2023 Saints OTA Thread

[Boston Saint]

Originally Posted by SaintFanInATLHELL

If you haven't noticed, that's pretty much what a lot of the league is doing. Many teams around the league are only having structured practices during training camp, sitting starters for preseason games, of which there is now even one less than before and only rolling folks out Week 1. Did you notice that teams will carry 90 until the final cut this year. There's a reason for that.

You and I have a fundamental disagreement. You believe that teams get better by practicing. I believe that teams do better when they remain healthy during the season. 17 games + playoffs is a long haul in a season for players. They don't get any favors extending that 3 months more just to practice. That's just 3 months more wear and tear before the season actually starts.

I'm not sure why you cannot see that all the practice in the world isn't going to matter if key players are sitting on the sideline injured during the season. Now if a player gets injured during the season, well thems the breaks. But risking injury going full go in minicamp, or training camp, or preseason games, when absolutely nothing counts is borderline insane, especially for veteran starters that the team is absolutely going to need when the games start to matter.

I worry most about the skill players. While QBs are pretty much playing pitch and catch, backs, receivers, and DBs, even in shorts, have a significant risk of a setback.

I'm not sure why you think these professional grown men who have been playing this game full time since they were kids somehow forget how to run a route, catch a ball, or defend a receiver? There's going to be plenty of time in training camp to get acclimated to the speed of the game and get the timing down.

I now understand why the players union fought so hard to make the OTAs voluntary. Without those protections, there are some who would expect everyone to come out in May and grind like it's playoff time in January.

You can keep your practices in May. I'd rather have healthy players ready to play during the season.

SFIAH

Oh look! Here is an article about Mahomes participating in OTA’s

https://theathletic.com/4550260/2023...mahomes/?amp=1

I guess the current SB champs are making a big mistake! I’m pretty sure every other NFL tteam is having them now too, so no… teams aren’t skipping them out of health concerns.

Obviously staying healthy is needed. But guys get hurt lifting weights. They get hurt at home doing daily activities too. Should they bubble wrap themselves until the first game of the season? The idea that teams DON’t get better by practicing is nonsense and you know it even if you won’t admit it. I guess all the extra work Brees put in had nothing to do with his success, huh? Again, you are arguing just to argue now.