New Orleans Saints Center/Guard Will Clapp
Video Call with New Orleans Media
Thursday, April 22, 2021

Opening remarks:
"First, I just want to thank Mrs. Benson, Mickey Loomis and Coach Payton and the rest of the coaching staff. It's super exciting to be back for a fourth year and playing in New Orleans has been pretty awesome for the first three. So I'm excited to be back."

How have you adapted to your role as you've grown in the Saints' system?
"(I've) really just been trying to do everything I can just to get on the field. When I first got here, our offensive line room was pretty loaded and I realized, just from always being able to play a guard and center, I'd have to do that obviously in a backup role. Then taking on the jumbo tight end role as well in certain games, and really just being there for whatever the team needs. That's just kind of how you survive in a backup role in the league and just trying to keep getting better and eventually earn a starting job."

Did you have any or explore any other opportunities? And what made this a place you wanted to come back to and play?
"We looked around, but there was nothing I felt like was better than the Saints' offer in terms of what they are offering on top of just what my role would be. Obviously, the Saints have a special place in my heart, and I'm glad I could be back with them."

Your role last year changed a little bit from the year before. You were sometimes a healthy scratch. How did you balance that and knowing that this is a place you want to be, but you're probably not playing as much as you'd want to be?
"I mean, it's just a competition every year. There's nothing guaranteed in this league and week in and week out, you've got to prove it. Last year obviously was a down year from a playtime perspective, just from my second year to my third year. And I look forward to earning that time back and being one of the guys that we can rely on."

I'm curious what your kind of feeling is getting a chance to work with Brendan Nugent as your full time offensive line coach now. What do you think that's going to be like for you guys?
"Yeah, I think Nuge is a great coach. Obviously, the past few years teams have tried to go get him and Coach Payton obviously keeps making it a priority to keep him around just because of how great of a coach he is. And I'm very excited just to have him in a full-time role. He's a great coach, he really understands just like, getting us in the right techniques for each individual person. Everybody does something a little different. And he works with us and talks us through it. Yeah, just the way he views the game is great for a coaching standpoint and we're glad to have him."

Not only is the coaching staff going to look a little different, but the offensive side of the ball is gonna look different, you're going to have a new quarterback, have you thought much about what it's going to be like playing with Jameis (Winston) or Taysom (Hill) depending on who wins the job?
"Yeah, I mean, I think there'll be obviously slight differences just from Drew (Brees) to Taysom or Jameis or whoever it is. Honestly, I think you'll see the core of the offense stay the same. All those guys are great, great quarterbacks, and obviously Taysom does some different things than Jameis would and vice versa, but I think the core of the offense will definitely stay the same. We didn't lose that many core players and I'm excited to come back to a team that pretty much has everything back."