Sean Payton, Drew Brees media Q&A after first Saints practice with Chargers

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton

Post-Practice Media Availability

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Opening Statement

“A couple of things. Obviously, (we had) a lot of different situational work. We had two-minute team run. Moved the ball. I thought it was real good work. (There will be) A lot of film for us to study. Anytime you switch opponents like this, you get a whole new set of looks defensively, offensive formations and I thought overall it went pretty well.”

Any initial impressions on how it went in the two-minute?

“We’re going to go through that and the key thing Anthony (Lynn) and I talked about (was to) try to get a flow and try to get some reps in. So we’ll look at the tape. I think there were two or three different turnovers either side. You’re trying to put yourself in a game-like situation where you’re playing fast.”

Around the league there have been a lot of scuffles during joint practices. Here it was pretty clean today, how happy are you with that?

“I don’t know that I would agree with that (leaguewide perception). There’s been a scuffle or two and every year there seems to be, but we’ve worked with these guys before and it was real good tempo.”

After three cuts the other day, are you at a point where you’re preparing the roster now or are you going to keep adding guys?

“Either-or, we’re not set on the number we’re at right now. We’re paying attention each day to what happens transactionwise. So I wouldn’t say either it was just a matter of looking at  guys that we want to focus the reps on and guys that we were moving on from. So we still have a couple of weeks.”

How impressed are you by the Chargers defense and the way that they’re able to stop the run?

“I said this to these guys earlier, a year ago both these teams were sitting here really in the middle of tough divisions and I do not know necessarily if either were picked to do well in their division. But I think that these guys have done a really good job of acquiring the right guys to fit their scheme. They have a quarterback (Philip Rivers) that’s experienced and extremely talented. So when you have those combinations, those are the ingredients to win.”

Do you have any early impressions of Marcus Davenport?

“We will see it on the film once we look at it. I know he was going to be in a limited role. He was going to get some work today, but in a limited fashion so we’ll have a chance to watch the film.”

Has your impression of Jonathan Williams evolved at all the last couple of weeks?

“It is with every player. When you’re watching the film as a staff, you’re constantly looking at how they’re doing. He’s been steady. There’s some things that he still needs to work on. I think he has pretty good vision and balance, so hopefully in the next couple of weeks some of that gets a little bit clearer with the rest of the competition.”

You credit producing the variables for Tre’Quan Smith the other day, is that finding some small things he can perfect and then as the season progresses, letting him expand on those?

“Yes. I think with a young player, you want to define a role and then begin to expand on it. But he’s someone that we are working primarily at one of the receiver spots and then I think it’s important that we’re not throwing him everywhere. He is picking things up. He plays physical. He plays hard. It’s just him getting up to speed with the nuances and what we’re looking to do. And not only in the passing game but also as a blocker.”

Cameron Meredith looks like he’s coming on stronger lately.

“He’s healthy. So it’s good to get him back and get him working.”

Have you seen something develop in Austin Carr recently?

“It’s nothing we have not seen prior. He is just now starting to receive work with the ones. He’s smart. He’s a guy that does a good job in the slot. He has real good football instincts.”

Meredith and Smith, are they more like ‘Z’ receivers?

“Tre’Quan’s playing over at the Z and Meredith’s playing at the X. But with Cam’s experience, he’s played inside. He’s played a few different spots.”

What kind of camp has Drew Brees been having?

“I think it’s going well. There is an extreme amount of detail that goes in each day when you watch his preparation. I think he is doing real well. He will play in this game. And the key is getting him, but also everyone else around him up to speed as we get ready to open the season. There is a sense of urgency all the time at this time of year in camp to clean up some of the mistakes. Pay attention to details and paint the right picture for whoever’s playing quarterback.”

Are you talking about Ted Ginn Jr. not running the right route in the preseason game the other night being something to fix?

“All those things, they go into, they enhance that position or they can hurt that position. So the attention to detail with what we’re doing in the passing game is very important. It’s still something that is a work in progress. And then obviously when you’re able to play defense and run the ball, those are pretty good allies as well.”

What’s the greatest benefit at this point in camp when you’re out here for two days?

“I think the one big thing is, it changes the routine. And I think that’s good in our league because we’re constantly changing. But also, you’re working against a different defense than your own. And I don’t mean just a different defense but how they play defense, it is different. The coverage schemes are different. What they do offensively, specifically with the running game. What they do with certain formations, they’re different. And I think when you do that, especially for two or three days like we are, you have a chance to see some of the maybe the weaknesses or holes in certain areas that we have not seen at home against our own offense and defense. So I think it is good when you have a chance to change the routine up and get good work with another team. And another team that is doing the same thing.”

