More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

3 months ago: New Orleans Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins (27) tries to deal with the Louisiana heat at the club's NFL football training camp in Metairie, La., Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. Jenkins missed some of practice due to problems with the heat. This was Jenkins' first practice since signing his contract. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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jeffduncantp A.M. practice getting ready to start. First look @ Malcolm Jenkins as an official member of the Saints. Will tweet impressions.

jeffduncantp Brees back. Malcoln Jenkins welcomed to NFL by triple-digit heat index.

jeffduncantp Jenkins debuts with 2nd team defense.

jeffduncantp Jenkins already struggling with heat. Takin a knee, helmet off, trainers around him, teammates pouring water on his neck. He's hurting.

jeffduncantp Morstead wins punt drill. Consistently better hangtime

jeffduncantp Mercilessly practice ends. Heat index 124 degrees.

LastMango1 good to see Drew and Malcolm back on field for AM practice.124 heat index; Scott Hanson NFL Network and Jason Cole Yahoo in town today

jeffduncantp Updates from A.M prax: T. Porter , D. Campbell, D. Woods, C. Vaughn out. Porter has tweaked hamstring. Brees back but did not address media.

jeffduncantp Lots of work on short-yardage rushing in a.m. First play in 1s vs. 1s: H. Evans stuffed for minus-1 on 3rd-and-1; 2nd play: Brees INC pass.

jeffduncantp Jenkins struggled early but fought through it and finished workout with about a dozen consecutive reps. Looked mentally into it. Not lost.

jeffduncantp It was so hot at Saints' a.m. training camp practice cacti were dying

saints83 Great to see my main man @drewbrees back at practice today. Love him like a brother. Thanks to all that prayed for him and his family.

JeremyShockey the heat index was way over 100 this morning lost another 7 pounds... we all are glad 9 is back with us... pls continue the prayers

CPT23 Glad to have our general back @DrewBrees - Lets get it!

CPT23 Ohh it's a hot one, like 7 inches from the midday sun! Heat index reached 124 today!!

usama_young28 grindin at camp. D is looking rejuvenated. no more excuses, time to make it happen.

reggie_bush 124 degree heat index today @ practice! I thought I literally saw the Devil sitting on the sideline talkin bout, "yeah it's hot bruh!" Lol    

LastMango1 saints waive G Joe McMahon to make room for Jenkins

JeremyShockey the clock is ticking! need to find some energy for this second practice. You all who never been so lucky to taste 2 a days your missing out

LastMango1 today we placed TE Dan Campbell on IR; signed free agent G Nathan Bennett

jeffduncantp Saints place TE Dan Campbell on IR; sign OG Nathan Bennett. Bennett has spent time in 5 teams camps, since 2007, most recently with ATL   

jeffduncantp P.M. practice done. Bobby McCray out with back spasms.

jeffduncantp Colston ends 2-minute drill with awesome leaping TD catch over Harper, Gay. Coverage was good, but Colston caught ball @ height of crossbar   

jeffduncantp Drew Brees: "It was a long weekend, it was a tough weekend. ... I'd rather deal with it, move on and I'm trying to."

jeffduncantp Brees said he will be with team all week and play in the exhibition opener vs. Cincy on Friday @ the Dome   

Linkage

 Defense might have had the upper hand in the New Orleans Saints morning workout, and other observations - Times-Pic

Mature Bell Strives for Short Term Goals - New Orleans Saints official website

"Since my rookie year, I haven’t had to carry the load," Bell says. "Whether it was because I was moved to fullback or issues with a coach or injury, I haven’t had that kind of season."

-Mike Bell

"The fact that I haven’t played that much," Bell continues, "means that I am very fresh coming into this season. So, even for a guy with my physical style, it’s like I’m a second-year back rather than a fourth."

-Mike Bell

"I’m feeling great physically," Bell says. "I’m in great shape, and I’ve been working out hard in the weight room. I’m also working with a chiropractor and doing a lot of pre-hab. It’s a blessing that I’m still this healthy in camp, but if I feel any sort of tweak, I call the chiropractor to get it worked out."

-Mike Bell

"This off-season I prepared myself much more mentally than physically," Bell says. "The key for me is going to be mentally tough throughout the season. I know I have the physical tools, so I just need to keep mentally focused throughout the season."

-Mike Bell

"I am just focused on making the team right now," Bell continues. "I’m a short-term goals guy, so I put all of my focus on what I’m working on at that time. If I stay focused on what’s directly ahead of me, the rest will work itself out."

-Mike Bell

"I’m working hard just to understand the game, especially because this offense is so complex," Bell says. "It’ll help to slow the game down so I can play even better. In this offense, it’s best for me to know where everyone is at all times whether it’s a carry, blitz pick-up, or running a route."

-Mike Bell

"I need to be better at letting go of my mistakes," Bell says. "When I make a mistake, I need to learn from it and fix the mistake, but I need to not harp on it. I need to be able to move on during the game, so that it’s not bothering me while I play."

