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There aren’t many players on the New Orleans Saints roster who have seen more in the NFL than Craig Robertson. He’s entering his ninth season, having spent the last four years with the Saints after a four-year stint with the Cleveland Browns to start his career; that experience spans 125 games, including the playoffs. Elected special teams captain in 2019, he’s proven to be a big voice in the locker room and on the field.
So his words carry some weight. Robertson talked up third-round draft pick Zack Baun in a recent media conference call, describing the rookie out of Wisconsin as “a real knowledgeable kid.”
The Saints are rolling with a first-year position coach at linebacker, having promoted longtime assistant Michael Hodges after Mike Nolan was hired away by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this summer. While their interactions have mostly been limited to virtual classroom discussions, Robertson has liked what he’s seen — and heard — out of Baun, noting that, so far, the rookie seems receptive to coaching.
“Our coach does a good job of asking everybody questions,” Robertson said. “So he’s not just steering questions towards certain people. He’ll go down the list and everybody’s answering the questions. Zack and Joe (Bachie) as well, our other rookie has been doing a great job answering questions. We have a lot of information in our playbook. So the faster that you can capture our playbook, the better off you’ll be. They’re doing a good job already just starting off.”
Baun and Bachie (who played across Lake Michigan, at Michigan State) bring plenty of collegiate experience with them into the NFL. Baun appeared in 34 games for the Badgers, though he rarely lined up off the line of scrimmage, so his transition may be more difficult than it first appears. Bachie was more of a traditional middle linebacker with the Spartans, logging 36 games, but he’ll have to outplay 2019 draft pick Kaden Elliss (out of Idaho) or his former college teammate Andrew Dowell for a roster spot. Dowell was on the Saints practice squad last season, and played with Bachie at Michigan State from 2016 to 2018.
So it’s at least encouraging that both rookies have started things off on the right foot, by making smart observations in meetings and remaining attentive as the veterans show them how it’s done. But all of that takes a backseat once they’re able to step on the practice field. With Robertson’s contract set to expire after the 2020 season, these youngsters might force the Saints to make some tough decisions next summer if everything breaks their way.
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