Wednesday’s practice at New Orleans Saints training camp was a big reversal from Tuesday’s session. 15 players weren’t seen at practice the days before, and all but four of them returned on Aug. 24: wide receiver Kevin White, who was sent to injured reserve; and the trio of wide receiver Michael Thomas, tight end Adam Trautman, and defensive end Carl Granderson.
Among the small crowd of 11 returning players, four took part in team drills — tight end Taysom Hill (who was limited on Tuesday after missing the two prior practices), right guard Cesar Ruiz, right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith. Players who returned to work on a limited basis were running back Dwayne Washington, defensive backs P.J. Williams and Alontae Taylor, and backup right tackle Landon Young. Those held back as spectators in street clothes included left tackle James Hurst, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, plus linebackers Pete Werner and Chase Hansen.
It’s a great sign of the team’s overall improving health, and of the influence Matt Rhea is bringing in his first year as their sports science director. He specialized in managing soft tissue problems at Alabama and cut those injuries in half before joining New Orleans. If he’s advising the team to take it easy with some players getting heavy workloads, it’s wise of them to ease the pressure and avoid risking injury.
Players have spoken highly of Rhea’s impact over the summer, especially those recovering from season-ending injuries like Thomas and Wil Lutz. Injury prevention is just as important as recovery, if not moreso, and things are trending in the right direction on that front. But the real test arrives when the season starts and live contact ramps up. That’s when we’ll see if all this work pays off.
