Saints Hold First Practice At Training Camp - Photos - WDSU New Orleans
Training camp is under way for the New Orleans Saints, but there are some changes for 2011 in both the roster and the rules.

New Orleans Saints Updated PDF Roster (as of July 28, 2011)

Saints release LB Arnoux, LS Kyle
(Jon Note: This article contains an injury report for the day)

New Orleans Saints rookies take on special teams role at first day of camp | NOLA.com
Under-the-radar rookies assuming special teams responsibility as the Saints officially open training camp.

New Orleans Saints tailback Pierre Thomas labels himself "85 percent" healthy | NOLA.com
Thomas practiced Friday after recovering from ankle surgery

Fans revved up early at New Orleans Saints camp | NOLA.com
It was a 5 a.m. wake-up call for Slidell's Dennis Riley. Shortly thereafter, he had a beer in his hand and was at the New Orleans Saints practice facility to watch the Black and Gold practice for the first time since a tumultuous offseason.   He said the NFL lockout -- which put the 2011-12 season in question --...

New Orleans Saints have handful of injured players watching first practice | NOLA.com
It's not only the unrestricted free agents who are absent from the Saints practice field as the team opens camp Friday. A handful of players still recovering from injuries did not put on shoulder pads and helmets and participate in the team's first drills. Coach Sean Payton said the players all failed physicals Thursday. They were offensive tackle Charles...

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Sean Payton

Opening Statement:

"We have agreed to terms with LB Danny Clark. That won't be official or finalized until five o'clock tonight.  We agreed to terms with running back Darren Sproles yesterday.  Again, that's not finalized until five o'clock. Linebacker Stanley Arnoux failed his physical and was waived.  Long snapper Jason Kyle failed his physical and (his contract) was terminated. Then (here are) the following players that were out here and didn't participate that all failed physicals yesterday: Tackle Charles Brown with a Hamstring,Chris Ivory running back with his foot, punter Thomas Morstead with his toe, cornerback Tracy Porter with his knee, defensive endGreg Romeus with his knee, and offensive guard Carl Johnson with his hamstring.  Jonathon Amaya was able to practice today, the safety we acquired from Miami."

What is your vision for Darren Sproles as a Saint?

"I think he is a player that we have seen a lot of tape on.  He is a guy that not only gives you help in the return game, but he is an elusive runner and he has exceptional acceleration.  There are a number of things you can do with him, the one back, the two back, and I don't know if you say his role would be exactly the same as what we did with Reggie (Bush), but there are some similarities.  We will see and expand as we go.  He should be getting here within the next few days."

How much did the possibility of getting Darren Sproles play in affecting your strategy to trade Reggie Bush?

"No, it didn't.  Let's make sure we are clear on the timeline with Reggie yesterday.  Obviously there was big money that was due, but I think more with Reggie was the desire to have the opportunity somewhere else, maybe more, a bigger role in the offense.  We were initially heading into this to renegotiate (with) him and come up with a number.  In the meantime, you are paying attention to the rest of these players that are available.  Darren was someone we had spoken to the last couple of days and expressed interest in and fortunately we were able to get that done early yesterday evening."     

Does that shore up your return spot that was in question withCourtney Roby as am unrestricted free agent?

"Yeah, we will see.  I don't know if it does anything.  I certainly value him as a returner though."

With Greg Romeus, were you a little surprised he wasn't further along with his rehab or is this what you expected?

"This is exactly what we expected based on his ACL injury.  When we drafted Greg we knew that there was going to be a period of time, potentially a long period of time (being sidelined) when he arrived here and it probably had a lot to do with why he slipped a little in the draft."

I guess you haven't had the chance to see Shaun Rogers at lot because of the work stoppage, but what do you see in him?

"I think for having a whole offseason without being at the complex, I thought he handled the run yesterday, number one.  I thought he handled the heat pretty good today.  He is an experienced veteran and over the years he was always on one of the teams we were playing.  It's good to have his body in here and he looks well, and I think the first two days he handled the run and the heat pretty well."

