Some observations following Saints’ preseason opener

By Ed Daniels, Sports
Clarion Herald

What we saw at quarterback from the Saints in the first preseason game at Baltimore was what we have seen in most of training camp.

Some good, some not so good.

Just a gut feeling: If the competition is super close, Jameis Winston is going to have to take the job from Taysom Hill, not vice versa.

In the meantime, I keep thinking back to all of those water cooler conversations at work; you know, the ones when the Saints lost (rarely) in the last four seasons.

Fan: I think Drew Brees should retire.

Me: Watch what you ask for in life, you might get it.

In the preseason game TV telecast, Saints head coach Sean Payton said the following about his quarterbacks: “I am anxious to see these guys perform.”

Let’s hope he is still saying the same thing in October.

Some other observations: Even when Michael Thomas returns, the Saints will be looking at a lot of single, high-safety coverage. Teams will sneak a safety into the box to slow a running game that features a talented offensive line and Alvin Kamara, one of the best backs in the NFL.

The Saints might be better on defense than many thought. Linebacker Zack Baun, a third-round pick a year ago, looks like a guy who is highly motivated.

   Baun understands that the Saints spent a second-round pick (Pete Werner) on a linebacker, and the club re-signed veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander, who is making a comeback after tearing his Achilles tendon against the Vikings.

Cornerback Paulson Adebo looks solid. He is tall, appears to run well and has a nose for the football.

The Saints are stacked at defensive end, and on passing downs, some of the ends will likely move inside to play tackle.

It looks to me like the Saints will be able to weather the six-game suspension of defensive tackle David Onyemata. When he returns, the Saints will get back one of the top interior pass rushers in the NFC.

Running back Tony Jones, even though he is in his second season, played in only one game a year ago. He had three carries for 13 yards in the final regular-season game. He could be this year’s Pierre Thomas, a free agent runner who played eight seasons.

Jones showed decisiveness running the football and the ability to cut back. On his 18-yard touchdown run, Jones made a nice cutback and took advantage of a Baltimore defensive back who was caught inside.

Michael Thomas, who was recently involved in a very public spat with the club over the timing of his recent ankle surgery, appeared on the sideline. The Saints, very thin at receiver, need Thomas, who this week was ranked No. 72 in the top 100 players on the NFL network.

Payton said it was good to have Thomas on the sideline, but that his appearance wasn’t “a Kumbaya moment.” The Saints can’t afford the cap hit that trading Thomas would bring.

But, I do not think that Thomas will end his career as a New Orleans Saint. In 2021, and perhaps in 2022, he and the Saints are a marriage of convenience.

Ed Daniels is sports director at ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at ed@nextstar.tv.