The longer training camp lasts, the more the New Orleans Saints have started to experiment with their starting lineups.
Coaches across the NFL say there is competition at every position, and New Orleans’ Kellen Moore is no exception. But some spots are less locked down than others.
Through six practices, the team’s position battles have begun to crystallize — with two or three starting spots, in particular, that could be up for grabs. All of them, coincidentally, reside on the defense.
Linebacker Danny Stutsman took a series of first-team reps ahead of Pete Werner for the second straight practice Wednesday, while defensive tackle John Ridgeway took snaps over veteran Nathan Shepherd. Two days earlier, the Saints also rotated in Isaac Yiadom in place of Quincy Riley.
Moore said Monday that the changes were “no big deal,” adding that the Saints would rotate guys in “different capacities” as camp progressed. And that might be true, in some instances. It would be surprising, for instance, if Riley was ultimately relegated to a lesser role after a promising rookie season.
But the swaps do matter to the players involved, particularly for those eager to prove they’re capable of starting in the NFL.
“That’s a dream,” Stutsman said when asked how badly he wants to be a starter. “That’s kind of why you wake up. That’s motivation. At the end of the day, you want to contribute as much as you can for the defense to do as much as I can.
“There’s a respect between everyone in the room, but it’s the kind of job that you want to win. Every day you’re fighting out there and putting your best thing on tape.”
Injuries stacking up
After putting the pads on earlier this week, the Saints are now dealing with the aftereffects of the ramped-up physicality. Running back Kendre Miller (back), rookie defensive lineman Christen Miller (toe), rookie guard Jeremiah Wright (shoulder) and defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver (calf) were sidelined for Wednesday’s practice, Moore said.
Moore downplayed the significance of Kendre Miller’s latest injury, which naturally drew curiosity given the fourth-year back’s lengthy history. The coach, however, said he did not know the severity of Christen Miller’s toe injury, such as whether it was turf toe.
“I don’t think (so), but we’ll see,” Moore said.
Otherwise, the Saints had their usual attendance, with Bryan Bresee (ACL), Mason Tipton (leg) and Zxavian Harris (foot) still sidelined.
Play of the day
While this section is usually reserved for action that happens in team drills, there’s an exception that is going to be made for Vernon Broughton’s first rush during 1-on-1 pass rush drills.
Lined up against guard Cesar Ruiz, the second-year defensive lineman drove the 316-pounder back roughly 10 yards in a manner of less than two seconds. The rush even elicited an “oh my God!’ from a fan sitting in the stands.
Broughton’s second rep against Ruiz could have also qualified here, too. On the second time around, the former third rounder used a spin move to shed Ruiz off him and climb up the pocket to get to the stand-in quarterback (played by assistant defensive line coach Brian Young).
Odds and ends
After having their best practice of camp Monday, the first-team offense had a quieter outing Wednesday. Tyler Shough went 10-for-15, but many of his throws were on the shorter side. His best pass of the day was when he hit Chris Olave on a comeback route about 12 yards for the first down.
The Saints love to run situational drills and Wednesday’s practice concluded with a scenario in which the offense was down 3 with 1:15 left, starting from the opposite 35-yard line. Run by both the 1’s and 2’s, neither quarterback got a satisfying result. Shough’s drive settled for a 51-yard field goal when the signal-caller was jumped by a trio of defenders for the sack. Spencer Rattler’s unit also had to settle for a field goal after a costly delay of game on third-and-1 led to an incompletion.
Tanner Brown, competing to unseat kicker Charlie Smyth, went 5-of-6 during the period of practice dedicated to field goals. The UFL product missed from 39 yards, making him 15-of-17 in camp.
Barion Brown is quickly becoming a fan favorite. The sixth-round wide receiver had another noteworthy day with three impressive catches in 1-on-1 drills. And during the Saints’ situational period, Brown hauled in a dime from Rattler, stayed in bounds and took off for 36 yards down the sideline. After practice, quarterback Zach Wilson raved about the energy the rookie brings.