-Mike Bell

"I want to wear down the defense with my physical running," Bell says. "I love contact. I am never going to shy away from contact. I want to tire out the defense by constantly coming at them, which will allow Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush to break an 80 yard run."

-Mike Bell

"I still plan on being relentless," Bell says. "I’m going to play like a chicken with its head cut off. Lawrence Taylor said like a crazed dog."

-Mike Bell    

 New Orleans Saints safety Chris Reis makes his presence felt in practice - Times-Pic

"I'm a versatile player, I feel like," said Reis, who began his career as an undrafted free agent in Atlanta, then played in NFL Europe before carving out a niche as a special teams standout. "And I'm trying to show these coaches that I work hard, and I feel like I'm a smart player, and I try to do the right things, and I try to bring energy. And wherever they need me, they can put me."

-Chris Reis

New Orleans Saints rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins makes his long-awaited debut at training camp - Times-Pic

"It was a monkey off my back,'' Jenkins said of the negotiations that lasted much longer than either side had hoped or wanted. "When my agent (Ben Dogra) called me and told me everything had been settled, I told him I didn't care, I just wanted to be in camp. I didn't want the breakdown (of the contract), I was just happy that it was done and I started packing my bags."

-Malcolm Jenkins

"Look, there's always give and take in a negotiation,'' Loomis said. "I guess there was finally enough give and take. I'm disappointed that it took this long but that happens sometimes. The good news is that Malcolm is a smart kid. He had his head in the playbook and I think he'll catch up reasonably quickly.

"He was definitely agonizing out there and that's a good thing. It was good that he wanted to be here but there's also a business aspect to this game and that's taken care of for the next five years."

-Mickey Loomis

"I was very antsy,'' he said. "I was home doing nothing. My agent was getting close to telling me to leave ( New Orleans) but I told him I didn't want to because I wanted to get into camp. I was pressuring him to try and get me in here. I didn't want it to take as long as it did but business is business.''

-Malcolm Jenkins

"My personal goals are to start,'' Jenkins said. "I think I'm good enough to (start). I know there are some good guys in front of me and everybody is working hard so it's not going to be something that I'm just going to walk into. My personal goal is to start and I want to be the best I can be. But if that's not good enough, I just want to play and contribute to the team.''

Mentally, I'm not behind at all. I know the playbook. I studied it day in and day out. They really didn't install anything new since the spring. Really, I just got to catch up physically and get in football shape.''

-Malcolm Jenkins 

 New Orleans Saints face hottest training camp practice to date - Times-Pic

"We had a couple days off our feet, so guys came out today and everybody was fired up, but sometimes that heat kind of gets to you," Smith said. "But it's something we needed. We know it's going to be like this in the fourth quarter of a game, where you feel a little uncomfortable, you've got to focus, you've got to fight through it, and you've got to win. That's one of the things that we're trying to focus on this year is winning at the end of the game, winning in the fourth quarter, after 50 minutes of the game. Winning those last 10 minutes."

-Will Smith

Jenkins Battles Through First Practice in Searing Heat - New Orleans Saints official website

"I knew all the defensive players had to do 40 of them on the first day of camp and that my time was coming," Jenkins said. "They are tough to do and I think they caught up with me there a little bit in the middle of practice."

-Malcolm Jenkins

"I had been working out every day at Tulane," Jenkins said. "But maybe just putting the pads and helmet on took its toll. I needed to catch my second wind midway through practice, maybe it was went the clouds popped up that it felt better."

-Malcolm Jenkins

"Now I can just concentrate on football," he said. "And acclimating myself to the southern heat."

-Malcolm Jenkins  

Teen Take - A look at the 2009 New Orleans Saints  - NewOrleans.com

 Drew Brees, Malcolm Jenkins on the practice field with New Orleans Saints - Times-Pic

 New Orleans Saints' attendance report: Jenkins, Brees, Gay return; Porter out - Times-Pic

Day 11 Notebook - New Orleans Saints official website

Video

Malcolm Jenkins Press Conference

From the New Orleans Saints official website

It looked like you started off with a little extra exercise. What was that about?

"I guess everybody on the defense did 40 up-downs on the first day of camp so they wanted to make sure I got caught up to speed."

You did more than everyone else out there. How many did you have to do?

"I did 40. Everybody else did 14 and I continued on to 40."

It looked like you struggled early but did you pick it up towards the end of practice?

"Yeah, those 40 up-downs caught up to me early. I had to sit out for a little bit and get used to the heat and everything and the pads, but I got back in there and finished practice."

How different is it to be out here now rather than working out on your own?

"I've been down here and working out over at Tulane in the heat trying to simulate things, but coming out the first day and throwing on the pads and helmet with a visor and everything, that adds another element to it. It's something I'll have to get used to."

How antsy were you as the negotiations dragged on?

"Very antsy. I was at home doing nothing really. I didn't want to leave town. My agent was getting close to telling me to leave but I didn't want to because I wanted to be in camp. I was really pressuring them to get me in here. I didn't want it to take as long as it did, but business is business."

