Irvine, Calif. – The small, seemingly innocuous details that most don't notice, quarterback Spencer Rattler did.
And the lack of execution in those small areas led to some uneven patches during OTAs, rookie minicamp and veteran minicamp for the New Orleans Saints' fifth-round draft pick.
Flashes of few-people-can-make-that-throw brilliance were countered by confounding tosses that appeared forced, lacked timing, were off target.
Much of the latter appears to have been replaced by a much steadier hand from Rattler during training camp at Cal-Irvine, where the rookie has shone during several sessions. He got back to basics during the break between veteran minicamp and training camp.
"Just cleaning up fundamentals and working on little things that we noticed in spring ball and OTAs," Rattler said Monday, after the Saints' 11th training camp practice. "And really improved in some of those areas and came back and got right back to work.
"Just very small things, footwork-wise – false steps, little punch steps on your drop, not getting too much depth, maintaining that circle in the pocket, not hitching too much. Little, minute things that can add up to negative plays. You've got to control that and avoid that."
Rattler's control and poise has been on display.
On Monday, his rep count increased due to the absence of quarterback Jake Haener, with whom he's battling for the No. 2 spot behind Derek Carr. Haener missed practice due to a procedure he underwent related to remedying the skin cancer Haener detected shortly before the Saints departed for training camp.
"I think he's improving every day," Coach Dennis Allen said of Rattler. "There's still some things that he's doing – just understanding how to play within the scheme of the offense, how to get through your progressions, knowing how to listen to your feet, when to take your chances down the field, when it's time to check the ball down – all those things are pretty good learning experiences.
"I wanted to put him in a situation (Monday in practice), fourth-and-5, we're in a move-the-ball situation see if he could execute and make a play. And he did, he made a hell of a throw on the out route to get the first down in that situation. So I see some of that confidence, which I think is good at the quarterback position, and yet there's some times where I think we've got to pull the reins back just a little bit."
Sunday, Rattler made a backpedaling throw downfield to A.T. Perry that dropped in over the defenders' head, allowing Perry to secure the challenged pass in traffic. Monday, a rollout to the right gave Rattler the space to find Cedric Wilson Jr. downfield for a huge gain, as Wilson moved with his quarterback and found space deep in the secondary.
"It was a play-action pass," Rattler said. "Just trying to hit a little deep slant, a little drift route. They fell under, got some pressure, I kind of faded to my right to my second and third read and Cedric was wide open. Shoutout to (receiver Mason) Tipton for clearing it out, and it was a good play. A good touchdown."
The battle between Rattler and Haener, who is expected to return to practice Wednesday, will continue into the preseason, as both have stacked good days since spring.
"I think we're going to let these preseason games play it out," Allen said. "We're trying to determine if we have a backup quarterback on our roster right now. I've seen some signs that I like.
"And yet, I want to get them into real live situations, under the lights, and see how both of these guys operate in that environment. I'm encouraged by what I've seen out of both Spencer and Jake, and yet, we haven't made any decisions there. I want to see what they operate like under the lights.
"I would say, I'm going to give these young guys every opportunity to prove that they're deserving of that role. And that comes through what you do out here on the practice field, and what they're going to do when they get into the preseason games."
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
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Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
Full coverage of the New Orleans Saints workouts during 2024 Training Camp at the University of California, Irvine on Monday, August 5.
