Saints training camp Day 11: Derek Carr and Spencer Rattler continue to shine

DRESS CODE: Pads

ATTENDANCE: Defensive linemen Payton Turner and Nathan Shepherd both returned to Saints practice Monday after missing just one day each with toe injuries.

The list of players sidelined by injuries remains long, though. DB Ugo Amadi (groin) and offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (tricep) were new absences Monday. And still sidelined were: CB Marshon Lattimore (hip flexor), CB Paulson Adebo (groin), LB Demario Davis (hamstring) LB Pete Werner (shoulder), LB Jaylan Ford (unspecified), WR Rashid Shaheed (hamstring), WR Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring), WR Bub Means (shin), RB Kendre Miller (hamstring), G Nick Saldiveri (calf) and DE Trajan Jeffcoat (elbow).

RB Alvin Kamara had his first scheduled maintenance day of camp, leaving after the early walkthrough session. And QB Jake Haener missed practice Monday, as scheduled, to have a procedure on a bump on his face that was diagnosed as skin cancer.

CARR COOKS: The Saints are going into the off day with another good performance by the offense.

Derek Carr completed 10 of 15 passes throughout the day and was in perfect command of the offense again. His only hiccup came when he sailed a pass intended for Mason Tipton over the middle that Shemar Jean-Charles intercepted. It looked like there was a miscommunication on the play more so than a missed throw.

Six of Carr's completions went to Chris Olave, who has had a great connection with Carr this offseason. He's showing up repeatedly, and Monday was no different. One of the best moments between the two was when Carr noticed something within the defense, made a call at the line of scrimmage, and then hit a wide-open Olave for a long gain.

Carr's best series was again in the hurry-up. The team drilled having 1:15 on the clock, one timeout and needing a field goal. Carr responded by hitting Jamaal Williams twice and Taysom Hill before missing on throws to Olave and Jordan Mims. A Bryan Bresee pressure blew up the one to Mims.

This put the Saints in a fourth-and-long situation, but Carr found Olave up the middle and picked up the first down. A short run by Mims set up Blake Grupe to hit the field goal from 48. The drive almost got blown up because the team failed to get set quickly at the line of scrimmage and had to rush to get a snap off to clock it before the field goal.

RATTLER UP: With Haener out of action, Rattler got more reps and finished his day 15-of-19.

The rookie is taking advantage of his opportunities and continues to improve and make his mark. The quarterback makes some really impressive throws that the other players in camp might struggle with if they attempted them.

One of his strengths is making throws on the move, which is beneficial in an offense that features many bootlegs. He hit one on the move to Marquez Callaway and then hit Cedrick Wilson Jr., who was late in the progression, deep down the field while on the move.

His highlight moment might have been a deep out route to Mason Tipton on the sideline.

The only real hiccup was a late throw to Callaway deep down the field. One of his other misses was a dropped pass.

Rattler had a strong hurry-up drive when he hit his first three passes to put the team in field goal range. It was a nice, focused drive that accomplished everything it needed to accomplish.

GOOD SIGHTING: Davis popped up momentarily during the early portion of practice and was seen walking around. That's a good sign for his health. Dennis Allen said earlier this week that Davis would be able to play through the injury if there were a game, but they're being smart about it given the timing.

The injuries at linebacker have opened up some good reps for competition, and we can see the depth at that position is very good. Willie Gay Jr. has taken advantage of the opportunity and is flashing more often. But Anfernee Orji and D'Marco Jackson are also standing out. The team might have some interesting cuts to make at the position. There simply isn't enough room for everyone, so some good players will get cut.

RAMPING UP: Juwan Johnson's return from a fractured foot is on the right path. The tight end has progressed from getting some work in before and after practice to doing conditioning work with a trainer on a side field during practice. He's getting closer.

INSIDE 2-on-2s: The offensive line and defensive line worked on 2-on-2 drills where two pass rushers go against two offensive linemen. This allows the players to work in combos on both sides of the ball. Here are some highlights:

The combination of Trevor Penning and Cesar Ruiz looked like they won twice against Cam Jordan and Carl Granderson. Penning and Ruiz later split reps against Granderson and Kendal Vickers.

Kyle Hergel was sensational during the drill. He had a good rep against Khristian Boyd and then got a turn with the first-team offense and blocked Chase Young and Bryan Bresee. On the rep against Bresee, he got tossed to the ground at the end, but he held up long enough to win the rep. Hergel has been consistently good and has a real chance of making the team.

Bresee looked good during the drill. He had a nice rep against Lucas Patrick. Bresee looks like he's come back in better shape than last year and his quickness is standing out.

DIME REPS: Not sure we've seen Jordan Howden on the main field during walkthroughs, but he was over there today, starting alongside Tyrann Mathieu. The team was installing dime packages. There's still a possibility that the team will rotate different guys into different roles based on the down, distance and offensive personnel.

REPLACEMENT SNAPS: Cornerbacks Shemar Jean-Charles and Rejzohn Wright continued to get the first-team snaps on the outside when Alontae Taylor was in the slot, while rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry remained primarily with the second string despite the absences of both Lattimore and Adebo. … The Saints continued to rotate Lucas Patrick and Oli Udoh at left guard with the starting unit. … Orji got some valuable snaps with the 1s in nickel, base and dime formations during the first team session. But Jackson got most of the work as the starting Mike for the rest of the 11-on-11 sessions.

GRUPE'S HIGHS AND LOWS: The Saints kicker battle continues to be a mix of hits and misses. Grupe made his longest field goal of camp to date from 61 yards Monday. But he finished 8 of 10 on the day, including a missed 46-yard attempt that bounced off the left upright in the simulated hurry-up-drill with the 2s at the end of practice.

"I think it's been a good competition, you know. (But) I think both players have been a little bit more inconsistent than I would like right now," coach Dennis Allen said of the battle between Grupe and Charlie Smyth (not to mention their quest to avoid the Saints looking outside of the building at the kicker position).

"I mean, obviously, you know, I'm expecting 100%. And so I think we still have work to do in that area. But both of them have talent. Both of them have really strong legs. Both of them have hit 60-plus-yard field goals. And both of them have missed ones that, you know, we need them to make. So I don't think we're settled at that position yet."

INSIDE WR/DB 1-on-1s: Some notes from the session:

Taylor continued to step up in this drill, helping to force an incomplete pass to Olave with tight coverage. … Olave later ran the nastiest route of the entire session, though, on a catch against McKinstry.

QBs Carr and Rattler each dropped in beautiful deep completions at one point. Carr hit WR Samson Nacua behind CB Rico Payton, and Rattler hit WR Kevin Austin Jr. in stride behind Wright. … Carr also made a nice throw to Wilson, who did an outstanding job of getting open on a back-shoulder throw, leaping in the air to grab it and coming down with both feet in-bounds.

Wilson used some physicality to push off for another completion, too – which is notable since that's the quality the Saints could most use from him. … Nacua also beat Howden deep down the field, but Rattler threw it just out of his reach. … Tipton continued to stand out in this drill, with his best effort coming on a comeback route to catch a nice pass from Rattler. … Austin had a really good day in the session on multiple catches but did drop one ball.