The New Saints will play three preseason games this year which one at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars and two on the road against the Rams and Cowboys, respectively.
Head Coach Kellen Moore recently announced during this week’s OTAs that the team will hold joint practice sessions during the preseason. While that announcement is not unusual, as teams routinely hold joint practices every year, what is unique is that the Saints plan to hold joint practices with each of their three preseason opponents.
If everything goes according to plan, this would be the first time the Saints have practiced against three different opponents leading up to the regular season.
The approach is different, but it is also very valuable.
Preseason games do not always provide first-team players with the opportunity to get significant reps against another team’s first unit. Joint practices provide that opportunity in a controlled setting over multiple days. Evaluating the first-team offense and defense against comparable competition, without having to worry about injuring teammates, will provide valuable information for the coaching staff as they assess where the team stands and how it is progressing heading into the season.
Having multiple days of quality practice reps, rather than just a series or two in what is often a glorified exhibition game, will give this young team more opportunities to grow, improve, and learn how to play with and for one another.
The matchups themselves will also be intriguing.
The Jaguars will have an opportunity to face their former star running back, Travis Etienne. The Cowboys possess one of the league’s more prolific passing attacks and will provide an early test for a young Saints secondary. And then there are the Rams.
Los Angeles features Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, and an elite defensive front that includes Jared Verse, Byron Young, Braden Fiske, and Kobie Turner. Those practices should be highly competitive and extremely beneficial for the Saints.
This is a forward-thinking and aggressive approach by Coach Moore to accelerate his team’s development and get them ready for the regular season as quickly as possible.
