[rbhogan]

Hey WDZers - just a quick little update from Jackson. I dont have time to do a full deal today, but here are a few observations I made:

- Jon Stinchcomb did not practice. I heard that it was secondary to strained groin. I was never able to find him on the field today.

- Jamar Nesbit did not practice. Supposedly he had to have an IV yesterday after practice. I saw him on the field in street clothes right before practice was over.

- Defensive Backs
David Jones really impressed me today. He is a physical specimen and it looks like he can really run. On one play he stayed stride for stride with Jamal Jones on a go route and broke up the pass. He also had at least two other pass break ups that I can remember. Next to all our other corners he looks huge.
I never saw Usama Young today. I don't know if I was just overlooking him or if he was not out there. Honestly I'm more excited about Jones though...
It was awesome to see Jason David out there. He looked really crisp and quick - definately in a different world than Craft and Thomas (both of whom still make me nauseated every time I see them). David's discipline also stuck out to me - maybe this is a result of playing for the Super Bowl champs. He would hop down and do a set of 20 or so pushups after MANY of the drills. At first I thought it was after he had messed up or something; but after I kept watching I could see that he would do them after drills that he had done perfectly. I like it!
Also, it was GREAT to see Roman Harper out there. He looked 100% and was running great. He was hustling and sprinting around the field. It was also good to see KK out there at the safety position. He is a lot bigger than I expected him to be. I didn't see him make any great plays, but I'm sure they will come...

- Receivers
Well, unfortunately, Meachem did not impress me at all today. He did have one nice long diving catch, but other than that things didnt go so well. There were several routes where he seemed to be in the wrong place (unless it was just the quarterbacks being really really off). The worst thing I saw from him was on one play where Anwar Phillips came up to bump and run him. Meachem couldnt even get off the ball and Phillips through him down on his butt. Meachem ended up running the crossing route behind the line of scrimmage (this was in 7 on 7 drills) just to get away from Phillips. The only good news is that I can remember thinking how bad Colston looked last year during Training Camp - I can remember him getting whipped twice in a row by Craft (things have changed a bit...). I was glad to see Colston and David Patten go up to Meachem and try to encourage him after a bad play. It looks like these guys are going to help coach him along.
Lance Moore (this is my boy) had a good practice. Jamie Martin connected with him on a long ball during team drills. He did drop one punt that he should have caught.
I was most impressed with Devery today. He looked really good out there. I never saw him drop (or bobble) a ball. He was running crisp routes and getting up field quickly after the catch. Colston also looked good. Nothing spectacular; but solid.

- Running Backs
OK, we are absolutely stacked at RB. This just in: Reggie is fast, Deuce is big, and Karney is still a tank. I was impressed with both Pierre Thomas and Antonio Pittman. Thomas looks extremely fast - I seriously doubt he makes the team with everyone else out there (Branch, Pittman, Stecker...). Pittman looked a lot leaner and more fit than I was expecting. The heat definately got to him though - welcome to Mississippi. He was feeling it towards the end of practice and had trainers drenching him with cold water.
I'm thinking Reggie, Deuce, and Pittman will be the final three. I hope Stecker can find a spot with ST, but I could see us having to part ways with him.

- Quarterbacks
Brees looked like Brees - beautiful. This time last year he was having trouble throwing the ball 20 yards. I can't wait to see him with a full offseason under his belt. He was throwing crisp spirals and his timing looked great. Tyler Palko looked like an undrafted rookie free agent, oh wait - he is. I'm sure he will get his feet under him shortly, but you can tell he has a ways to go to pick up to the pro game. On back to back plays in team drills he ran around in the pocket like a chicken with his head cut off and then fumbled the next snap. I'm hoping he comes together and can take Martin's place (not a big Jamie Martin fan).

- Other quick notes:
- Jermon Bushrod and Rob Ninkovich went head to head in a drill where Nink was trying to get to the fake QB. The first time Nink motored his way inside and eventually got there (Bushrod held up pretty good). But on the second one, Nink blasted by him on the outside to sack the QB. Nink has a huge motor as he was all over the field all day long and always hustling. I can't wait to see him develop. I also think Bushrod has a chance to do something; just not as quickly as Jahri last year - I'm thinking it will take Bushrod a year. You can tell the kid has heart and is a warrior out there. I remember last year watching Jahri hold his own against Grant and WSmith during the first week of training camp - impressive.
- Eric Johnson made a couple of nice catches. He has a big frame and can move pretty good. I look forward to watching his progress.

[St. Corky]

Thanks for the Saints fix today.

[David E]

A thousand thanks for your report!!

[Twyst]

I wasnt at camp but I read usama young had a strained quad yesterday, maybe thats why you didnt see him.

EDIT just talked to a friend who was there and said devery did look great and that david picked off a brees pass

This post has been edited by Twyst: 27 July 2007 - 11:44 AM

[Big Saints Fan]

Thanks man!

Did you get a chance to see how the linebackers looked? Well actually all I want to know is, how did Brian Simmons look?

Thanks again!

Quote

david picked off a brees pass

:clapping: :heart:

[PDXSaint]

AWESOME REPORT! THANKS! :rock: :rock: :heart: :beer:

The season is finally freaking here!

PdxP

[Daddy_Duke]

Thanks man, keep it up!

[robinson1973]

Thanks for the update......you're awesome especially for someone stuck in Portland, Maine!

[SnakeEyes]

Thank you for the update, keep'em coming.. :D

[rlsaint]

Thanks for the update. I get a lot of the bear's reports up here, good to hear somrthing about the Saints!

[Brian]

Thanks for the report, bro. Your coverage last year was top notch!

Usama probably won't practice until Monday, btw.

Brian
~Go Saints!~

[blkngld]

I attended the afternoon practice and watched part of it with our with our most eloquent poster
RBHogan. He sums it up better than I could begin to, but I will add that Usama Young was riding the bike the whole practice. I thought the team looked extremely sharp all the way around for a first day's practice. I leave jackson in the a.m. for a weeks vacation and like the rest of you look forward to reading the upcomming week reports. Here's to all our boy's staying healthy :beer: