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Observations from New Orleans Saints training camp | Tuesday, Aug. 16

Green Bay was a perfect setting for the joint practices with the Packers

1. What a setup:

If you have never been to Green Bay to watch the Green Bay Packers practice in August or play a game in Lambeau Field, put it on your football bucket list. You really can't explain the scene unless you see it for yourself. It mirrors New Orleans in a lot of ways, especially how the city lives and breathes and identifies with its football team. Of course, Lambeau Field could be argued is the most iconic stadium in all of sports, and it serves as the backdrop to the Packers practice facility. First, players from both teams are brought to and from Lambeau via golf cart (unless you're one of the lucky local kids who bring their bikes that a Packer player uses to go back across the street). Clarke Hinkle Field is on S. Oneida Street directly across the street from Lambeau, and where the Saints went through walk-through, stretch, and individual drills. The Don Hutson Center is the Packers indoor facility, and on the other side of the indoor is Ray Nitschke Field, on which all the joint practice took place. Two separate natural grass fields where the Packers offense went against the Saints defense on the north field, and Saints offense against Packers defense on the south field. The east side of Nitschke Field has seating for 1,000 fans or so, and fans also line the outside perimeter of the chain link fence on both sets of fields to get a look in. All the while during the two-hour plus the teams practiced in bright sunshine and mild mid 70s temperatures. Just a perfect setting for a training camp practice, and both teams were able to get quality work in as they will do the same Wednesday.

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2. Getting guys back:

A host of players did not play in preseason game No. 1 against the Houston Texans last Saturday night, due to rest or injury. Well on Tuesday for practice No. 1 against the Packers, we saw a lot return. First and foremost, quarterback Jameis Winston returned to the practice field for the first time since spraining his right foot eight days ago. Winston was seen throwing before practice with full pads on before most of the team arrived to Clarke Hinkle Field. He then signed a few autographs, went back to the locker room and was a spectator for the remainder of the day. His status for Wednesday will be evaluated Tuesday night and prior to practice Wednesday morning, according to Coach Dennis Allen. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore also returned after nursing a hamstring for a week as well and participated fully. Tight end Taysom Hill participated fully wearing a black jersey and not the red non-contact jersey. Defensive back Alontae Taylor also was back after missing the last few practices with a hip flexor. The only two Saints who did not participate were linebacker Pete Werner (groin) and tight end Nick Vannett, who did not make the trip due to illness.

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3. Plays of the Day:

Full disclosure, I was more focused on the Saints defense Tuesday vs the Packers offense (it's impossible to be on both fields at once, and Wednesday I will flip the script). During team drills (there were no one-on-ones today only 11-on-11 as pre-determined by the coaches to reduce the risk of altercations) lots of situational reps were run through. In one of those third down situational reps, Packer quarterback Jordan Love (who the Saints will see on Friday night in the preseason game) tried a deep ball down the left sideline, which also happened to be the sideline the Saints team occupied. Cornerback Bradley Roby high-pointed the throw and came down with his unofficial sixth training camp interception, setting off a celebration of the Saints defense on the bench. I was able to catch a bit of the Saints red zone offense work against the Packers defense and was able to see an Andy Dalton touchdown pass to running back Alvin Kamara (who Allen praised after practice as having his best camp), where Kamara leaked out across the middle left to right and Dalton hit him in stride for the easy 10-yard touchdown. More observations on Wednesday.

The New Orleans Saints took the field for practice during 2022 Saints Training Camp presented by Rouses Markets on Tuesday, August 16 against the Green Bay Packers at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin ahead of their game in week 2 of the 2022 NFL Preseason.

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