Top Position Battles At New Orleans Saints Training Camp! | Shough vs Rattler, CB Competition!

Top Position Battles At New Orleans Saints Training Camp! | Shough vs Rattler, CB Competition!

I had to have our guy Nick Underh Hill on. He’s a wealth of knowledge. You got training camp coming up. So, uh, we’re going to go out to the phone lines. Nick Underh Hill, New Orleans. Football joining us right now. Nick, how are you on this Friday? I’m doing great, man. How you doing? Doing good. Thanks for thanks for hopping on. I know it’s been a crazy week. We kind of had to adjust a few things. Um, look, Nick, Saints training camp right around the corner, but where I want to start, you know, it’s all the talk had been about these second round picks all holding out, you know, uh, contract situations and all that. like where do things stand with Shel contractwise right now? It’s still a standoff. Uh the guys ahead of them are still getting fully guaranteed deals. Uh I think Seattle just gave one last night um for the 35th pick and and Chuck’s picked 40. So I think where it’s kind of at right now is is you saw just kind of over the last couple days like the avalanche in the back half of the second round. Those guys have all started to sign because one of them buckled and accepted non-g guaranteed money. So that means everyone behind him isn’t getting all of their money guaranteed. But as it stands right now, Houston guaranteed that that contract to the 33rd pick. Um, so everybody behind him is still kind of holding out to see if they can get their contract fully guaranteed and Chuck is at pick 40. So I think it’s just a matter of seeing what happens ahead of him or seeing if the Saints buckle at this point. And you know, it’s kind of a a funny thing. I mean, I get it from from a team perspective and you know, as Pablo Tori and Mike Florio have been pointing out, like there there is a lot of reason to believe there’s collusion in the NFL and, you know, I think um, you know, this is a situation where teams obviously don’t want to set a precedent and there, you know, it’s out in the open. They if you guarantee down to pick 47 this year, then next year everybody down to pick 47 is getting guaranteed. Now, pick 48’s fighting. And then, you know, before you know it, the guy it’s into the third round and the third rounders are fighting for it. So, I get it from a team perspective, you know, for for Tyler Shuck and these other guys, like the the real issue at hand here is is really comes down to, you know, a little bit about a million bucks, a million and some change of money they want guaranteed. It’s less than 10% of the total contract. It’s not going to change anybody’s reality really. Um, you know, and if we were talking about a safety, I might feel a little bit different about it. You know, like, okay, well, you probably want to be able to walk away in year four if it doesn’t work out. Isaiah Fosski was the 40th pick in the draft at one point in time. Um, you know, as I look at it, if it doesn’t work out this year, I I hope they can walk away from him and and not have any dead money on the books. Uh, on the flip side of this though, we’re talking about a quarterback like a guy that they drafted at 40 to start this year. I mean, it’s kind of an unprecedented situation. I I can’t remember the last time a second rounder was drafted with the idea that they were going to have to start on, you know, potentially day one if things work out. I mean, it’s just it’s a crazy situation. And, you know, kind of through that context, like, let’s let’s change the parameters of this discussion. Like if if Tyler Shuck, you know, had an ankle sprain and there was a a guy in Germany that could get him back on the field without missing a practice, but it would cost $1.5 million to heal the ankle. I don’t think anybody would bat an eye a her spending that money, you know, to get him back on the field. Like, I think the time is is that imperative in this situation. I you know, I I think a day missed is is a huge missed opportunity. So, you know, they took the the last day off of mini camp and like privately like I hated it. It’s like you got two guys that are trying to get ready for the season and you’re not practicing today. And you know, they were kind of practicing at double time. They got all their reps in. Like I understand it. Team building matters too. But like looking at it that way, I was just kind of like, man, like Tyler Shuck like another day of practice is invaluable. If this goes into training camp and he’s missing days like I I feel like it’s a it’s a it’s a huge opportunity loss. You know, the way these things are kind of falling into place. It seems like it’s probably going to get settled before then. Um, you know, I will say though, like we saw how the Saints sweated out Derek Carr and, you know, all these other guys like Mickey Lumis does not fold in these situations very often. Um, so it’s going to be interesting to see what happens if they’re still at a standoff. But like, you know, the the the matter hand is is really about a million dollars in guaranteed money four years from now. And you know, I I I’ve