Football is back in New Orleans!
Today, the New Orleans Saints‘ Rookie Minicamp begins, and although this may be a minor offseason event, some interesting tidbits can be revealed. So, let’s look at some things to watch out for.
QB Tyler Shough
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Much of the focus is on QB Tyler Shough. This is expected with how surprising of a pick it was to the National Media, and that the Saints really drafted a QB in the first two rounds. Also, Derek Carr’s future with the team is still in the air, and Shough could be the starter in week 1. Getting a first look at the rookie will be important for this coaching staff, and we may hear some really positive (or not) quotes from rookie minicamp. This could give us a potential hint as to how the Saints feel entering into the competition for the starting QB.
OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
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In the case of Kelvin Banks Jr., this conversation is more about position rather than how the player is doing at practice. Yes, if things are just horrible and there are a number of issues that have been revealed with Banks, that is something essential to notice, but going into the rookie minicamp, where Banks is playing, is a big question. The Saints drafting him at 9 could hint that the team believes he is a tackle, but that may not be where he plays in year one. Trevor Penning is still on the team, and if the Saints really believe he can be the RT for this season, Banks will play LG. This is the one position that may not be revealed during rookie minicamp, but tackle should be. The Saints have some flexibility with which side Banks and Taliese Fuaga can play on, and at practice, we can get the first glimpse at what the Saints’ plans are for the two tackles.
Any Other Standout players
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This time of the offseason can also be where we start hearing murmurs of standout players throughout practice. Once those quotes start coming out about specific players, you can tell that those players have made an impression on the coaching staff. This is something to remember when going into training camp and the preseason, where we can see the real impact, these rookies are making on the roster.
Some players I have my eyes on going into rookie minicamp are RB Devin Neal, OLB/EDGE Fadil Diggs, RB Marcus Yarns, and DT Vernon Broughton.