It’s hard to mimic completion. Are you seeing that out here?

“Yes. It’s good spirited. Both these teams last year did a great job of competing and yet understanding that we’re both here to get better. And so with those common goals, I think you end up with a real positive experience.”

Is it good to see Alex Okafor out here in the jersey and pads?

“Yes. He will be back here fairly soon. Fortunately, his injury last week was not anything significant.”

In your quarterback room, what is the relationship like between the starter and the other guys backing him up? What is that process like getting those guys together?

“There is a certain schedule and in teaching progression in pattern that we are accustomed to. And so the guys new to that, the new quarterbacks, it might be a new quarterback coach. Fortunately we’ve had a lot of continuity from the staff side of it. So it’s really bringing them up to speed in regards to the installation but also the learning curve. What we’re doing. How we study film. Right now they’re exposed to that schedule in training camp. They have not been exposed to necessarily an in-season schedule which will change. But I think that opportunity for a younger quarterback to come in with a player like Drew is Invaluable. I think they have a chance to see all the things that go into play in that position well.”

Is Brees collaborative in working with those guys?

“Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.”

Do you think Alvin Kamara had the element of surprise on his behalf last year and maybe this year will be tougher?

“At what point in the season last year was it no longer a surprise? Week Three? So then what happened Week Eight? Was it a surprise Week Ten? What about Week 14? No, I think he’s good football player. Now look, our preseason game against this team a year ago the first play the game he took a handoff for 50 yards and a touchdown. That was a little bit. But I think our league quickly examines closely what teams do, their tendencies, who’s doing what, what rookies are playing extremely well and I don’t think it’s a league where with all the film access we have that is filled with many surprises if any.”

How has Kamara done in camp so far?

“Good. He’s doing well. He’s doing well.”

New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees

Post-Practice Media Availability

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

How do you think today went?

“I thought it was good. I thought we played with good tempo, we did some good things. We’re going to look at the tape, I’m sure there are some things that will stick out that we can improve upon. It’s always nice to change it up, kind of kick the competition up a little bit too. It’s been a competitive camp for us. At some point you get tired of going up against your own defense and offense day after day. It’s nice to come out here to Southern California and play against a really good team, a good coaching staff with a good scheme. It’s good work for us and hopefully there’s a lot that we can learn from it.”

Was it better than the first day of last year’s?

“Yeah, yeah it was. I think there’s just more energy. Obviously traveling on the plane four hours, get in late last night and then wake up and go right to practice, you know that’s tough on the body, but guys were able to get themselves ready and got out here and I think we got a lot of good work done.”

That trip from Melvin Ingram in team drills, that’s not supposed to happen?

“No, no and he came up to me afterwards and apologized. Obviously you’re trying to take care of one another, but stuff’s happening fast out there and so at times guys are going to bump into you.”

What do you remember about those two years together with Philip [Rivers], was he really inquisitive? How did you guys gel as a starter and a backup?

“It was a tough set of circumstances obviously because they drafted him in 2004 to basically take my job right (laughter)? So I think everyone always tried to kind of pit us against each other, and then could not understand how we could be friends or good teammates for one another in the quarterback room when we were having that type of competition. But we were. I think from the moment I was around Philip, you realize he was going to be a very good player and is going to be around for a long time. I like to think we, for those two years, brought out the best in each other. It was a great learning experience for both of us and I think we both got a lot better as a result of it. Yeah, from the very beginning you knew that he’s got a mind for this game, he’s a student of the game, he’s highly competitive and just makes plays. Look at the length of time that he’s been able to do it in one place with a lot of different faces around him over the years. So, credit to him.”

He [Rivers] told me that one thing he remembered was that when he was the number two, he still tried to contribute in gameweek. Did you appreciate that or would your preference been I do it my way?

“You evolve obviously how you prepare over the years. Like I’m prepared differently now than I did when I was a young player, I feel like I’ve learned so much more, I know what I’m looking for. It’s really a group effort. It’s a collaborative deal in the quarterback room. You’ve got your offensive coordinator, you’ve got your quarterback coach and the other quarterbacks that are all looking at the same film and yet maybe there are little things each of us are seeing a little bit differently. Then you have a chance to talk about it and there are things that you can learn from that. I value that Doug Flutie was in our room too in ‘04 which Doug, a legend of the game, a guy who both Philip and I gained a lot from. And then Brian Schottenheimer was our quarterbacks coach and so we all had a great relationship. We all had a lot of fun. He (Rivers) was very competitive, but I feel like we all brought the best out of each other.”

What are the things that make Mike Thomas special on slants and hitches?

