Saints News

Clapp focused on doing little things right this preseason

By Amos Morale III | WWL Radio

It’s not uncommon for Will Clapp to see a former teammate on any given gameday.

As a former LSU standout, the New Orleans Saints second-year offensive lineman sees former Tigers weekly.

But Clapp has faced a couple of players this preseason that he goes back a little further with than his days in Baton Rouge.

In consecutive weeks, he’s played against fellow former Brother Martin standouts Irv Smith Jr. and Roderic Teamer.

“It’s always nice to see familiar faces,” he said. “Most of the time, it’s college faces. But you see some guys from high school and it kind of brightens you’re day up. Back then the NFL wasn’t even really in the sights yet and now its here and it’s great to see those guys.”

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By John Sigler | Saints Wire

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees made a strong vote of confidence for third-year wide receiver Austin Carr after practice on Wednesday. When asked what he’s seen of Carr in his third year in the NFL and second with the Saints (he initially played for the New England Patriots as a rookie, joining the Saints after roster cuts), Brees spoke highly of his 6-foot-1, 195-pound slot specialist.

“I think Austin’s had a great camp. he continues to get better each day. I’m really developing a lot of confidence in him,” Brees said. “There are a lot of little subtle things he does well. At the end of day for a receiver, there is a timing and then there is a feel to everything.”

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NewOrleansSaints.com

THURSDAY: The New Orleans Saints will take the practice field at Ochsner Sports Performance Center for the final workout of Training Camp Presented by Verizon. The practice begins in the indoor facility and then the team will transition outdoors for the team portions at approximately 10:15 for the portion open to the public. There will be an autograph session following practice.

NEWEST SAINTS: On Wednesday, the Saints signed tackle Olufisayo Owolaja and veteran linebacker Will Compton and placed tackle Chris Clark on Injured Reserve and waived long snapper Nick Moore. Owalaja will wear 79 at practice and Compton 40.

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Some potential issues could be mounting as New Orleans sits just weeks away from opening week.

By Bob Rose | Canal Street Chronicles

Preseason is past the halfway point, and the New Orleans Saints are just a handful of days away from breaking their 2019 training camp. The Saints came into training camp with the belief that they had one of the NFL's deepest rosters. After two preseason games, little has happened to dispel that notion. Despite being one of the top Super Bowl favorites entering the season though, New Orleans has shown a few disturbing signs thus far this preseason. Granted, it is after just two games that don't count, but it is vital that the Saints avoid a slow start to the year in a deep and competitive NFC. New Orleans takes the field again this Saturday against the New York Jets, in what will really be the first opportunity to see the full first units of both teams on each side of the ball. A good test in particular, for a couple of position groups that continue to have questions this preseason.
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By Herbie Teope | The Advocate / Picayune

The Saints held a relatively light day of work Wednesday, which marked the 18th day of training camp practice.

For a second straight day of work, the players were in shells and not full pads a day before the final day of training camp, which is Thursday.

The Saints spent almost a full hour indoors, where they conducted stretching and conditioning, individual position drills and some team-related drills before moving outdoors.

Once outside, the Saints spent time on 7-on-7 drills, special teams and focused on two-minute drills before ending the day’s on-field work shortly after 11 a.m.

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By Luke Johnson - USA Today | The Advertiser

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is expected to make his 2019 debut this Saturday against the New York Jets after sitting out the Saints’ first two preseason contests.

“In a game like this we’ll plan on playing him,” said Saints coach Sean Payton. “How much, we’ll see. But I think it’s important for everyone around him, too.”

Brees’ preseason workload has evolved over the course of his Saints career, but this is following the same course Payton has taken with his quarterback recently. Brees only appeared in one preseason game in both 2017 and 2018, and it was the third preseason game on the Saints schedule that year.

In the last two seasons, Brees has played a combined total of 44 preseason snaps — 17 plays in three offensive series in 2018, 27 plays in five series the year before. When asked if the ideal situation would be to get nine or 10 plays, score a touchdown and get off the field, Brees responded with “Ideally I’d like more than that.”

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John DeShazier | Senior Writer - NewOrleansSaints.com

Drew Brees understands the why, and he’s fine with it.

His snaps in preseason games have diminished over the years, and the reasoning behind the dip is logical for Brees and the New Orleans Saints. So, with Saturday’s third preseason game, against the Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., possibly being the only appearance he will make this preseason, the 19-year veteran just wants to make sure that the showing is an effective, efficient one.

“I like reps,” Brees said. “I like reps during practice. I like reps in games, especially. I also understand the balance of, ‘What are you trying to accomplish?’ At the end of the day, the most important thing is being as healthy and prepared as you can be for Week 1 of the regular season, when games begin to count.

