New Orleans Saints News: Bryce Harris returns, OTAs kick off Tuesday

I’ve long appreciated Kevin Skiver for getting these out on a daily basis during the week, but I’m proud of him moving on to bigger things. Skiver is now with CBS Sports doing a full-time gig. So, here’s a look at today’s New Orleans Saints news.

Underhill notes there’s been some delays in Josh Hill’s recovery, and he likely won’t participate in OTAs. It would make sense as to why the Saints recently brought in veteran Clay Harbor after a successful rookie camp tryout.

Royce LaFrance has been hovering around the Saints, and he’d be considered a long shot to crack the 53-man roster. However, we’ll see what happens with the team needing to find some answers at pass rusher.

Familiarity probably brings back Bryce Harris to the offensive line, and it could help take some pressure off of Terron Armstead and first-round pick Ryan Ramczyk in the early stages. Forrest Hightower, one of three CFL pickups in January, was waived to make room.

Saints to begin conducting organized team activities on Tuesday | theadvocate.com
The team will begin conducting voluntary organized team activities on Tuesday, the first of nine sessions to take place over the next three weeks. Mandatory minicamp camp will take place from June 13-15.

Live contact is not allowed to occur during the sessions, but teams can do on-field work between the offense and defense for the first time this offseason. The practices will be open to the media once per week.

New Orleans Saints: Five brave predictions for 2017 | Who Dat Dish
Let’s start our bold predictions with one of the most high-profile position changes. Running back.

Either Ingram or Peterson — or both — will be unhappy with their snap count.

Saints fans made a lot of fuss over the Saints’ addition of Adrian Peterson. But at the time, I didn’t buy into the problem. Adrian Peterson is a hall of famer, sure. But Mark Ingram had the starting gig locked. And with Tim Hightower leaving for the Niners, the Saints had carries to spare for Peterson.

Running game headlines this week's New Orleans Saints Twitter mailbag | NOLA.com
There's no denying the Saints made a concerted effort to alter the dynamic at running back.

The trio of Mark Ingram, Adrian Peterson and rookie Alvin Kamara more mirrors the approach the Saints used in 2009 and 2011. Those two seasons were the team's best rushing outputs in the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era with the Saints finishing sixth in the NFL both seasons.

Kamara's role will be the easiest to carve. Just turn on old game footage of Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles while in New Orleans and the road map is all there.

Divvying up rushing snaps between Ingram and Peterson will be Payton's biggest challenge. Do you go with the hot hand? Do you split them equally? This battle for touches will be one to watch all season.

Reggie Bush still wants to play | ProFootballTalk
“That’s my plan,” Bush said. “Going into year 12, I still feel like I have a lot left to prove, a lot left to give this game before I’m done. I don’t want to put a number on how many years I have left. I think once you get past year 10, you just gotta take it one year at a time and go from there. I’m still excited, still looking forward to playing football again this season, still staying in shape, still working out. I plan to be somewhere in September.”

Can Kikaha Make a 3rd "Come Back" For Saints? | Saints News Network
It’s one thing having to overcome the severity of a torn ACL injury just one time, much less two times.

But now having to make a 3rd “come back” from a torn ACL to the same left knee again for a THIRD TIME?

That’s a challenge that likely even the greatest of athletes — no matter how hard that they might try — can find difficult to overcome. Kikaha is intent on showing and proving to everyone that he can, and we can only wish him the best of luck.

There are no guarantees in life, and there are certainly not any guarantees in the sport of Pro Football.