Door hasn't been kicked closed by New Orleans Saints' specialists

'I don't think we're settled at that position yet'

Aug 05, 2024 at 06:00 PM

John DeShazier

Senior Writer

Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.

Irvine, Calif. – If there was any notion that there wouldn't be a kicking competition this year for the New Orleans Saints, squash it.

Blake Grupe, who won the job last year over veteran Wil Lutz, and Charlie Smyth, a former Gaelic football goalkeeper who never has kicked in an NFL game, are jockeying for the spot in training camp.

"I think it's been a good competition," Coach Dennis Allen said. "Both players have been a little bit more inconsistent than I would like. I'm expecting 100 percent, and so, I think we still have work to do in that area.

"Both of them have talent, both of them have really strong legs, both of them have hit 60-plus yard field goals, and both of them have been missing ones that we need them to make. I don't think we're settled at that position yet. I think we've got to make sure that we've got a guy that we can count on in a critical situation to make the kicks that we need him to make to win games."

RETURNEES, ABSENCES, VET DAY: Defensive end Payton Turner (toe) and defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (toe), who sat out Sunday's practice, both returned Monday. Running back Alvin Kamara had a rest day. Offensive tackle Chandler Brewer (triceps) and safety Ugo Amadi (groin) didn't practice, joining a list that includes quarterback Jake Haener (cancer procedure), linebacker Demario Davis (hamstring), cornerback Paulson Adebo (groin), linebacker Pete Werner (shoulder), and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip).

MORE TWO-MINUTE WORK: Sunday's situational two-minute drill involved going into halftime, and the Saints' offense responded with two touchdowns in three possessions.

Monday's situation was end-of-game, 1:15 left, one timeout for both the offense and defense, the offense trailing by two points. Derek Carr led the offense to a 49-yard field goal by Grupe, and Spencer Rattler put the offense in field goal position, but Grupe's attempt banged off the upright.

"A little bit more stressful on the defense, in terms of (the offense) really had to gain about 30 yards to get themselves into field goal range," Allen said. "So, trying to create some stressful situations on both sides of the ball. I thought overall we operated on both sides pretty well."

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONFIDENCE: Rattler appears to have settled in at quarterback after some hiccups during the spring. The rookie quarterback said he had a level of exposure to the Saints' offense while in college at South Carolina.

"I was lucky to have an offense like this at South Carolina," Rattler said. "Obviously, not to the level of this. What (offensive coordinator) Klint (Kubiak) is doing is amazing. But a lot of the verbiage is the same, a lot of motion, stuff like that.

"It's just a level up, a lot more volume of things. You get great looks on every play, I feel like, when you have answers. Once you get it under your belt – I don't have everything under my belt – but I feel great."

All-Access Photos: 2024 Saints Training Camp practice 8/5/24