How far behind do you think you are?

"Mentally, I'm not behind at all. I know the playbook; I studied it day in and day out. They didn't really install anything new since the spring. Really I just have to catch up physically and get in football shape."

How different did this feel as compared to the minicamps?

"Rookie minicamp was a little easier because we didn't have pads on, just the helmet and I was in shape. I'm still in shape, but when you throw on the shoulder pads and helmet, it's a totally different element."

How close are you physically?

"I think I just need a couple practices under my belt. I caught my second wind toward the end of practice. The clouds came out a little bit which helped me out. I just need to get a couple of practices under my belt."

Do you expect to play on Friday?

"Yes. I'll be ready by Friday."

What did you weigh in at?

"204."

Was that the reporting weight for you?

"205 was my reporting weight."

What was it like day to day as you were missing being out here?

"Day to day it was just trying to find something to occupy my time. There are 24 hours in a day and I had all 24 of them. I would work out for about two hours a day but then there would be 22 hours left. I would just try to keep my mind off of things. I was antsy; I wanted to get into camp. I was studying film and studying the playbook but I didn't want to overdo it to where I would gas myself out mentally. I just tried to play video games and watch movies - just do things alone. Everybody was in camp and I don't really know too many people in New Orleans so I was doing everything by myself. It is what it is and I'm happy to be here."

Once the picks before and after you signed, what did it come down to for your deal to get done?

"It was that the deal that was on the table wasn't suitable for me and my agent. We just wanted to continue to work on it and see if we could get an even deal."

Was there a time when you really pushed your agent to just get the deal done?

"Last week I told him I wanted to be in on Wednesday and I would be ready to take whatever. After talking to him and talking to my parents and the advice I got from everybody, they told me just to be patient for a little bit and hold on. Toward the end of the week, things picked up with the negotiations so I just let time take it."

What did you think would make the deal get done as it went on?

"There were more and more updates. There was more conversation after early on when there wasn't much going back and forth. Then they started having phone calls two or three times a day and I knew that the negotiations had at least kick-started."

What is your sense as to your expected contribution in this new defense here?

"One good thing is that the corners will definitely step it up this year. Everyone has kind of elevated their game and then you add me to the picture and hopefully I can do the same. When you have depth at that position, that's always valuable. It's a long season and guys go down, but if you have someone who can come in and play just as well, that's something great to have. This year our defense is going to be something that everyone is talking about."

Have you ever had a practice where you felt like you did out in that heat today?

"No. Today is about as bad as I've ever felt."

Has there been any rookie hazing yet or do you anticipate any?

"I've just had to carry some pads. I just got here so I've been hiding out from the vets."

How long of a layoff has it been since you last had a full practice?

"The last time I had on shoulder pads was January 5. That's a long layoff after not really doing anything and jump into a two-a-day, that's a lot. It's going to take me a couple of practices to catch up to speed, but I'm confident that it will be there."

What did your teammates say to you?

"They just congratulated me. They're happy for me to be here and told me to get with it. They're happy to have me here and ready to keep going."

Did you stay in touch with anybody over the last few weeks?

"Most of the rookies would call me and update me on what was going on. The coaches called me every now and then."

Did they bring you any film to watch?

"I still had all the film from the OTAs and the rookie camp. I just went through all of that. I had the installations and the playbook so I was up to speed as far as what was going in every day."

Did you talk with Coach Payton or Mickey Loomis during all of this?

"No."

Did you check into the hotel last night or this morning?

"Last night. About 12:30 last night. Everybody was asleep. When I got to my room, Chip Vaughnwas still up for a little bit, but that was the only person I saw."

Did you know you set the franchise record for longest holdout?

"That's not something that I want to be known for. Unfortunately that's what it is, but I'm happy to be here."

What were your emotions when you heard that the deal was getting done?

"It was a monkey off my back. My agent called me and told me that everything happened suddenly and he tried to explain everything to me, I told him ‘I don't care, I just want to be in camp.' I didn't really want the breakdown; I was happy that it was done and I started packing my bags."

What are your expectations for this season?

"My personal goals are to start. I know there are some good guys in front of me and everybody is working hard so it's not something that I'm going to walk into, but my personal goal is to start. I want to be the best I can be but if that doesn't happen, I want to contribute as much as I can."

What were you required to do before you could get on the field this morning?

"I had to check in with the doctors, weigh in and had a 6:30 meeting with Coach Oden this morning just to catch up on today's install and to refresh my memory a little bit."

Will you have a little extra work after practice as well for the next few days?

"Probably. That's going to be something that I want to do anyway. I have to catch up. I can't waste my time sleeping all the time."

What did your parents say when you told them you did the deal?

"They were happy. They were just excited that it was done because they knew I wanted to get in camp. They wanted me to be a little more patient but they're happy that it's all over and happy that they can get to the Cincinnati game."

What will be your biggest extravagance now that you've signed your first pro contract?

"Nothing. I already have a car. I'm not a real flashy guy. I have a little apartment and I don't need much else."