New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Post-Practice Media Availability
Thursday, June 12, 2014

How are you keeping track of sending all of your stuff to Brandin Cooks?

"What we are allowed to do is basically in the evenings we have kind of an online time where we go through the practice tape and the installation.  He was here for the rookie camp and he was able to take the book back with him and work through page by page.  Today for instance, day three of minicamp (we) go through the film and what we have done is set aside an hour or hour and a half each night and go online with him and have him go through the tape with a coach.  He will be in this weekend and he will be here Monday getting caught up to speed as quickly as possible."

Is he a quick learner?

"Yeah, it would probably be early to say, but I think so based on the time we had him at the rookie camp."

With just three more workouts to go on the field, are you happy with the way the work has gone?

"I think we have four, but yeah, so far I'm encouraged with how they have been practicing because one of the challenges without pads is having the right tempo and yet staying off the ground.  I have been encouraged with how they have done that.  The weather has been good, so we have gotten through practices ahead of time for the most part."

What has it been like having Jonathan Goodwin back?

"He is someone that is a quick study.  He is experienced.  He's a quiet guy initially, but he brings experience to that meeting room.  I think from a center standpoint he has kind of been through a lot of the nuances of the position and I think he is someone that can help those guys.  It has been good."

What is Stanley Jean-Baptiste progression been since camp?

"He's picked things up.  There is a lot going on with the different coverages we are playing. He has handled it and is getting a lot of work.  So far he has done well."

Is it difficult at all to start building your off season program without a guy that is such a significant piece of it being Jimmy Graham?

"I think Ben (Watson) has been outstanding.  We haven't had to change anything in our formations and what we are doing from a scheme standpoint.  Josh Hill is someone that he too has really picked things up from last year.  There are times where we have had to deal with an injury, for instance, not being able to play Jimmy, so I don't know if there has really been any change with regards to installation or play design if at all any.  It is just a matter of not having another player especially someone like Jimmy who has that range and size, that can handle the defense inside, and add to your threat at tight end, but the other guys have been doing well.  It really hasn't changed camp for that much."

Is it basically the equivalent of having an injured player?

"That would be a good way to describe it."

Do you look forward to the weather that you will have in The Greenbrier?

"Yeah, I think that will be good and really relative to the heat we practice here, normally today even, we would say is pretty decent.  We took enough breaks but it gets a lot hotter than this.  I think we have been fortunate through our spring here and early summer with the OTAs and the Minicamp weather, it seems as if it hasn't been that bad.  We haven't been rained on and then jumping ahead to July and August, early August before we come back here, I think that will be a good change up for us.  The facility there is well under way with regards to the construction, the fields and all of those things seem to be moving along well.  I think the temperatures certainly will be 10-15 degrees lower than they would be here and probably less humidity."

Are you pleased with what The Greenbrier is building for you?

"You guys will see it.  First off, there will be two grass fields.  There will be a field turf there.  Three fields total.  The football facility is real nice, two stories, brand new, meeting rooms, cafeteria, weight room, all of those things.  There is no indoor (field) there.  The logistics from where you are sleeping to where you are meeting to where you are practicing to where you are eating, all of that is right there.  The field turf basically becomes your inclement weather option if we are receiving a lot of rain.  No different than Jackson, the thing that keeps you from practicing would be lightning.  We will be able to deal with that and make due."

You liked Oxnard, Ca. so much, is that sort of the vision you wanted to create at the Greenbrier?

"Really two fold; I like the idea of change.  We have been to Jackson and that really was perfect for us at that time, 2006, 2007, and 2008.  The setup there was very good.  Certainly it was hot and very challenging, but the facilities, the dorms, all of those things were fairly close in proximity.  There wasn't a lot of walking and driving to practice or facilities.  Same thing we have here when we moved back here in 2009, and I think you will see the same thing from a convenience standpoint.  There is just not a lot of travel from where you are sleeping to where you are eating and you meeting room space.  Credit Jim Justice and the people there because he really built it to spec.  I remember the first time looking at it and trying to find something that we might need and it was all there.  You guys will see, the hotel and the facilities there will be fantastic.  We are excited about it and bringing camp back after our first home preseason game and we will continue here and have a little bit of balance of getting some of the heat here before we get started."

What are your thoughts on Brodrick Bunkley?

"He is doing well.  It is tough for a nose (tackle) in these OTAs and minicamp because there is only so much you can do.  He is in good shape and healthy.  That has been good."

How is Derrick Strozier picking things up after moving from defense to offense and does he have a leg up coming from Tulane?

"He is really, really sharp.  I don't know if there is any leg ahead only because he played defense for them.  I think he was their team MVP as a nickel defensive back.  When he came to our local workout at that point I know he wanted to come back and work out on offense because he didn't feel like the opportunity would present itself with his size as a defensive player.  To his credit, his work out here on the local day was fantastic.  He is very smart.  He picks things up very quickly.  He is sudden.  He has good hands.  It was a good addition for us.  The transition for him has gone quick and he is one of those guys that just has very good football instincts.  It has been pretty rapid and I don't know that many of our guys here would even know that he was playing defense last year or the year before.  But to his credit, he's studied and he has a pretty good handle on what we are doing, especially for a first-year guy."