“I also understand the desire and need to develop young players, to give guys reps at all different positions. The last couple of years, I’ve just gotten really one game, maybe two, in the preseason. I’m fine with that. But I want it to be quality, I want us to be sharp.”

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Could either one of them be Drew Brees’ potential successor?

By Christian D'Andrea | SBNation

The Saints are set at starting quarterback for 2019. Drew Brees was his typical all-world self for most of his previous year. While the now 40-year-old’s level of play declined late in the season, he still managed to record a league- and career-high 115.7 passer rating and led his team within one blown pass interference call of the Super Bowl.

But if Brees goes down, New Orleans has the backup ballast it needs to stay afloat.

The quadragenarian quarterback sits atop a depth chart that features a former Pro Bowler in Teddy Bridgewater. This offseason, Bridgewater re-signed with the Saints on a one-year deal, allowing him to continue to rebuild his value following 2016’s catastrophic knee injury...

Tells Saints fans to live in the moment

By Mark Menard | WWL Radio

Make no mistake. Drew Brees is still the unquestioned starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. And he has never given any indication that retirement is in the near future.

But now that Brees has crossed over into the land of 40-somethings, the question of when he'll call it a career looms far larger than ever before. And it's a question that haunts some Saints fans, who parse every pass, looking for signs of age-initiated degeneration in the skills of #9.

Whether or not the heir apparent to Brees as the Saints' next quarterback is Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill, or someone honing their craft someplace outside of the Crescent City, one thing is for sure. The pressure on that signal-caller when the time comes will weigh heavily on their shoulders. Take it from a man who knows a thing or two about following a legend.

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By John Sigler | Saints Wire

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton announced four roster moves after practice on Wednesday. The most-significant move was the loss of veteran left tackle Chris Clark, who was signed just last week but was injured in their preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Clark was designated to the injured reserve list.

Additionally, the Saints waived rookie long snapper Nick Moore. Moore was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia and was competing with Zach Wood, the Saints’ incumbent.

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By Wallace Delery | Canal Street Chronicles

The New Orleans Saints traveled out to my backyard of Los Angeles, California this past week, having taken part in joint practices with the Los Angeles Chargers in Orange County, and culminating with a preseason game in the Chargers’ surrogate home in Carson. I’ve had the great fortune to see the Saints play five times in Southern California since the 2016 season after they hadn’t been to the region for a very long time. I’ve given recaps for those games at San Diego (Week 4) ‘16, at Los Angeles (preseason) ‘17, at Los Angeles (Week 12) ‘17, and at Los Angeles (preseason) ‘18.

This...

By Herbie Teope | The Advocate / Picayune

The Saints were down eight players on the 18th day of practice of training camp.

Wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr., offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse, defensive end Mario Edwards Jr., linebacker Alex Anzalone, linebacker Craig Robertson, rookie safety Saquan Hampton and cornerback Marcus Sherels were not observed on the field during the stretching and conditioning portion of practice.

Anzalone, Hampton and Sherels have not practiced since the preseason opener. Edwards and Robertson left Sunday’s preseason game against the Chargers early for undisclosed reasons.

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By MICHAEL LYCKLAMA | Idaho Statesman

LOS ANGELES — NFL coaches constantly scour their opponents’ playbooks and rosters, trying to find the slightest edge they can copy and apply to their own team.

So after Pocatello native Taysom Hill broke out last season as a do-everything weapon for the New Orleans Saints, teams across the league combed their rosters and the college ranks for the next player capable of filling multiple jobs while taking up only one roster spot.

But no one has found the next Taysom Hill. And the Highland High grad and former All-Idaho Player of the Year keeps improving under center, leading to plenty of whispers that he could be the heir apparent to Drew Brees.

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By Herbie Teope | The Advocate / Picayune

The Saints on Wednesday added depth on defense.

The Saints signed linebacker Will Compton, a source familiar with the situation confirmed with The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. ESPN’s John Keim first reported the news.

Compton’s signing comes in the wake of Craig Robertson leaving Sunday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers for undisclosed reasons.

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By Luke Johnson - USA Today | The Advertiser

NEW ORLEANS — These first few preseason contests have been about developing feel for New Orleans Saints rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Get used to the technique, which is different than the type he played as a bump-and-run defender at Florida. Get used to the speed and intelligence of the players he’s lining up against, which are surely also different than the types he saw at Florida. Know the assignment, especially since they’re asking you to do a few different things.

The Saints coveted Gardner-Johnson leading up to the draft partly because of his versatility, which is why they traded up to select him in the fourth round. They’ve filled his plate since the outset of training camp to see where he can help contribute on defense.

Sunday against the Chargers, that meant lining up with the first-team defense as a slot defender — though not as a typical nickel cornerback, but as part of New Orleans three-safety “Buffalo” package.

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