killed them for their cap management for years, so I don’t want to like sit here and talk out of like both sides of my mouth, but like I don’t know, man. a million bucks on having a chance to to a better chance of of fixing your quarterback situation. Like, if it comes down to Tuesday morning and this ain’t done, I I can’t sit here and say that I’m not going to be standing there on the sideline like, you know, wondering what the hell they’re doing. Like, I I would just give him the money at that point. Right. Right. Uh, speaking of camp coming up, Nick, obviously, everyone’s going to watch the quarterback battle if Shuck’s there between Chuck and Spencer Rattler, but maybe outside of QB, like top position battles you’re watching, what what are those? I mean, there’s a handful of them. I think, you know, I think especially running backs one behind Camaro that that’s really interesting. There’s a lot of veteran guys there. Kendrick Miller, Clyde Edwards, uh, you know, they brought in the rookie. Like, there’s a bunch of guys that that I think are competing for reps there that that make it really interesting. Uh, you know, I think safety’s kind of a a quietly and interesting situation, too. Like, they were seem to be really high on Jordan Hen during these these practices during the uh, you know, the early part of the summer. They brought in Jonas Tanker. Um, you know, Tyron’s obviously there. Reed’s obviously there. I don’t know how they’re all going to fit together. They were playing Hen with with the the the starters opposite Reed. Um, you know, Tyron was obviously uh, you know, not at the uh, voluntary portion, was brought back a little bit slowly uh, through mini camp. I expect them to be back out there with the ones, but you know, I I think they they have a a high view of Jordan Hutton and, you know, kind of how that all sorts out. I think it’s going to be fascinating. I I really do think the biggest one other than than quarterback besides Trevor Penning versus himself uh and just trying to be a confident player. I I think uh the other one is at quarterback between uh Quincy Riley and uh I Adam and I think that kind of has like like pretty big future implications as well. Now, obviously, like odds are probably, you know, maybe both of them don’t don’t work out as a long-term solution, but if Riley can win that job and and he’s he’s a solid starter, I mean, that’s a huge answer going into to next year. And and we’ve talked, you know, a bunch of times on here just about how uncertain that position is and and how much they they really might have to invest in it next off seasonason if Taylor gets out of here. You know, Kool-Aid’s still under contract, but I think he he’s, you know, has some stuff to prove this year. And then you have the hole at the other one. Still, if you got two holes, like that’s that’s a lot to uh try to figure out, you know, especially if you’re you’re trying to draft an edge rusher and you might need uh and you know, if you aren’t planning on signing Chris Ave to the uh the Garrett Wilson contract, um you know, wide receivers is a huge need next year. So, if you can uh well, not next year, but I mean, you’d be in the last year of that deal and be staring it down. But, um, yeah, I mean, I think I think, uh, I think that quarterback position is a huge one. If you can scratch that off the list, it would be it would be a massive, uh, thing for the future of the franchise. Yeah, Nick, a lot of people, uh, have been talking about that cornerback battle, but I want to go back to something you just mentioned about Yonas Sanker at that safety spot. Like, look, you bring in Justin Reed, you still have Ty in there. You mentioned Jordan Hen, but whether it’s you, whether it’s, you know, anybody that’s been out there has raved about Yonas Sanker, like is there a realistic shot that he could start at safety for this team this year? I don’t know if he starts, but I I think he’s definitely in that that, you know, development cannon to to where there’s actual potential there. I I really really liked watching him. Um, you know, I think the guy that gets the most value out of him this year is going to be Phil Galliano on special teams. his special teams reps are like insane. It really you go through and watch that stuff and there’s not a lot of a lot of like you know gunners that that you you go and watch on, you know, and you can get a whole YouTube cut off of him, but like they’re out there at him and and he looks really really good there. His instincts really stood out in in camp. You know, he jumps routes well. I think kind of the vision based defense they play suits his skill set really well. Just kind of can sit back there and read stuff and make some plays. you know, I think he has a chance to get some real reps this year, but you know, I think I think the the most likely thing is is sort of, you know, like they bring in Bon Bell a year early and, you know, that type of situation where where they get some reps as a rookie, they’re in that development situation and then they’re ready uh the next year. But, I mean, having those any of those guys exposed to Tyron like for a year, I I