1. Quick Hits:
Tuesday's padded practice was back at Crawford Field at Cal-Irvine under sunny skies and a temperature of 78 degrees. …Special guests in attendance Tuesday were legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees and USC basketball coach Eric Musselman. Brees stayed well past practice and was seen talking extensively to Saints GM Mickey Loomis and linebacker Demario Davis. More on Brees visit can be seen on NewOrleansSaints.com. … The Saints announced many roster moves with the sudden injury situation (more on that in a bit). Unfortunately, the Saints placed center Will Clapp on season-ending Injured Reserve and waived tight end Mason Pline, who also was hurt in the Los Angeles Chargers game Sunday. In corresponding moves, the club signed free agent defensive tackle Jayden Peevy (who actually got first team reps Tuesday), wide receiver Roderick Daniels Jr. and re-signed tight end Seth Green (who made a couple of catches in Tuesday's practice during 11-on-11 work). … Running back Devin Neal, safety J.T. Gray and defensive end Jasheen Davis were working out on the side as they rehab their respective bumps and bruises. … Coach Kellen Moore also mentioned that a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams is in the works for Thursday and both teams are working out logistical issues so nothing is official.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees and head coach of USC Men's Basketball team Eric Musselman stopped by the Saints 2025 Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets at the University of California, Irvine on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
2. Injury bug has bitten:
The first couple of weeks of Saints training camp were relatively injury-free. Unfortunately, as we know, injuries are part of the NFL, and the Saints got a big dose of that in the last few days. Along with the injuries to Clapp and Pline, wide receiver Bub Means will be out several weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the Chargers game. We also learned Tuesday that cornerback Alontae Taylor injured his groin during the tail end of the Friday scrimmage at Irvine, which was a bit of a blow, considering Taylor has had an outstanding camp at the all-important Star position in Brandon Staley's 3-4 defense. In Taylor's absence five-year veteran Terrell Burgess took over the Star position during Tuesday's practice and recorded a sack of Spencer Rattler on a third down, ending the drive. There was a bit of good news as well with left guard Trevor Penning, whose foot injury was not as serious but is still expected to miss some time. In Penning's absence, Dillon Radunz, a fifth-year veteran from North Dakota State, took all the reps at left guard Tuesday. Radunz showed some versatility, considering he played the Chargers game at left tackle, and was able to move seamlessly into the guard spot. Also, Torricelli Simpkins III took all the reps as the backup center (Clapp's spot). Simpkins ( a guard by trade) took all center reps in the Chargers game after Clapp went down on the second offensive play, performed well, and now has a tremendous opportunity to make the final 53-man roster.
3. Drive of the Day:
In a day that was really led by the defense (I counted unofficially eight sacks), quarterback Tyler Shough led the offense to its only touchdown. On his third opportunity, starting at his own 35-yard line and moving east to west, Shough engineered a 12- play, 65-yard drive that culminated in a 5-yard touchdown run by running back Alvin Kamara. A couple of highlights was a 10- yard flip to Rashid Shaheed for a first down. On a fourth-and-5 at the plus-45-yard line and the drive hanging in the balance, Shough would stand tall and find Shaheed again for the first down to the 24-yard line. On third-and-1 from the 17 a beautifully executed option pitch to Kamara netted 11 more to the 6-yard line. Kamara powered in for the score two plays later. Rattler had a chance to get in the end zone in the final 11-on-11 drill of practice, going 15 plays toward the east end zone, also converting a fourth down along the way on a tough catch by tight end Michael Jacobson, who was surrounded by four defensive players. Unfortunately, the day would end on a second-and-eight from the 11-yard line, when Rattler tried a slant pattern to Dante Pettis. The pass went through the hands of Pettis, popped up into the air, and was intercepted by safety Julian Blackmon, putting a cap on day 14 and a fitting end to a day where the defensed flexed some muscle.