“Well, he is a highly competitive guy. He is really good with this technique. (With him you can) Open up the whole route tree. When you are able to set up every route with other routes, then that is what makes you very, very dangerous because the DB never really knows what you are doing. DB’s are trained to look at a split, look at his feet, look at all these things and I think Mike‘s aware of that, so Mike doesn’t try to make himself so predictable. Mike goes out there and is able to change things up enough and develop fundamentals with each route to where he’s the one dictating to the DB what he’s going to do versus the other way around.”

Do you feel like you guys have done that slant more than you did early on in your time here?

“Mike’s a very good slant runner, so we’re going to throw those to him and we’re going to throw a lot of other stuff to him too.”

Where have you seen progress from [Ryan] Ramczyk?

“Well he’s obviously getting a ton of reps on the right side. When he first came in, big [Zach] Strief over there was out and Terron [Armstead] was hurt. Ramczyk was playing left and then credit to Dan Roushar, the O-Line coach, he moved guys around quite a bit. Andrus Peat was playing inside, Andrus Peat would bump outside, he’d kick Ramczyk over the right sometimes. You always want to be prepared for what could happen and obviously during the season. Strief goes down in that first game and all of a sudden we have to play a little switcheroo and yet these guys were ready for that. They were able to do that very effectively without blinking and I think that is just because you try to prepare for whatever scenario you might encounter. Now that Ramczyk has been on the right side for majority of camp, he is kind of coming into his own, continuing to improve. (We) got a great group around him when you look at Terron on the other side, Max Unger’s our mainstay inside and then we see Larry [Warford]. I think that relationship between guard/tackles is so important and so the more reps that you can get with the same guy, that is pretty key as well.”

Can you relate to Taysom (Hill’s) first half the other night? Just a young quarterback having a lot of turnovers and struggles early on?

“Well the tough part is when some stuff is out of your control. The first one he throws a good ball and it get tipped off the receiver’s hands and gets picked (off). That is not his fault, and yet, then the snowball effect where the ball slips out of his hands and then after that you are trying to throw a ball give a guy a chance to make a play and the guy makes a crazy interception and then there is a sack/fumble. You don’t look at it and say all these (are) blatant sins. It’s like gosh that very easily could have gone the other way, our way, but it didn’t. Taysom’s a pretty mentally tough guy. He’s had to overcome a lot throughout the course of his career. If you look at his college career, overcoming injury after injury to come back and continue to play at a really high level. He’s a guy that loves football. He loves to compete. He’s a hard worker. He’ll do whatever you ask him to do. The sky’s the limit for a guy like him and the more reps that he gets in this offense, the more opportunities that he gets in competitive situations, the better he’s going to get. We’ve all had games like that and next time out he might throw four touchdowns. That’s just part of the evolution.”

Coach (Payton) talked about you all getting on the same page and the receivers painting the picture for the quarterback so sometimes it’s more complicated?

“It absolutely is. We put a lot on our guys. We put a lot on the receivers. Everything is timing and everything is rhythm and that’s created with having a clear picture as to what everyone is doing and being able to anticipate that and trust that. We’re still in the phase of developing that trust, that timing and that chemistry. We’re still midway through camp here. We still have a lot of work to do.”

How have you seen things going for Cam (Meredith)?

“Good. Obviously, the more time we get, the better. I’m excited that he’s been able to be healthy here over the last few days and get some of those reps and a lot of time after practice and just whatever time we can get talking shop and then actually wrap in it to develop that timing trust is good.”

What’s been the process of getting that rapport with a rookie like Tre’Quan (Smith)?

“That’s been good. He’s been getting a ton of reps so I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of time on task with him. There’s nuances that you continue to kind of put into the offense or give him the ability to do and just see how that progresses. I’ve been really impressed throughout the entire camp. His ability to step in, make plays when the ball comes to him, be in the right place. It sounds like little things. Get lined up, run right depth, the right timing, all those things. That takes time, it takes time on task, but he’s starting to come into his own a little bit.”

For a guy who has played as long as you have, what are some of the things you do to challenge yourself mentally to keep it fresh and maintain that edge?

“I try to approach each day, every game, in the way I warm up, in the way that (I) prepare for the day, and the way I study the scripts, and come out to practice with a plan, always having a plan. I want to make sure I get some of these types of throws today or the minute I get this look on defense I want to check to this because I want to see if the guys can handle it. Just little things. Having a plan each and every day because by the end of camp, here we are. From the time camp starts to week one’s 40 days. At that point, you can say alright I have accomplished all these things each and every day because I had a plan. Then by the time you first came rolls around you feel like you’re ready, you’re prepared.”

What’s it like not seeing (Antonio) Gates here?

“Yes, that’s crazy. He’s been such a mainstay here for so long. He’s the man.”