came at left tackle, but there were also no full 11-on-11 drills.
Moore said that cross training early on was always going to be the plan, and the team plans to "narrow that focus" for a handful of players as the offseason ramps up.
Related
"It’s just seeing these guys in different body positions. ... I think for a lot of our guys, every position, we’re trying to expose them to a couple of different spots, a couple of different environments," Moore said, "and just see them respond and we’ll settle in as we go."
The result is that the conversation will continue about the rookie's position for at least the next few weeks. Banks played exclusively at left tackle in college and has never played guard competitively, but he's eager for the challenge if he's asked. Last year's first-rounder Taliese Fuaga started 17 games at left tackle after playing on the right side in college and former first-round pick Trevor Penning did the same at right tackle last season after playing exclusively on the left to that point. Both will be in the conversation to potentially stick at those spots. That could mean a rookie season at guard for Banks, depending on how things shake out.
"Obviously they picked me to go out there and kind of do what I do ... and so I just appreciate them for trusting me to be able to process that quickly and go out there and learn different positions and go out there and just play football,” Banks said.
He told me the biggest difference is the point of contact, with the guard position engaging defenders much more quickly off the snap than what you'd have at the tackle position.
"I’ve always said my whole life, wherever I play, that’s where I’m gonna play at," Banks said. "I just want to be able to help the team.”
We'll just have to see where that is.
━━
Tyler Shough looks the part
It's easy to get overly excited about young QBs throwing against air, so I won't try to sell that to you. What I will say is that the size is legit for Tyler Shough, who made 6'3" tryout QB Hunter Dekkers appear small by comparison. The size will stand out even more when he's lined up next to Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in a few weeks. Looking the part isn't everything, but it's not a terrible place to start.
The only competitive sets this week were 7-on-7 drills. Shough went 7-for-8 on Saturday. His one incompletion was slightly late over the middle targeting fellow rookie Moliki Matavao. His best throw was a nice layered ball over a defender that he squeezed in to TE Treyton Welch breaking to the sideline.
I also got a chance to see what I'd argue is Shough's best skill up close, and that's his ability to roll out against his arm, reset quickly on the move and deliver the ball with accuracy. You see it on tape as well and I expect the Saints will take advantage of that often if Shough plays as a rookie.
━━
Quincy Riley on the mend
There was 100% attendance on Saturday at rookie minicamp, but one draft pick was not participating in 4th round CB Quincy Riley. Kellen Moore said he had a procedure after the draft to address a preexisting issue.
Moore wouldn't specify what the issue was, but did say it wasn't relative to the ankle injury suffered last year at Louisville. I expect he'll be on the field before long.
Related
━━
No Burnip
Another player not participating was UDFA punter James Burnip, who looked on from the sideline. Moore confirmed there were logistical issues that had to be worked out prior to him participating.
This is a bit of a guess on my part, but I'd wager the issue is Visa related. Burnip is Australian and was previously on an F-1 Visa granted to college athletes. He'll have to transition to a different Visa that covers professional athletes to play in the NFL. That process takes time, and the current political climate around immigration isn't exactly the simplest to navigate. I don't expect it to be an extended issue, as there are scores of international athletes participating in American pro sports every year, but it'll be something to monitor with OTAs just a few weeks out. Burnip figures to be in a competition with Matt Hayball for the punter job in 2025 and he'll want all the reps he can get.
━━
Lagniappe
Hunter Dekkers isn't your typical tryout QB and there's a lot to like about his game. I'd be surprised if he latches on with the Saints, considering they have a QB room overflowing with young players already, but I wouldn't be surprised if another team gives him a chance. If not I'd expect the lefty to be starting in the UFL in the not-too-distant future. ... Veteran WR Donovan Peoples-Jones looked solid in his tryout efforts and had a couple of grabs during Saturday's work. Wouldn't be surprised if the Saints opt to keep him around for camp if they don't have their eyes on a bigger prize in the WR department. ... Based on conversations with multiple rookies, it sure doesn't sound like Derek Carr's retirement has made much of an impact. Banks said he didn't even know until after practice, and Shough said he learned about it when Moore told him prior to the day's work. It's business as usual, with Shough saying he's never actually spoken to the now-former Saints QB. Time to turn the page.