Payton likes rookie Ruiz, lauds secondary depth, praises Demario Davis

Speaking on his media call Thursday, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton explained why first-round pick Cesar Ruiz has given way to Nick Easton as a starter at right guard most recently.

“I just think the added reps, also a credit to Nick and the way he’s played in battle,” Payton said. “I think Cesar’s powerful. I think he can anchor. He’s got strong hands. He’s playing guard for the first time. I’m excited we have him and I think he’s having a good rookie year. He’ll play in this game. Part of it is just the plan going in. I think overall, just the volume of work and reps at guard as opposed to center where he played in college.”

Speaking of depth, the Saints have been without Marshon Lattimore, Janoris Jenkins and Patrick Robinson at different parts of the season, the latter two most recently. The Saints have mitigated the damage with excellent depth.

“Last week, it was one injury then a second one later in the week and all of a sudden now, you’re getting ready to play a team like Atlanta with their skill at receiver. It’s a throwing league and if you just watch the formations everybody’s in, there’s a lot of one back, three receiver sets so that’s going to require at times more defensive backs.

Taysom Hill has had some success on third down conversions.

“Hopefully, we keep those numbers up,” Payton said. “The team has been that way on third down so I think that overall, statistically speaking, I thought last week was impressive. I thought it was a good step for him and seeing him function on third down. A few third down and longs, actually, so that was encouraging.”

Payton is very good at staying in tune, communicating well with his players and with his staff.

“I have a great staff and I hope that periodically, they’re not afraid of giving me suggestions,” Payton said. “I encourage it but I’m not relying on an outside person. I enjoy being around them. One of the great things about our jobs as coaches is we get to stay young, hang young, listen to the music that’s ‘in’ and feel young. I think that’s pretty cool.”

Payton is wary of the very good Philadelphia defensive front and was asked what he would be concerned most with if facing his own defense.

“Anytime the quarterback has to be hurried, that concerns me and that would concern me the same way playing our own defense. When the quarterback is used to two and a half to three seconds and he’s now operating at two to one and a half, the decision-making becomes more challenging, the timing and everything else.”

Demario Davis was named the Saints 2020 Man of the Year, making him the club nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award, giving annually by the league honoring a player’s community service work as well as his excellence on the field.

“He’s an impressive individual,” Payton said. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of guys that would have been great candidates for that and yet he’s fun to be around, he’s passionate, he’s caring, he’s understanding. I think he’s a very good leader. I think he endears himself to his teammates. I think he’s a tremendous parent and father and husband, all of those things and it’s nice to see someone flourish in a uniquely different way in free agency.

“You look a at a person, you watch the film. You make some calls. Maybe you have a chance to talk with him and you get an idea of the player and then maybe he comes on a visit, maybe not. Then, you have a vision for how he’s going to help your team. Periodically, all of a sudden, you get a lot more maybe than you were expecting and that’s happened with him.”