What is the status of Randall Gay?

"No status.  He is also a player that we released."

Darren Sproles as a receiver, that aspect of his game, is that something you like about him?

"Yes.  He's a versatile player.  He's explosive and a guy that is dynamic.  He's really good in short areas.  He has good hands.  He's smart.  He's instinctive.  He is a guy that you put on the tape and just jumps out at you.  He has played with a lot of experience.  He has been in a really good offense in San Diego.  We look forward to getting him in here and implementing his skill set quickly."

The practice seemed kind of up-tempo for what you said yesterday.  Was this the conditioning you wanted to get a feel for?

"No.  I think the key with these practices, this afternoon will be more of a teaching session, but these one-a-days is just learning how to practice with each other without any contact.  We showed a film on it last night, what we expect.  I thought they did a good job of it.  We didn't have guys on the ground.  We do feel the need to condition and make up for lost time and we cut back some of the reps. We were probably 40 minutes shorter than the schedul allowed but 20 minutes shorter than we planned on.  We just cut back some of the snaps.  Until certain position groups come in bigger numbers next week, we have eight offensive linemen taking snaps the whole practice.  We are thin at Safety.  You have to be careful."

What do you see as the consolation when you had to turn over practices toDrew Brees?

"I think not only Drew, (Jon) Vilma, there are a number of guys on this team that understand the challenges of playing well and understand the challenges of competing and becoming a team that will be a threat at the end of the season.  I think it speaks a lot for the locker room and for those guys that took it upon themselves.  I know they planned it for quite a while and there was a lot that went into it.  As a coach it's good to see because there are certain aspects...look I think from the play standpoint, offense, defense standpoint, or kicking game, that's not as big of concern as the running and the lifting and I think that they were able to do a good job that way."

Did you see the benefits of the lockout workouts today?

"I saw a little of it yesterday in the conditioning tests, but you didn't really have a feel for how that was going to go and I thought that went very well.  I thought they handled today's practice well.  We have a lot of work to do.  It's a unique practice in that we've got a lot of veteran players here and we have 18, 19 players for the first time that are just out there today.  So you have groups that are combined because your whole team is not in tact and it won't be until next week.  Logistically, it's a little bit of a challenge."    

Your first regular season matchup against the Green Bay Packers is not only between the past two Super Bowl winners, but between two teams who took different approaches to the lockout.  Your guys worked out regularly.  Their guys didn't do it at all.  What kind of advantage do you think you will have?

"Certainly, having gone through what they did a year before, I understand completely after Green Bay plays and wins the Super Bowl, the need to kind of get guys away because when you look at 16 regular season games, four pre-season games, you throw in a couple of byes, they played four playoff games, that's more than half the year of football.  I think you have to pay attention to your own team.  We had a goal in mind and our players had a goal in mind in what they wanted to accomplish while things were quiet, but I think each team is different and you have to be careful.  We balanced our schedule after the Super Bowl season and you have to pay attention to that."

Were you targeting Sproles as a potential upgrade for the return game?

"I don't think so.  I think that he is a returner, but it started with his ability on offense.  We are going to look to improve our return game and whether or not that is our returner or the guy playing hold-up or the guy playing over the guard, or blocking the linebacker, all those aspects that we feel like we have to improve.  But I think it started with his offensive abilities and it doesn't hurt that he is a returner."

Is there anyone in your undrafted rookie class that was brought in as a returner?

"Yeah we kind of go through this exercise after practice and that's kind of a work in progress.  We will see."

What are some of your memories your first year here?

"The first year was different.  The first year, there was a lot of work to do and Millsaps provided a pretty good environment at that training camp.  It was a hard and long training camp because we didn't play our preseason games here at the Superdome.  We played one right there in Jackson and one in Shreveport.  My memory...it was about six weeks, it was a tough camp.  There was a lot more moves on the roster trying to get the right team in place, different than maybe where we are at now."

Do you look at last year with what happened with your running backs at the end of the season...does it change the way you are going to restock that position?

"That's the position you want to have a lot of depth at.  It's a hard position.  It's one that has a lot of contact and wear and tear with our game today.  We will try to pay attention to our depth there and make sure we are keeping these guys healthy.  It's just one aspect of what we think we can do better to move forward."

What is your assessment of Pierre Thomas today?

"I thought he ran well.  He had a few runs where he was finally able to open it up. I thought he handled the test well yesterday.  It was positive.

What are your thoughts on Mickey Loomis?

"He is very intelligent, very patient, and very consistent and steady.  Our relationship has been fantastic.  When you start evaluating the type of job you have when you can work with people like Mickey and you have that trust factor and communication, none of those things I take for granted.  Those are all special qualities that Mickey has."

Is it a different feeling that you had out here today being apart from these guys for a while?

"It felt good.  It felt good to get out and have a chance to start coaching and working with them.  I think the players felt the same way.  It's going to take a while, but I though they handled the heat early on especially I thought it got a little cooler as practice went on.  My concern mostly was the 18, 19 new players that haven't practiced with us and making sure they understood how we practice, staying up, avoiding the contact and staying healthy and I thought we handled it well."

How do you feel about Shaun Rogers so far?

"He's strong, he's physical at the point of attack, he's a load when you watch him just get into stance.  He has a big body. He's smart, that's one thing I noticed.  When you listen to him talk and you listen to him talk about football.  I also think he is hungry to be on a winning team and have a chance to do something.  It's something you take for granted after playing in the postseason and playing in the Super Bowl, but that comes with our game that so many players that never get that chance.  I think that's one thing that burns with him a little bit."

Drew Brees

Do you think the offseason workouts you organized at Tulane helped the team out today?  

It's funny you mention that, because midway through practice I started thinking that it was like we didn't have an off-season. As crazy as this off-season was, where we didn't have Saints organized workouts here at the facility, and the craziness with the negotiations and flying all over the place, I still feel like I'm not stepping in on the first day. I feel like we have been together because, in reality, we have been together. We were together for much of May and June and I feel that the work we put in will pay off as we go through camp and get ready for the start of this season and that was the whole point. Only time will tell, but I feel that way right now.

Do you think your investment in off-season workouts will pay off in week one against Green Bay? 

I don't know. I do know that after we won the Super Bowl two years ago, there is a period where you just need to decompress and recharge the battery. That's important. I can't speak for what other teams did or did not do. 

Can you talk about the potential acquisition of Darren Sproles? 

 I think it is awesome. I was in San Diego in 2005 when Sproles was drafted there. I am very familiar with him, although he was a very young player at the time. To think that our backfield at the time was LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, and Darren Sproles coming in as a rookie.  It's been crazy to watch all of those guys careers since then. I actually worked out all off-season with Sproles in San Diego. I am very familiar with him as a person, his work ethic, and the drive and competitiveness that he has. I think he is going to fit in great with this team, in this locker room and in this offensive system. He is a guy who has exceptional skills in a lot of different ways and we are going to be able to use him in a lot of different ways in this offense.

When you took a safety at the end of the 2008 game against the Chargers were you worried about the ensuing kickoff to him?  

When we took the safety, strategically, and left one second on the clock to kick the ball off to him, I was scared to death. I think that tells you all you need to know about what I think of this guy. He's a playmaker, a game changer.

Will Sproles be used in a similar fashion to Reggie Bush? 

Absolutely. When you look at those (two) guys' skills, I think they are very similar in a lot of ways. As I look at our offense and the way that we would plug him in, we will plug him in the exact same way we would Reggie and even be able to do more things.

Was today's up-tempo practice what you expected? 
Yes. Obviously it is the first day so everybody is out here working out the kinks. We were excited to get back on the field. You get out in these elements, the heat and humidity, it takes some getting used to. A lot of young players (are out there) because of the free agency rules. A lot of our free agents, even though we have signed quite a few, are unable to be here until next week. With that, there is obviously a big learning curve. I thought our work today was really good and we will get better each day. 

