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Saints Training Camp 2025: Key Takeaways from Sunday, July 27

Defense shines in front of record crowd as heat rises

Jul 27, 2025 at 01:43 PM

Todd Graffagnini

1. Quick hits

As part of the NFL's Back Together Weekend coverage, the NFL Network had on site insider/reporters Ian Rapoport and Jeffri Chadiha along with our own Erin Summers to talk about the Saints and the upcoming season to a national audience. … Only one player did not participate in Sunday's practice and that was linebacker Demario Davis, which was an excused absence. … The offense wore black jerseys and the defense white jerseys for the first time since training camp began. The first three days were the reverse. ... A sellout crowd showed up to the Ochsner Sports Performance Center for practice No. 4, the largest attendance to date. Despite the heat, the sellout crowd was into the practice and as usual, made themselves heard almost every rep. …. Quarterback Spencer Rattler worked with the first unit Sunday, followed by Tyler Shough, then Jake Haener… Newly signed defensive veterans Julian Blackmon (more on him later) and Jonathan Bullard also worked first team reps during team drills Sunday. Blackmon split time at safety with third-year veteran Jordan Howden. … In Davis' absence Saints rookie fourth round draft pick Danny Stutsman (more on him later) also split first team reps at linebacker with Nephi Sewell…Kicker Charlie Smythattempted five field goals Sunday into the east end zone and went three of five, with his misses coming from 41 and 46 (both left hash) yards into a slight breeze. It's been a bit of a slow start for the Irishman who last season displayed a tremendous leg but could not beat out the incumbent Blake Grupe. So far Smyth is just five for 10 on field goals.

2. Hot hot hOT

Well, we knew coming back to Metairie for Saints camp was going to bring the opportunity for fans to come out and watch their team for the first time in two years. We also knew that coming back was going to bring the heat and humidity element back to practice, which last year in Irvine, Calif., was, quite honestly, nonexistent. Sunday, after a few warm practices, the heat really hit hard. Temperature soared to 88 degrees by 9:15 a.m. with a heat index of 102, and that was before practice really kicked in. To the players credit, they battled through, despite the offense struggling at times, no player left practice early due to heat-related issues. As a matter of fact, we have heard four separate players tell the media that they have never felt so fresh four days into a training camp, with the emphasis of this Saints training staff, led by Ted Rath, on rest and recovery. It got so warm at the end of practice, the "developmental period" was moved to the indoor facility for the last 5-10 minutes of the practice, which Head Coach Kellen Moore dubbed "The Wet Bowl," due to the amount of perspiration that was sweated out by all involved. Three of the next four practices (including Monday) will be in pads, so if this expected heat continues, the players physical and mental states will be tested, but that is exactly what training camp is for.

All-Access Photos: 2025 Saints Training Camp practice 7/27/25