According to Jeremiah Wright, his rendition of Alicia Keys' "Girl on Fire" during the rookie talent show earned enough of a passing grade that he wasn't required to offer a redo.
"It went good, went good," Wright said Tuesday. "I've got a good voice, got a little vocals. Got a little tune — some guys don't got tune and rhythm."
The tune and rhythm are fine, but the New Orleans Saints aren't nearly as interested in those as in the physical tools of the rookie right guard, a fourth-round draft pick this year. Especially now.
A significant offensive line injury (versatile backup interior lineman Dillon Radunz, who can play both guard positions, tore his ACL last Saturday and will be sidelined this season) opened a gaping path for a possible ascension up the depth chart for Wright, who has solely played right guard with the Saints.
New Orleans will practice again Wednesday before it begins a 10-day gauntlet: Joint practice with Jacksonville (Aug. 13), preseason game against Jacksonville (Aug. 15), joint practice with Dallas (Aug. 18), joint practice with the Rams (Aug. 20) and preseason game against the Rams (Aug. 22). During the run, Wright figures to receive heavy duty.
"These will be great opportunities for him in these preseason games — a ton of reps — but also in these joint practices to see some other competition," Saints coach Kellen Moore said. "It'll be great for him."
It'll be an indication of how far he has come and how far he needs to go for Wright, who is learning to add the technical aspects of the position to the brute strength component. Saints starting left guard David Edwards has helped tutor Wright on the former.
"I'd say (my biggest improvement is) in the pass game, using different techniques (that) David Edwards taught me," Wright said. I've been watching him since I was at Auburn my last two years. Using different techniques, trying to help me and my game.
"Him being a vet, he's like a technician for me: Smooth, not overdoing it. I know sometimes I'm an aggressive guy, so I can overdo it sometimes. But for him, just being under control. Controlled aggression, and just get to my spot. I'm a big guy, nobody is going to be ready to go down and deal with me. So, just being able to hone in on the details, small things."
The minutiae will help Wright (6 foot 5, 331 pounds) earn his way onto the field.
"The physicality is there," Moore said. "It's going to come down to the details and just playing really clean football down after down and just playing that consistent football every week."
Wright sustained a shoulder injury on Aug. 5 which kept him out of three practices, but returned Tuesday. And as anxious as he was to return, he might be more so for the joint practices and preseason games.
"Don't go out there and try to overdo nothing, go out there and be J. Wright," he said of Thursday's work against Jacksonville. "I'm going to always just be J. Wright — a vocal guy, love to express myself. You're going to hear J. Wright on the field — win, lose or draw, you're gonna hear me. So, I'm just going out there, being under control and learning from my teammates. Going out there and competing to be the best version of me that I can be.
"Looking forward to it, very excited. Just ready to go out there and compete and get better each and every day because whenever my time comes and my name is called, I'll be ready to execute, go out there and dominate, know the calls and just go out there and be me.
"We're going against each other each and every day, we know the cadences and everything. So, going against a different team, getting different looks, going against different guys, learning different moves and different techniques I can try and get out there and learn from that."
Injury updates
Add cornerback Rejzohn Wright (left hip) and defensive lineman Davon Godchaux (ankle) to the list of injured Saints after each was unable to finish practice. Moore said the hamstring injury suffered by edge rusher Cameron Jordan could possibly push Jordan's return to the regular season.
