2023 Saints OTA Thread

[AsylumGuido]

Twitter

This is what we need and what Carr can provide. Dalton was always so timid out there last year ... or at least he was after the double pick sixes in that first half.

Twitter

[SmashMouth]

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

[SmashMouth]

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

[AsylumGuido]

The Saints are taking it easy with the ramp up for certain players. Sounds like Dr. Matt Rhea at work. Our soft tissue issues have been the lowest they have been in years.

Twitter

[SmashMouth]

Updated jersey numbers

0 - Ugo Amadi
1 - Alontae Taylor
5 - Blake Gillikin
11 - Bryan Edwards
22 - Rashid Shaheed
24 - Jonathan Abram
26 - Eno Benjamin
27 - Isaac Yiadom
28 - Lonnie Johnson Jr.
30 - Jamaal Williams
72 - Storm Norton
82 - Foster Moreau
89 - James Washington
91 - Jabari Zuniga
92 - Tanoh Kpassagnon
93 - Nathan Shepherd
99 - Khalen Saunders

[AsylumGuido]

Twitter

[SaintFanInATLHELL]

Originally Posted by Boston Saint

Health is obviously the main thing. But I can’t think of an advantage (to the team or individual) to NOT being there. Team building, setting a good tone for younger players, etc…there are advantages to being around teammates IMO. When you are trying to rebound from a losing season I like seeing players showing up as a fan.

It was a losing season that was almost 100% driven by injuries. The needs of fans to see team building doesn't override the fact that the Saints need healthy players for the season.

Any player that isn't absolutely 100% injury free right now can come and watch OTAs from the sidelines. There's nothing that going to happen in the next month that's going to define the 2023 season for the Saints other than injuries. I'm just being honest when I say that right now I personally don't want to hear anything other than DON'T GET HURT!

I'll sing a different tune for training camp. More work is required then. But still keep an eye on the injuries. That is what has devastated the Saints for the last 3 years.

SFIAH

[Boston Saint]

Originally Posted by SaintFanInATLHELL

It was a losing season that was almost 100% driven by injuries. The needs of fans to see team building doesn't override the fact that the Saints need healthy players for the season.

Any player that isn't absolutely 100% injury free right now can come and watch OTAs from the sidelines. There's nothing that going to happen in the next month that's going to define the 2023 season for the Saints other than injuries. I'm just being honest when I say that right now I personally don't want to hear anything other than DON'T GET HURT!

I'll sing a different tune for training camp. More work is required then. But still keep an eye on the injuries. That is what has devastated the Saints for the last 3 years.

SFIAH

These aren’t contact drills, and nobody is advocating for injured players to participate. I’ve heard interviews where QBs have said it’s helpful to learn receivers tendencies on routes and receivers learn when and where to expect the pass on their breaks. That comes with practice and repetition. Are you saying it’s better not to practice?

[SaintFanInATLHELL]

Originally Posted by Boston Saint

These aren’t contact drills, and nobody is advocating for injured players to participate. I’ve heard interviews where QBs have said it’s helpful to learn receivers tendencies on routes and receivers learn when and where to expect the pass on their breaks. That comes with practice and repetition. Are you saying it’s better not to practice?

It is better not to practice if a player isn't 100% ready to go. For example, Salderveri is a rookie and needs the practice. But he has a calf injury. He was on the sidelines, exactly where he should be for the moment.

Practicing in shorts in late May has minimal reward and a moderate risk in OTAs. Every season we see a player tear an ACL or pop an Achilles in OTAs. Don't think that because there's no contact that there's no risk for injuries. And especially for players who are coming back from injuries.

I need to see players on the field in November, December, and January when the games actually matter. Not in a glorified practice in May. The specific players listed in the initial post, Turner, Ruiz, and Roach, are no longer snot-nosed rookies that need reps. They are veteran players of which 2 of the 3 have had injury issues in the past. So, just like Ram, Davis, Mattieu, MT13, and others who were not on the field yesterday, it isn't critical for them to be practicing right now. This isn't the last week of training camp with the season starting next week.

Staying healthy for as long as possible is the #1 goal. And if that means not practicing in May, then so be it.

SFIAH

[Boston Saint]

Originally Posted by SaintFanInATLHELL

It is better not to practice if a player isn't 100% ready to go. For example, Salderveri is a rookie and needs the practice. But he has a calf injury. He was on the sidelines, exactly where he should be for the moment.

Practicing in shorts in late May has minimal reward and a moderate risk in OTAs. Every season we see a player tear an ACL or pop an Achilles in OTAs. Don't think that because there's no contact that there's no risk for injuries. And especially for players who are coming back from injuries.

I need to see players on the field in November, December, and January when the games actually matter. Not in a glorified practice in May. The specific players listed in the initial post, Turner, Ruiz, and Roach, are no longer snot-nosed rookies that need reps. They are veteran players of which 2 of the 3 have had injury issues in the past. So, just like Ram, Davis, Mattieu, MT13, and others who were not on the field yesterday, it isn't critical for them to be practicing right now. This isn't the last week of training camp with the season starting next week.

Staying healthy for as long as possible is the #1 goal. And if that means not practicing in May, then so be it.

SFIAH

Did you miss where I said “ nobody is advocating for injured players to participate.”?

It sounds like you are arguing just to argue. I agree that we want to avoid injuries. I agree that no players with health questions should participate.

But we have a new QB throwing to (mostly) new receivers for him. Just like pitchers throw to catchers early in spring training, QBs and receivers work on their timing running pass routes. If you think Carr is not gaining experience, throwing to Olave, Thomas, Johnson, Hill etc by participating in these drills then fine. I disagree. I think they are learning basic trends about how they work best together.