Saints veterans set tone at training camp’s outset

Closing the book on Junior: As training camp opened today for the Saints, General Manager Mickey Loomis and Coach Sean Payton were pelted with questions regarding their recent decision to release outside linebacker Junior Galette.

“So there were a lot of variables about why we did that at the time”.

Sean Payton referenced the difference between individual statistical performance and the overall quality of the Saints “It can impact your team, but sometimes… look, we felt it was in the best interest of our team”, Payton said. He’s now a free agent and the Redskins are interested in him.

The Saints parted ways with the 27-year-old Galette, despite the fact he was becoming one the team’s best defensive players. “They’ve got to be good football players, don’t get me wrong…but we’ve got to be able to recognize these traits and value them accordingly”.

There’s also the twitter tirade Galette went on – and then subsequently denied – after his release. He was arrested for domestic violence in January (the charges were later dropped) and is dealing with a torn rotator cuff. They say that you can’t have too many good pass rushers and sorting out snaps for a talented group is a problem that few Redskins defensive coordinators have had and that Joe Barry would be happy to tackle. “How are we going to address the changes that happen on that team?’ Each year is different and yet its the same in that you always have question marks”, Loomis said. “It became a decision about the team” Payton explained. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him at all. “I do think we need to have strong leadership in our locker room and I think we have that”. The team has spent is second-round draft picks each of the past two years on Trent Murphy and Preston to man the right side. Some early rain hindered the morning practice, but let up at the midpoint leading to sunshine for the afternoon walkthrough. “It had nothing to do with us saying we’re going to move on”, Payton said.

Keenan Lewis continues to display his praiseworthy talents at camp, and he also hopes to have more assistance in the upcoming season.