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After the Saints first full-pads practice Thursday evening, Coach Sean Payton was asked about those perennial battles that stamp training camps everywhere -- the heralded rookie coming in with a starter's job in his cross hairs.
Payton made it clear that although veteran players obviously bring much to the table, he wants the club permeated with an atmosphere not so much of fear as alertness. In other words, Payton wants his players fighting for their jobs on every snap.
"I think it's understood," he said. "The position coach usually will explain the reps to make sure everyone understands that rarely do we take a rookie and just put him at the front of the line. What is key to our organization is that we're never going to hand anyone a job. There's going to be a lot of reps, a lot of preseason games, and a lot of snaps for guys to move up in the depth chart or down in the depth chart.
"I think that process has to happen on merit to have that credibility in the locker room. That's something we value a lot here, and we pay attention to it."

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Position battles worth watching at New Orleans Saints camp | NOLA.com