Day two of New Orleans Saints training camp brought a little bit of everything: intensity, some sloppiness up front, and an early glimpse at a real quarterback competition.
Things got chippy during the middle portion of practice, when a brief fight broke out between players.
I got a chance to ask Justin Reid about the scuffle, and he didn’t seem fazed.
“It’s all good,” he said with a grin. “Just some guys trying to set the tone. It happens, but it’s nothing to worry about. I knew I wasn’t getting involved in it.”
The good news? No injuries again today, which is a big deal considering what happened at Jets practice: Justin Fields being carted off with a toe injury.
For a Saints team that was devastated by injuries last year, stringing together clean practices is a quiet but important win.
That said, it wasn’t all positive. The offensive line struggled throughout the day, with several plays getting blown up in the backfield. Whether it was pressure off the edge or interior penetration, the protection just wasn’t there.
Some within the fanbase had voiced concerns about the line being a potential weak spot heading into camp, and today’s practice only added fuel to that fire.
Despite the protection issues, Spencer Rattler continued to stand out. He did throw one interception, but it looked more like a busted route than a bad read. He handled pressure well and looked very comfortable running the offense, taking the majority of first-team snaps.
Tyler Shough had a quiet day, not bad, but not anything that demanded attention. Meanwhile, Jake Haener had a strong performance with a couple of nice throws, including one dart on a rollout, but overall, it was clearly the Rattler show today. With that said, Haener deserves a lot of praise.
It’s early, but if the second day of training camp is any indication, the quarterback competition is shaping up to be really good, and right now, Rattler has the edge.