Can you talk about the return to training camp after the NFL lockout?

 I am glad that we are back on the field. That was a tough process all the way around. In the end, I feel that we got a great deal for both owners and players and it was the best deal we could get when you talk about the future of this league. Just continuing to make this the most popular game in our country and giving our fans what they deserve to see. I feel that a lot of the rule changes are going to be very beneficial to the health and safety of the players. That was a big emphasis for us. I think that is going to show. Like I said, we are excited to be back and playing again and we have all of that behind us.

Can you talk about the opportunity to perform in front of the fans again? 

 I know this has been extremely difficult on the fans. They obviously were trying to keep up with what was happening in the media and its difficult when you start thinking, is there going to be a football season? Are we going to miss games? That is the last thing that any of us wanted, obviously. I think we are all very happy to be back out here. I know the fans are. I know guys around the league receive Facebook and Twitter responses from fans saying ‘please guys, get back out there' and ‘make sure football is back again' and football is back. 

Can you talk about how Pierre Thomas looks and your expectations for him?  

Coming off the injury, for all of those guys when you go through an off-season where it's not like you end the season at 100%, you try to build on that. In a lot of cases, if you have an off-season surgery, if you have an injury that you are rehabbing, you kind of take a step back and you try to work yourself back to 100%. I think Pierre is in that situation where he came off of that ankle after all of last year and rehabbed all of this offseason. That can be tough, to start out, at times. We have a few guys that are in that boat, but I think Pierre will progress and get a little bit better each day. I know what he is all about and the road that he has traveled to get where he is. He is an extremely competitive guy. The fire burns bright inside of him. He is going to take that, and use that as motivation to come out next practice and get better.

Do you know all the current wide receivers on the roster? 

No, I don't. There are a lot of new guys. That's always the biggest challenge to start a camp. It's ‘hey, you, 88, what's your name again?' That's the way it is. I am impressed by those guys coming in because this offense is extensive and what we ask them to do starting on day one is tough. Defensively as well. It's a steep learning curve, but we try to help those guys along.

Did you think the defense looks a little confused?  

On day one, most defenses just put in basic coverages that are the universal, NCAA coverages. Not our defense.  We throw in all kinds of crazy looks with 20 different pressures. There is a lot on those guys' plates. Jonathan Vilma does a great job of getting those guys organized. As you get to the second or third teams, or when you have rookie linebackers having to make a bunch of calls and checks, it gets complicated. 

Can you talk about your name being on your helmet, which the equipment staff has done for all players for familiarity reasons? 

Yeah, check it out. This is day one, freshman football. High school right here. Moving to a new school district. 

It seems like you're recognized regardless? 

I guess the number nine gives it away with the red jersey. 

Is this camp a great opportunity for Tyler Lorenzen? 

Yes, he does. He is a guy that I am most rooting for this pre-season. Here is a guy who played quarterback in college, who came into the NFL drafted as a hybrid receiver/tight end to Jacksonville. He ends up getting released and we picked him up two years ago and he is kind of on and off the field. He has really accepted the opportunity to play tight end for us. You watch the way he has worked and the way that his body has changed over this off-season, going from 225 to 250. You have to be a big, physical specimen to play tight end in this league because of all the things you are asked to do: run, block, catch, be tough, versatile and consistent. I see how hard he has worked and it's those guys that deserve to succeed. I really hope the best for him. I know, personally, any chance I get to reach out to a guy like that and help him along, I'm there for him. 

Can you talk about differences in this year's free agency period? 

In a normal off-season, you have a lot more time. You can anticipate the guys you are going to go after in January or February. They might ask you questions about a guy if they know you have played with them, or trained with them. There is a long period of time before that stuff gets done. In this free agency period, we all knew that Sproles was a great player but I don't know if he was on our radar as of two days ago. Obviously, we still had Reggie and there were a lot of variables. Then, all of a sudden, we are in a situation where we would love to have a guy like Sproles. He fits in well with what we are doing. So, you go out and you make it happen in a very short amount of time. This is one of those, where we might not ever see this again in our careers. 

