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By John Sigler | Saintswire

Here’s a fun offseason exercise: which member of the New Orleans Saints is the fastest? To help find out, running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. will join former teammate Mark Ingram in the inaugural ’40 Yards of Gold’ tournament, which will pit a number of NFL players against each other in the 40-yard dash. The groups are divided by whether they play offense or defense, and fans can vote for bracket seeding by following this link. Voting ends Sunday, May 26, at 12 AM EST, so make sure your voice is heard.

Here’s the full list of participants, per a press release:

Full Story - Saintswire - USA Today

By Mike Triplett | ESPN Staff Writer

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints should be grateful that wide receiver Michael Thomas and defensive end Cameron Jordan aren’t forcing any contract standoffs just yet. Both of the All-Pro stars were back on the practice field this week as the Saints began OTAs.

“I’m a football player first -- I like being at work. So it wasn’t really hard to make a decision [to attend OTAs],” Thomas told ESPN -- a similar sentiment that Jordan shared earlier this offseason.

But the Saints should have their checkbooks, calculators and spreadsheets ready nonetheless. Because the downside of building a roster this loaded is that it starts to become very expensive to keep everyone around.

Full Story - ESPN.com

By Luke Johnson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

The New Orleans Saints have not yet seen their top draft pick in pads yet, so it is tough to give a true evaluation of the kind of player they have in offensive lineman Erik McCoy.

But there are still ways to make an impression that go beyond pushing around fellow large humans, and in that regard McCoy has stood out.

“What you see is a guy with a great work ethic — his motor is outstanding — and he’s very hungry to learn,” said Saints offensive line coach Dan Roushar. “He’s been great in the classroom. Makes mistakes, pays attention to them, really works hard to correct them the next day, so you see improvement.”

Full Story - NOLA.com

By Reuters | Yahoo News

Interest from the Cleveland Browns is being reciprocated by free agent defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who will be in Berea, Ohio, at team headquarters on Friday.

McCoy will take his first-ever free agency visit with the Browns, and he informed other suitors of the pecking order on Thursday.

McCoy, the third overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday with three years left on his contract. The deal called for him to make $13 million in base pay this season. The original contract was for six years and $95.2 million.

Cleveland general manager John Dorsey confirmed he'd host McCoy on Friday. Dorsey, speaking Thursday after organized team activities, said he will continue to "turn over every rock." Of McCoy, Dorsey said he is "a good player the Browns want to get to know a little better."

Full Story - Yahoo News

Saints open preparations for 2019 season with OTAs

Les East | Special to The Daily Iberian

METAIRIE — The New Orleans Saints completed their first week of Organized Team Activities on Thursday.

The three voluntary, pads-free workouts were the first in a series of nine that will take place over three consecutive weeks. Then comes a mandatory three-day mini-camp (June 11-13) before the team breaks, then returns for the start of training camp July 24.

These are the first baby steps in preparation for the coming season, which is more than 100 days away.

“It’s a long journey, a process, a marathon,” linebacker Demario Davis said.

Numerous lockers in the locker room are being shared by two players as an allotment designed for 60-some players during the regular season has to accommodate the 90 that fill out the off-season roster.

Full Story - The Daily Iberian

By Sean Fazende | FOX 8

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE)

Take One: Jared Cook looks like a difference maker

Jared Cook just has a presence about him. It wasn’t that he made a bunch of spectacular plays Thursday, it’s more of a feel you get when you see him play, that he and the Saints should be a good match. They have a need for a number two receiver and an athletic tight end. With Cook, they may fill both. In fact, it would be a disappointment if Cook does not become 60-catch tight end.

Take Two: Cameron Meredith not healthy

Yes, it’s only May and there’s still plenty of time to recover, but to see Meredith working with the trainers instead of practicing was disappointing. Health issues have haunted Meredith for the last two seasons. He took a pay cut in the offseason and really needs to get healthy to make the roster.

Full Story - FOX 8

By Sharief Ishaq | WDSU

NEW ORLEANS —
The New Orleans Saints have already wrapped up their first week of Organized Team Activities. The media had a chance to check out some of the newest members of the Saints at Thursday's practice, including tight end Jared Cook.

Cook had a career year last season with the Oakland Raiders with 68 receptions, 896 yards and six touchdowns.

