By Ross Jackson
Day two of New Orleans Saints training camp is here and after a day without a lot of action to start things off, we expect the intensity to rise as the week progresses. That means day two, another shorter day as the Saints work through their acclimation period, might not provide a ton of fireworks, but there will still be standout moments and performances.
Here are three players we’ll be keeping a close eye on throughout the second day of camp.
Quarterback Tyler Shough
After spending the first day of camp with the second team, Shough is set to receive reps with the first team on Thursday. Head coach Kellen Moore attributed quarterback Spencer Rattler starting with the first team day one to his year of seniority over Shough, an interesting omission of third-year passer Jake Haener. Now, Shough looks to be in line for his first full-team reps of the offseason.
Rattler started with an impressive and decisive day. Now Shough will follow with a chance to put on a show of his own. The rookie passer’s deep-ball accuracy has been impressive. It will be enticing if he uncorks a couple on Thursday for some downfield completions. But any continued progress shown in his speed getting through progressions and making quick decisions, even if they lead to checkdowns, will be just as positive a showing for the young passer.
Safety Jordan Howden
The third-year safety is a talented deep coverage safety and has been given a lot of time on task in the box since arriving in the NFL. On Wednesday, he was given first team safety reps following the surprise retirement of Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Holding on to that spot could set Howden up with an exciting trajectory for 2025. However, he’ll have to hold off rookie Jonas Sanker and new veteran addition Julian Blackmon in the process. If the Saints choose to rotate starting safeties each day, this position’s intrigue will keep getting more and more intense.
Edge Rusher Isaiah Foskey
A lot of the public is down on Foskey. The former second-round pick was drafted as a pass rusher with elite production, forced into a run-stopping role and then relegated to special teams. So, it’s no wonder that he sees a real opportunity to right the ship now that he’s being primarily used as a standup pass rusher.
Veteran edge Cam Jordan gave Foskey high praise during his day one media availability. “Isaiah’s growing into his own,” he said. “He’s getting better and better every time I see him.”
That’s some welcome insight in the 2023 second-round pick that faces a make or break season. Putting it together throughout training camp will be imperative.
Lagniappe: Safety Julian Blackmon and Defensive Lineman Jonathan Bullard
The Saints made the signings of both Blackmon and Bullard official following the first day of camp. That should put them in line to be present for day two. The question will be how quickly they get to participate. If both are out on the field their first day, they will certainly be worth watching to note when and where they fit into the rotation. These two will find themselves back on this list in the future as they get caught up and settled in.
