New Orleans Saints players hold private workout
Members of the New Orleans Saints National Football League (NFL) team held a private workout on Tuesday 3 May, 2011 at Tulane University.
Super Bowl XLIV Most Valuable Player (MVP) quarterback Drew Brees was back in a huddle for the first time since the Saints’ season ended surrounded by not only offensive players, but special teams and defence members as well. Some of those players aren’t
even under contract with the Saints, meaning free agents.
Brees booked Tulane’s field and facilities and invited teammates from every part of the country to go to New Orleans to workout with the team. About 40 players of the team’s 52-man roster showed up to work with Brees, one of the few leaders that players
have at time when the NFL lockout prohibits players from having contact with team management and vice versa.
"We would all be working out somewhere anyway, so why not do it together and why not do it in an organized fashion where it's very football-related," Brees said. "It's preparing us to have a championship season, and I feel like it's putting us way ahead
of other teams around the league, just by the fact that we're so organized."
Although workouts and minicamps usually take place in May or June, players want to get an early start because the fate of the 2011 season is still uncertain. If the lockout lingers into those months, the practices will have to be cancelled.
After the Saints players broke out of the huddle with Brees, they made groups and began agility and conditioning drills, wearing T-shirts and shorts with no helmets.
Brees said that later on, they might even work on plays, formations and maybe even film study, depending on the lookout of the labour situation. He plans on three workouts per week in May and some of June, following the normal routine for offseason practices
that they would if they were training with their team.
Free agents Jermon Bushrod, left tackle, fullback Heath Evans and safety Darren Sharper were those that practiced even though they are not sure to be with the Saints next season. Bushrod says that the private workouts will give him a chance to “get back
to where I need to be to be successful.” However, other free agents such as receiver Lance Moore did not attend but Brees does not have a problem with them not showing up.
"I don't blame them if they're not here just because the risk with all this is we have no injury protection," Brees said.
Brees also said that he has been in correspondence with running back Reggie Bush. He seemed distraught after the Saints drafted Mark Ingram, running back from the University of Alabama, tweeting “It’s been fun New Orleans.” Brees sent an encouraging text
message to Bush after reading his post.
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