The New Orleans Saints kicked off their first camp camp training in pads on Monday, and some players made more of an impression than others. Here’s a quick look at who was interviewed after their first practice session that actually looked like real football:
1 DB PJ Williams, # 26
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Williams produced a couple of takeaways in practice on Monday, forcing a fumble from the backup with runs from Dwayne Washington (rediscovered by new defensive lineman Margus Hunt) and intercepting an overly high pass that got the rookie’s hands down wideout played by Juwan Johnson. He did that while I rode on both safety and cornerback. After practice, Sean Payton had this to say about Williams’ big day and the cross-training between positions:
‘Well, I like the fact that he’s smart, he has good ball skills. He had a cause fumble and an interception today, so he’s one of those players who has good football IQ, so it’s good to give him some extra work. He also made snaps while playing in the nickel, he has some versatility. ‘
2 WR Emmanuel Butler, # 18
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Butler was dominant in solo work, winning both of his reps against second-year pro Ceedy Duce (formerly known as CJ Gardner-Johnson). What’s impressive is that Butler hit his opponent with both speed and power, dashed through the sideline and took his turn on the point.
Hopefully, he will translate those great moments into team drills, and earn a spot on the opening day roster. The Saints have only a handful of proven receivers on hand between Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders – Deonte Harris may be a prodigy in the return game, but it’s unclear how big a role he will judge for offense – and Tre’Quan Smith has a much to prove. If Butler makes as much of an impact in camp as last year, then he might just be the man to fill out the depth map.
3 CB Janoris Jenkins, no. 20
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Jenkins’ best moment saw him flash past the line of scrimmage on a corner flash to swat a screenshot off Taysom Hill, aimed at Alvin Kamara. But he also held his own in one-on-one drills against Emmanuel Sanders with tight coverage and another pass breakup.
It’s early, but seeing Jenkins retain his rare ball skills in his ninth year in the NFL is a great sign. He has picked multiple passes each season back to 2014, setting a new career high in 2019 with five interceptions. He and Marshon Lattimore made the makings of an enormous one-two punch at cornerback (Lattimore also recorded a distinction on a shallow deep pass from Taysom Hill).
4 P Blake Gillikin, # 4
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That’s right: an undrafted rookie punter who was guaranteed nothing on Monday as a $ 5,000 signing bonus turned some heads on Monday. Gillikin dropped three points in the 5-yard line at drills of special teams, with Nick Underhill of NewOrleans. Football noted that its hangtime twice exceeded 4.7 seconds – an impressive performance even by NFL standards. For context, Pro Football Focus charting back in 2014 had a 4.44 second average hanging time on those straight points deep in enemy territory.
Gillikin would not have to threaten Thomas Morstead’s job security, but the combination of his obvious skills and the extensive 16-strong training squad meant that the Saints could hold him later in the event of an emergency. He set the right tone very early on.
5 DE Cameron Jordan, # 94
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It goes without saying that the best players stood out the most, but it’s always nice to remember that Jordan doesn’t really know how to let go of the gas. He blew out the first play by Drew Brees in team drills by crashing through the offensive line, earning a case. A few minutes later, he followed up by splitting a so-called sack with David Onyemata. And after practice, he yelled at rookie linebacker Zack Baun, who also upset Brees in the 11-on-11 session. Jordan has been vocal about his readiness for the season to begin all summer, and so far he has supported the big talk.
6 QB Jameis Winston, # 2
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He had a few low moments, sure – Winston aimed one pass too high for 6-foot-4 Juwan Johnson, who jumped from the hands of his receiver and into the middle of PJ Williams – but turned all over Winston in the strongest day of the three Saints quarterbacks. He certainly showed the strongest arm of the trio, and flashed great with finishes on point far downfield to Emmanuel Butler and Tre’Quan Smith. The story for Winston is now the same as it was when the Saints first signed him: if he can cut back on turnover, he could just be a top quarterback.
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