Saints hopefuls at rookie minicamp eye potential openings on roster

METAIRIE — The New Orleans Saints are having their first on-field preparation for the 2018 season with their three-day rookie mini-camp this weekend.

Recent developments with a couple of veterans have increased the opportunities for a few players.

Leading rusher Mark Ingram II has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing drugs, and tight end Coby Flenner, a highly touted free-acquisition who failed to live up to expectations in two seasons with New Orleans, was released.

“(Ingram’s suspension) goes under PED’s, but I know Mark well enough to know it wasn’t a performing enhancing drug,” coach Sean Payton said after Saturday’s morning practice. “He’ll better be able to explain the other parts of it, but you adjust like it would be an injury.”

The absence of Ingram, who is not participating in the Saints’ voluntary off-season program, will create short-term opportunities for one or more running backs during the first quarter of the season.

“We spoke a couple times before the off-season program started, and it is what it is,” Payton said. “He’ll know what to do. Now do I think he should be here? Yes, but it’s optional and we’ll see him at the (June) mini-camp.”

Ingram averaged 14.4 carries and 3.6 pass receptions per game last season as he had his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. Alvin Kamara was named the NFL Offensive rookie of the year as he, like Ingram, totaled more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage. His workload consisted of 7.5 carries and 5.1 receptions per game.

But increasing Kamara’s workload doesn’t figure to be the solution to replacing Ingram’s workload.

“I think it would be a disservice to (Kamara),” running backs coach Joel Thomas said. “Let’s be honest. He’s excelled with the ratio he’s had with the combination with the carries and the catches as well. What’s the number you want to get to where he’s still getting the touches that he’s had in the past, but they occur maybe through three or four more carries and two or three fewer receptions.

“(It doesn’t make any sense) to run the tread off of him early on in the season. This is a marathon. For four games early in the season I think we have the talent on our offense and in the backfield to push through this process.”

Payton said New Orleans is not looking to bring in a veteran running back beyond the typical evaluation of available players at all positions.

“I’m anxious to evaluate the guys that we have here right now,” he said.

That means an increased opportunity for someone such as veterans Trey Edmunds, Jonathan Williams and Daniel Lasco as well as rookie sixth-round pick Boston Scott of Zachary High School and Louisiana Tech.

Scott missed the Saturday morning practice because he cramped up after Friday’s practice, but Payton said he was scheduled to return to the practice field Saturday afternoon.

“I believe in this organization,” Scott said. “I believe in coach Payton. I believe in the game plan he’s going to put together for the first four games, and I believe I can contribute in whatever way he wants me to.”

The departure of Fleener, who missed the last five regular-season games and the playoffs last season after suffering a concussion, shrinks the competition at tight end, which is a position of priority for the Saints in their off-season talent acquisition.

“He’s still working through the process of getting cleared and he’s still working through being without symptoms,” Payton said, “but I also felt like for the team it was something that was going to be best for us.”

The Saints signed veteran Benjamin Watson to join Michael Hoomanawanui, Josh Hill, Garrett Griffin and Deon Yelder, the lone tight end under contract to participate in the rookie mini-camp.

“He’s big and he can run,” Payton said of Yelder. “He’s done pretty well here for the first two days, so his speed and some of his times were good. We think he catches the ball well. We have to work (with him) and get up to speed a little bit in the blocking”

Four tight ends — M.J. McFarland (Texas-El Paso), Charles Standberry (Louisville), Cam Serigne (Wake Forest) and Tommy Myers (Connecticut) are participating on a tryout basis.

The 77 players on the mini-camp roster come from four groups — the seven draft choices, the free agents signed after the draft, a handful of veteran trial players and nearly 50 rookie trial players that are rookies.

Defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker from New Iberia, who played with New Orleans from 2012-14, was one of the veterans participating on a tryout basis.

Payton said Walker was “a little heavy right now,” joking that Walker “hasn’t missed many crawfish boils.”

“It’s good to see him,” Payton said. “He’s versatile. He’ll receive a chance to drop some weight. He’s smart.”

For the younger players that aren’t draft choices, the key is to get them up to speed as quickly as possible so they can be fairly evaluated.

“They’re in a crash course on getting adjusted to the terminology,” Payton said. “Then how quickly are they learning what to do and are they doing what we’re trying to teach them. It is the beginning part of the process, with just three days certainly if you’re a trial player, there’s X amount of pressure to catch someone’s eye, but every year we’ve seen it (happen).”

Recently retired tackle Zach Strief attended practice and was chatting with the offensive linemen, including fourth-round pick Rick Leonard of Florida State and seventh-round pick Will Clapp of LSU.

Payton joked that Strief “tiptoed around” the blacktop around the practice field like a member of the media before the organization gave him “an all-access pass for now.”

“I think he likes being around it, and I think he likes helping,” Payton said. “Even when he was playing, regardless of what the position was (where he could help instruct), if it was a position of another right tackle he would help so it’s good to see him out here.”

In addition to the draft choices, participants who are under contract included former LSU WR Travin Dural, former LSU S Rickey Jefferson and former Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett IV.

“There is a leadership presence about him,” Payton said of Barrett. “He is in an athlete. He has played a lot of competitive football and he has handled this camp very well. (He has) a lot of the things that you look for in that position. He was certainly worthy of being drafted, and he has done a good job here.”

Among the youngsters trying out were former Tulane RB Josh Rounds, former Louisiana Tech K Jonathan Barnes and former LSU and Southeastern Louisiana OL Maea Teuhema.