Irvine, Calif. – After a couple of training camp practices where the defense finished the day with the upper hand, the New Orleans Saints' offense balanced the ledger a bit Friday at Cal-Irvine with one of its better showings.
Included were long completions in team drills (Spencer Rattler to Chris Olave, Jake Haener to Stanley Morgan Jr., Derek Carr to Taysom Hill) and some red zone success highlighted by Haener's touchdown run on a quarterback draw.
"I thought this was a really good practice," Coach Dennis Allen said. "Got some red zone work in. It was a good, physical practice, a long practice. Was a little bit warmer today, maybe more than it's been a couple of the other days. But I thought we got some real good work done on both sides of the ball, and we got some good stuff done in the kicking game.
"I think we're doing some good things (on offense). I think it's still a work in progress. We're eight practices into a training camp, in a new scheme, new system, some new pieces in there. I like the progress that we're making and yet, I think there's still a lot to be desired in terms of what we need to get to. But I do like the progress that we're making and we're not going to worry about what the end result is yet, we're just going to worry about the process and how we continue to get better every day."
HAENER UPDATE: Haener, who disclosed a week ago that he was diagnosed with a rare skin cancer, had a consultation with his doctor Thursday, the team's off day.
"I think there's going to be a procedure that's going to take place Monday," Allen said. "My anticipation would be that he'll probably miss practice on Monday, we have an off day on Tuesday and I expect him to be back, full go on Wednesday."
The second-year quarterback had one of his better training camp practices Friday, continuing his solid work through the offseason.
"I thought he had a good day today, I really did," Allen said. "I thought there were some good things that I saw out of him, some good throws. Sometimes you see some of these plays and they look like good plays from the outside looking in, and yet, what I want to know is, are we going through our progressions? Are we taking what's given to us? And then, are we progressing through like we're supposed to be? Because I think that over the course of time, that's what's going to allow you to be successful consistently.
"I saw some touchdown passes, in the last period I saw a nice pass across the middle. So there were certainly some things that caught my eye in practice in a positive way in terms of the way he operated."
TRANSACTIONS: The Saints signed two receivers, Marquez Callaway and Samson Nacua, and waived tight end Tommy Hudson and terminated the contract of quarterback Nathan Peterman prior to Friday's practice. A rash of injuries at the position necessitated the additions.
"I think the biggest thing that went into it is, we're kind of nicked up at the position," Allen said. "There is a war of attrition that happens throughout the course of training camp, and it's not just the guys that get injured. Now, all of a sudden you've got the guys that are healthy, they're having to take more reps and so there's an attrition that goes along with that. As much as anything, it's about let's get some more legs in here and see what these guys can do."
Additionally, receiver Jermaine Jackson left Friday's practice early with an injury.
WHISTLE BLOWERS: Officials participated in Friday's practice and are expected to be a presence Saturday and Sunday, too.
"I told them, anything that they would call in a regular-season game, I want to see the yellow (flags) on the film," Allen said. "So, I wanted them to throw the flags as many times as they felt like there was a foul that occurred. That's the only way that we get an opportunity to coach our guys.
"You get out here and there's no officiating, you're still trying to coach up those things and yet, I don't know that the full impact of it really takes place until they start seeing these yellow hankies on the field and they start to realize how that's hurting the football team. It was good to have those guys out here."
RING OF HONOR: The Saints announced that former guard Jahri Evans, a Saints Hall of Famer, will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony of the Nov. 17 game against Cleveland.
"I think it's awesome. Jahri's a stud," Allen said of the five-time All-Pro and member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. "I would say offensive guard is not the most glorious position in our game to play. When you're talking about an offensive lineman, if you're talking about him it's usually not great.
"But I don't think people really understand what a great player Jahri Evans was. He's as good a guard as I've seen and when you have Drew Brees as a 6-foot-1 quarterback, the interior of the pocket is precious, precious territory. And I don't think anybody protected the interior of the pocket better than Jahri Evans did.
"He was a mauler in the run game, was great in protection, was a great teammate, tremendously hard worker, and I think is going to be a pretty good coach. I was ecstatic that he got that honor."