Were you involved in the recruitment of Sproles? 

Just the fact that I know Sproles. I trained with him this off-season. I have his number. Call him, talk to him, text him. We need you baby, come join us, you'll fit in great, win a championship, lets break some records, let's do something special, let's go. I pulled out all the stops. I think that what we have built here, our organization, is a culture that guys want to be a part of. I give a lot of credit to Sean (Payton) and Mickey (Loomis) for helping to build that, starting back in 2006. Back in 2006, we were in a situation where you had to over-pay or you had to figure out creative ways to get guys here. This place didn't have the best reputation. Guys weren't jumping to come to a city that was under water for the past six months. I look at what we have been able to accomplish as a team, and the types of guys we have brought in here, and this family atmosphere that we have built and I think guys take notice around the league. Guys want to be a part of that. As guys are looking in free agency, I think a lot of guys think, ‘Man, I'd love to be a part of the Saints' because of their team, culture, coaches, and the city and what it has to offer. Guys want to be a part of that and I think that says a lot. 

How many players are there like Sproles or Reggie Bush in the NFL? 

I don't think there are many, if any, other than them. You look at Reggie's athleticism and the match-up problems that he provided for us. Sproles is that same guy. I would say that Sproles' experience, he has been in the league for six years, hes been a part of some very good football teams in San Diego, he's played in some clutch games and come up with some clutch plays in those games. Here is a guy who has been there and done that and is in the prime of his career. I think he maybe even adds an element that we haven't had.

Can you talk about Jimmy Graham's progress?

 I am really excited for Jimmy and the opportunity that he has. Especially when you look where he started last year. He comes in as a third round tight end from the University of Miami where he played four years of basketball and one year of football. The adjustment, having gone through that with (Antonio) Gates in San Diego, a basketball player who didn't play any college football, you have to get used to putting your hand on the ground and getting knocked around here and again and having to block, I think there is just a toughness aspect to it that you have to get used to again. Jimmy has progressed very well when you look at him from the start of the season to the end of the season. He became a guy that we game-planned for and tried to create opportunities for. I think he sees the opportunity that he has. As a second year player, as young, athletic, and smart as he is, I think the sky is the limit. We are going to give him every opportunity possible. 

What have you learned about yourself in the last six years? 

That is a deep question. Without giving you a really long answer, my road here and the journey that transpired here after that is pretty well documented. What I have learned, just from being a veteran player, through the years, and being a part of this team, and being with Sean for going on six years, and being with Mickey and just watching the way that they operate, and the way that they treat our players, the way that they challenge and motivate, it just makes me believe even more that building a championship organization is all about people and bringing in the right type of people. Guys that care about football, guys that want to win, guys that will sacrifice for the guys next to him, the guys that see football as something bigger than just a game. What it means to this community and to so many people. I would say that those are the things that have been the most evident to me going on the last six years.

Can you talk about your impression of Mickey Loomis?  

He is so personable and yet, so professional. He is a guy who is so approachable for any player. In a lot of cases, I think that the GM or the owner is a person that a lot of players are afraid to go up to or talk to or say hello to just because it would be like walking past President Obama and feeling like you could just strike up a conversation with him. I think there is an intimidation factor and yet I think that with our organization, with Tom Benson and with Mickey, you feel like they are very approachable. They care so much about the players. They have a philosophy about what builds a winning team and what builds a winning organization. It's all about the people you bring in and their character and personality. That's why we have been as successful as we have been the last five years is for that reason.    

Pierre Thomas

What is your reaction to the departure of Reggie Bush?

"It's devastating because he's a great weapon. I think he was one of the top weapons that we had on our team and he brought a lot to the table. He makes defenses really work and change up their schemes because he's a dangerous guy. I wish him the best and I hope everything works out for him. But we have to move on from that. We lost a good player but we have to move forward and get the rest of these guys up to speed."

