New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton - Minicamp Media Availability - Thursday, June 12, 2018

How did Mark (Ingram) do today, coach?
"Well, I think he is in good shape. He did well. (It was) Good seeing him out here."

Have you all had a chance to visit any more about the situation?
"No, and if we did it would be just between us, but we talked throughout the offseason."

I've seen Tim Hightower out there as well?
"We have five guys that are out here working out for three days which is pretty common. He's just someone who we will take a look at. Obviously, we're familiar with him. I think we have a kicker, a defensive tackle, and a wide receiver. We have a number of guys that are just here on a three-day workout. It always gives us an idea of where guys are. Oftentimes it helps us with the shortlists grade."

Speaking of that short list, Adam Schefter reported Jamaal Charles is visiting the team tomorrow. Are you just updating a shortlist at running back or are you thinking you might want to bring a veteran to training camp?
"No, if we work anyone out here in the next few days it would be just to see what kind of shape (they're in) and see how they're doing. That doesn't preclude us from signing someone, but that's pretty normal."

How have you seen the wide receiver Eldridge Massington just come along throughout the offseason?
"He's doing well, part of it's learning the playbook, getting comfortable with the calls and all the details. We have a few of those young guys that today was another part of an install and (they all) start to run together, so the key for those guys is just getting up to speed with the terminology and then being able to play fast. That would definitely be the case with them."

Were you satisfied with the tempo of the practice considering the weather conditions with the heat?
"I think early on it was good. I thought later on it began to wane some and hopefully tomorrow we come back out and have another good day. Obviously, we're going to deal with these temperatures, so they get used to it. But I thought early on, the first half of practice was better."

Could you please update us on Marcus Davenport?
"No update. We won't go through any injuries now with guys. You know he has a thumb (injury) that we'll have repaired right when we're finished here Friday."

But you don't think it's a major issue, correct?
"No, correct."

What can we see from Boston Scott in this offseason and what kind of impact he will have on the team?
"He's someone who's fluid, he's quick. He's a guy who is pretty smart. He gives you some versatility because he's a guy that can catch a ball out of the backfield. He, too, is learning a lot because he's kind of lining up in a few different spots. But so far, he's done good things."

Anything on Cam Jordan or Michael Thomas not here?
"No, no updates. Cam's been having a baby."

Was (Michael) Thomas an excused absence?
"Yes. I'm not going to go through each guy that is here and not here."

How confident do you feel in your secondary, another year of progression for those guys?
"I think we have some younger players that saw a lot of time last year. We're deeper there than we've been. So, once we get started in training camp and then they'll have a chance to start competing against some other teams, I think that that'll help us. So far, I'm encouraged with the depth there and the competition in some of those spots."

Does Kurt Coleman change anything you guys can do coverage wise?
"No. Look he's versatile. He's a guy that's played in a handful of schemes. He's smart. He knows what to do. So, I don't know that with his addition we look change certain things but obviously when you're in man it's about matchups and then he's someone that has some versatility playing deep and then closer to the ball."

It seems you have some versatility at linebacker, with guys pretty much lining up all over is that done by design or you just trying to find out who fits where?
"Each of those guys generally is trained in a primary and then a secondary spot. So, some them are just working at one spot, Again, hopefully our depth there is better and I think we have good competition at all those positions."

How would you assess your progress with the new kickoff rule since this is the first minicamp?
"It is more of an instructional time of the year where we are going through the nuances of alignment. I think not until we start seeing other teams will you begin to quickly make changes in how you adapt as quick as you can. So, I think every team's probably going through the same thing right now."