think helps quite a bit. Um, you know, the leadership back there is really good, but I I think when it comes down to it, the starters are going to be going to be reading Tyron probably. um you know, in a nickel package, it looks like they’re probably leaning more toward uh three uh three corners. You know, in dime, I think he could maybe get some some dime reps for sure. Him and Hen will be competing for that. So, I think there’ll be opportunities there for for him to get on the field, but um look, if he if he were to push his way up this year, that’d be outstanding. Um you know, they need good young players to build around. I don’t think there’s enough on the team. I think he does have a chance though to be a good player. I I I really really like that pick. I like the value and even if it’s not like a it’s safety, I think he’s going to be an an absolute weapon on special teams. Just one more for you before we get you out of here. Nick Underh Hill of New Orleans. Football joining us right now. I want to switch to the offensive side. Nick, I was scanning New Orleans. Football yesterday, reading the article you guys put out about, you know, what you want Alvin Chimera’s role to be in the upcoming season, but like, you know, we know Chimera is going to be the lead back. Like, there’s no question about that. I want to look at the guys maybe behind him because there’s a lot of bodies there all of a sudden, but not a ton of proven guys in terms of this this building. Like, who do you think kind of emerges behind Alvin Chimera? Man, that’s such a tough question. I mean, I I’d probably put my my bet on Deon Neil right now just because like I I don’t know, like they got something invested in them. Um, but man, like it’s just it’s it’s so wide open and I don’t know that anyone really distinguished themselves in uh in in the summer portion of practice. I hate that. Like I just can’t I can’t quit on Kre Miller. Like I have no idea. But like I I just feel like there has to be a football coach somewhere in America that can take his skill set and put him on the field and just find a way to get use out of him even if it isn’t perfect everywhere else. Like we we’ve seen him rip off like 11 yard runs when when he doesn’t know the play. Like there has to be a way to to make it work with him. I mean his his athleticism, his ability is crazy. I talked to him earlier this offseason. He told me this is like the most comfortable he’s ever felt coming into a season. He was healthy the whole offseason. He could focus more on, you know, what he needs to do in the role instead of trying to get healthy. He feels like he’s ready to hit the ground running. You know, he’s out there practicing in, you know, the OTAAS and mini camp for the first time in his career. like maybe that sets up for him, but I don’t know. I mean, I I think it’s I think it’s one of the most fascinating things, you know, going into these these practices. And, you know, the thing that I always it’s just hard it’s hard to tell like in in a training camp situation, too, because they aren’t tackling. And, you know, I’m just reminded at 2017, like we’re out there the whole summer watching those practices, and like we know Alvin’s good, like there’s things that stand out, but we had no idea like about the contact balance and what he was actually going to be. And there, if you go back and look at that coverage, there’s no one like predicting difference maker, superstar status. It’s like, yeah, they got a they got a nice back. Like he might give them the satellite back they’ve been missing. Then you get to the preseason and in that first game, he has the the crazy run. He’s bouncing off everybody. It’s like, who the hell is this guy? And, you know, it’s just kind of it’s kind of hard from our perspective to really like know out here for it. So, I think that’s really going to be something that that we kind of see in the uh in the preseason. Um, but I it is it is a big battle and it is like it’s important to a certain degree. I mean, you don’t want Alvin having to carry the ball 250 times. Like, you know, for for my money, like I want him around here for, you know, a couple more years. I I don’t want him to get worn out and just get used up in a season that just probably, you know, all things considered, probably isn’t going to amount to a whole lot. So, I, you know, I I just don’t want to see him like have to be the focal point of the offense on like every single play. You already got, you know, a young quarterback. Probably aren’t going to be a whole lot of attempts there. Like, you’re probably figuring like 3,800 yards or something like that. That’s what Jaden and Caleb were at last year. So, that means you’re going to be running a lot. So, you know, RB2 is going to be a very important position. Nick Underh Hill of New Orleans. Football. Check out him and the team stuff over there at New Orleans. Football. Nick, thank you so much for hopping on with me today. Yeah, no problem, man. Take it easy.

On Off The Bench, Taylor Sharp was joined by Nick Underhill of neworleans.football to preview Training Camp.

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