New Orleans Saints rookies Jake Haener and Kendre Miller didn’t have the best start to their NFL career a week ago. Miller left the first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs early with an injury, and with numbers that didn’t match his training camp hype. Haener had a strong final drive, but struggled in the game’s earlier phases.
Overreactions will happen in the first preseason game because it’s the first time seeing the players in real game action that year. It is important to remember these two players are rookies. That wasn’t just their first action of the season, it was their first taste of the NFL.
Both players showed resiliency and massive improvement in their second game versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Miller had a touchdown run and hauled in a highlight reel-worthy catch down the field on a wheel route, thanks to a well-thrown ball from Jameis Winston. Miller showed elusiveness and decisiveness on multiple runs during this game. That route and reception also showed his value in the receiving game which was something many were skeptical about coming out of college.
Haener looked more confident on the field. He looked more sure of himself in the pocket and the offense moved more efficiently under his leadership in Week 2 opposed to Week 1, despite a ton of penalties interrupting their progress. The numbers are similar. He attempted 17 passes in both games, completing one more this week to push his completions to 11. The key difference was no interceptions. He had a pair of touchdown completions stolen from him, but most importantly he didn’t turn the ball over with an interception.
Both Miller and Haener showed improvement in Week 2. Progress isn’t linear so it’ll be important to watch how they progress in the final week of the preseason. This is especially important for Haener who likely won’t see any time to develop during the regular season while slotted behind Winston and Derek Carr on the depth chart. Players need reps to develop their craft, and right now the Saints are giving him every opportunity to improve.
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