Cook chose to play for the Saints because he felt like this was a tight end-friendly offense. So fans should expect some even bigger numbers from the offense since Cook will be in the lineup.

Full Story - WDSU

By Sharief Ishaq | WDSU

NEW ORLEANS —
The New Orleans Saints are off and running with their offseason training. The Saints have completed the first week of Organized Team Activities. The media had a chance to check out day three of OTAs Thursday at the team's practice facility.

One of the new faces many members of the media had their eyes on was running back Latavius Murray whom the Saints signed this offseason. Murray is taking over the role left behind by Mark Ingram, who signed with the Baltimore Ravens. The team is hoping Murray and Alvin Kamara will compliment each other just like Kamara and Ingram did the previous two seasons.

Full Story - WDSU

NewOrleansSaints.com

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
OTA #3 Media Availability
Thursday, May 23, 2019

Early impressions of Jared Cook?

“He is picking it up. I thought he had a good rookie camp (first week of OTAs). He's smart. Obviously there's a lot that goes on with that position. But, he's someone that has played long enough and there are some nuances (that are different here), but he's done well. Look, what he did in Oakland was similar to a lot of the things we do formationally. But he's smart and he has range, you see his route savviness and his ability to get in and out of cuts. The best thing he does is run after the catch. It's hard to measure that out here when we're not tackling, but he's real good that way.“

And it's just his years in the league. I'm guessing when you talk to him it's different than talking (to a rookie). Especially coming off an OTA. He's been around a while, right?

“He has been utilized in different ways. He is explosive. He runs extremely well. I think he’s in good shape. It's the first time that he and Drew (Brees) are working together and you know they'll get a ton of reps and a ton of work in between now and when we get started in the end of July.”

Full Story - NewOrleansSaints.com

NewOrleansSaints.com

New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees
OTA #3 Media Availability
Thursday, May 23, 2019

What are your impressions of Jared Cook so far?

“Really good. Really impressed. (He) Comes across as a real savvy veteran, a real pro. I'd heard a lot of good things about him before he got here, but he's certainly impressed us these first couple of days. He's got a great feel for the game and I think he’s going to fit very well in our offense."

Last year’s motto was ‘Prove Them Right’. What is this year’s motto?

“Get better. Just take it one day at a time. I think we are all excited to get back to work. I'm excited to see how the now the free agent acquisitions will fit in and then also the rookies.”

How does [Jared] Cook change things for the offense? How is he different than maybe what you've had in the last couple of years?
“Um, well, you know, we're only three days in, right? I think he's certainly a guy who can run. He's got great length, so he's got a big catch radius. You feel confident with those 50-50 balls. You feel like there's a lot of places where you can throw it where he can get it and the other guy can't. Anytime you have a target like that, you feel like that's a good matchup. Obviously, a lot of attention goes to Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara and so I think having a weapon like that in addition to the other...

By Josh Katzenstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

The New Orleans Saints offense will undergo a critcal transition this offseason as it looks to replace center Max Unger.

Unger, who joined the Saints in 2015, started 63 of a possible 64 games during his time in New Orleans. During that stretch, Drew Brees was the starting quarterback for 61 games, which means Unger played more games with Brees than any other center in the 40-year-old quarterback’s career.

Now, the Saints will look for a new player to bolster the middle of an offensive line that had been among the best in the NFL the past two seasons.

“Obviously, Max was a tremendous leader and a guy that you don’t just snap your fingers and replace,” Brees said.

Full Story - NOLA.com

By Nathan Brown | The Advocate

Cyril Grayson sees the media mob coming and makes a fast dash to his locker. He quickly punches in the code to the lock box, grabs a washcloth, wipes his face dry from sweat and readies to face the cameras.

The Archbishop Rummel and LSU graduate is no stranger to the unwavering humidity of Louisiana summers, but he still needs time to get used to the pressure of being a hometown hero in an NFL locker room.

“I’m really just trying to be who I am,” he said. “Just the best ‘me’ I can be every day I’m out there.”

At his core, Grayson is a four-time NCAA track and field national champion, part of four separate title-winning 4x400 relay teams during his tenure at LSU, where he was a seven-time All-American and became one of the most decorated relay runners in the program’s history.

Full Story - The Advocate