It’s hard to get a feeling for how exactly the players are physically reacting to this new reality they’re living in. It used to be, day three in pads was where the real body pains started. It was where the guys, who were in real shape, separated from the guys running on adrenaline. Training camp has traditionally been a marathon, day after day of monotonous pounding on the body you had just spent months building up.
I’m not a runner, which I know shocks many of you…but I would imagine training camp is like miles 10-20. This year, it feels more like a sprint. The Saints, like every other NFL team, have just four team padded practices before the start of the regular season. Fourteen opportunities for young players to make positive impressions. Fourteen chances for veterans to gel with rookies. Fourteen chances for a group of guys to become a team capable of withstanding the nearly insurmountable amount of challenges this unique season will present. With two already in the books, the Saints staff will likely slam the pedal to the floor in the next few days to start pushing this team where they need to go in an abbreviated amount of time. (To give you an idea, in my first training camp with the Saints, in 2006, we had 12 practices in the first 7 days of camp. Camp was 35 days long.)
What I’ve realized during this reflection is just how crucial every single aspect of these practices must be scrutinized by everyone making decisions within the organization. Players’ reactions to success and failure, the ability to battle vs. a better player or even how guys interact with one another will be dissected and analyzed by those responsible for building this roster. Furthermore, each and every one of these will be weighted more heavily than a typical year, because there are so many fewer chances to observe. So, in an effort to try and see and feel what they are, I’m going to try and dissect these practices in a similar way, with a more observant eye than I’m accustomed to using. Here were my thoughts on the second padded practice of the 2020 Saints Training Camp.
I started the day next to the offensive line, because… well…I like the offensive line. Plus, today’s practice was inside and the media stands in the corner by them. Everyone’s big question coming into camp is going to be Cesar Ruiz and for good reason. Not only was he the Saints first round draft pick, he’s being counted on currently as a starter in this lineup. My initial reaction to him is to rest easy. He looks the part. The best thing you can say about a young lineman is you can’t tell he’s a young lineman, and that’s what I saw with Cesar through these first two practices. He is technically pretty far along, has a very sturdy build and showed the work ethic you need to succeed at this level. I’m sure the Saints are very happy with what they’re getting thus far with Ruiz. That’s not to say there isn’t a long way to go, but he has all the tools you need to be successful.
Another player of note in the group is Ethan Greenidge. The second-year tackle from Villanova has all the desirable traits you want to see in a developmental player. He has innate ability to stick to blocks. Not an elite athlete for the position, but good enough to be effective and loads of natural talent. To me, Greenidge is an NFL starter. I don’t know if that’s this year, but that potential is there. Look for him to compete for the swing tackle role as well as having the flexibility to move inside.
Ty Montgomery is an intriguing addition who was largely overlooked by many this off-season. He’s shown good burst, vision and tremendous ability catching the ball out of the backfield. Montgomery could take a lot of pressure and reps off Alvin Kamara and will be a contributor on special teams as well.
I have been really happy to see how explosive Kamara has looked. He looks like himself as a player, but more importantly, he looks like he’s having a lot of fun again. It’s mentally draining to play the game injured and not be as production as you’re accustomed to being. I think that wore on him last year and it’s great to see that change early here in camp.
I thought Taysom threw the ball the best on Monday, but Drew Brees takes that crown today. I thought he looked sharp all day.
You can see the urgency in Jameis Winston. He kind of bounced around all day, eager to get his reps, at times looking antsy. He sprinted fully through all of team take off… an attribute I love in players, because it shows an attention to detail and a work ethic when no one is watching. He was off target a few times in routes on air…going to take some time on task to get him comfortable.
I thought the tight ends had a good day. Trautman looks the part of a two-way player at the tight end position. He’s getting a lot of reps because of Josh Hill’s absence and that’s important for him right now. Tommy Stevens had another nice grab today and looks too comfortable for someone who was drafted with QB as his position group. Jared Cook looked good as well.
Sheldon Rankins looks like himself. I saw good get off and separation from him. He did get caught in a screen overextending, but had great pursuit after it. It would be good to have Rankins stay healthy after two tough injuries.
Marcus Williams was in the right place all day. He would have crushed Jared Cook on a giant route today and was involved in several tight coverages. No tackling yet in camp, which he highlighted as his biggest desire for improvement, but early practice has been good.
Trey Hendrickson and David Onyemata both had successful rushes in the team pressure period. David really came on last season in Rankins’ absence and having both of them play at their top level would be a huge win for the group.
We didn’t see a lot of receivers make plays today… I personally thought Deonte Harris looked good. He catches the ball with his hands very well. I know the Saints loved him as a returner, but I don’t know that they expected to get much out of him as receiver. He’s a nice piece for them to have in the offense. Harris will always be limited though due to his stature as a receiver. Emmanuel Butler and Austin Carr both had grabs in addition to a pair each for Mike Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. It’s too early for me to have a huge opinion on the group other than it’s pretty deep. I like the young options here. Also, worth noting, Juwan Johnson took reps at wing on the field goal team. I’m sure a real welcome to the NFL moment for him.
Deuce and I will be back at practice tomorrow, don’t forget to come back every day for our initial reactions on all the WWL platforms. Shoot us your questions or curiosities for tomorrow in the comments below. WHO DAT!!