You were a street free agent and Reggie was a number two overall pick. Is it kind of surreal that you're still here and he's gone from the team?

"Well, it's a business. You never know what's going to happen. It doesn't matter when you were drafted or if you were even drafted at all. You just put everything on the line when you step onto that field. It doesn't matter that he's not here, he's still a great player in the league and any team should be happy to pick him up. Everyone knows he's a baller; he can do anything on the field. I was hoping he would stay, but I knew he would find somewhere to go if it wasn't here. It is what it is when it comes down to the draft. If you were drafted or not, you have to show what you got on this field."

You said you have to move on with Bush gone. How does this change the dynamic for you as far as touches and runs?

"Well you can't really judge that from this point. I still have to prove myself to these guys, that I still have it. Today, I didn't prove myself. I have to make it up tomorrow by watching film and reading my mistakes and knowing what I needed to correct. One thing that I noticed is that I need to hold on to the ball better now because these guys are hungry. We've been out for a while, and these guys want the ball on the defensive side. They're doing a great job of getting at the ball, attacking us, and trying to get that ball out. And I have to tip my cap to them because they did a great job of getting to the ball. I have to stay focused on holding onto the ball because it is so important. I'm probably going to sleep with a football tonight."

A lot of guys didn't get their deals done until after the lockout. You had yours done before. What difference was that for you that you didn't have to wait?

"Well I was still thinking about my whole ankle issue. I had been out all season and this opportunity came to me. I kind of wanted to jump on it because who knows what happens for me in the future? I wanted to be a part of the team and they've given me a chance to play in this league for a couple more years. I'm grateful to be playing once more in New Orleans and contribute to this team. "

What are your thoughts on the addition of Darren Sproles?

"I'm very excited to work with him. He's going to bring a lot to the table for this team. He also can help me show the ropes to these younger guys. I've seen a lot of his work; he's a great running back, a very fast guy, very low to the ground, a fast runner. He's going to be a great addition to our backfield."

The big question about your ankle: how is it?

"Oh it's good. I feel like I'm about 85-90%. I'd say that I have to get more strength in it, but otherwise I'm good. I was out there cutting, and a lot of guys said I was looking good. I feel happy about it; I worked my tail off this off-season just focusing on rehabbing my ankle so I could be ready for the season. I didn't want to sit out any games; I just wanted to be prepared for the season. I want to come out here and make people think that I didn't even have surgery."    

Shaun Rogers

Can you talk about the conditioning work you had to do post-practice?
"They let us know it was coming, but some things you just can't prepare for.  So that might be one of them."

How did they let you know it was coming?
"Well, they told you.  They let you know it was coming.  They told us that we were going to have to do them, but it's just one of those things that you knew was coming, but you never quite prepare for it.  

What are your thoughts of joining this organization after they won a Super Bowl a couple of years ago?
"I'm just excited to be a part of a franchise with that kind of tradition, that kind of history, and those kinds of guys. I hopefully will be able to bring something to the table and contribute to a situation like that again."

What's your impression of Gregg Williams?
"I like him.  He brings attitude to your team, and you most definitely have to have that in this game

How much different is this than the Browns approach?
"The Browns are the Browns, and these are the Saints.  So, I'm really not in a position to compare or would like to compare.  You know, I'm here now and that's what it is."

Playing for a winner has always been important to you, hasn't it?
"Being in this situation is important, and that's why I decided to come here.  I felt like we made that known and it was understood.  I'm going to do my best to maintain and contribute to the situation."

How much great football do you have left?
"That's not for me to decide.  That's for somebody else to be the judge of.  I'm just going to try to go out here and compete and again try to contribute.  And, you know, if they like it, then they like it and we'll move on from there."

Did signing before the lockout do you any good in any way?
"Time off is still time off.  Guys have to try to prepare and get themselves together.  I don't see any difference either way in my situation."