Tag: Adam Trautman

Adam Trautman’s rookie year looks a lot like Jimmy Graham’s 2010 debut

New Orleans Saints rookie tight end Adam Trautman might be following the same blueprint the team used to introduce Jimmy Graham to the NFL.

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Jimmy Graham was one of the most electrifying players in the NFL in his heyday, but he didn’t hit the ground running for the New Orleans Saints. As a rookie third-round pick (95th overall) way back in 2010, he was slotted behind veterans Jeremy Shockey and David Thomas on the depth chart. He didn’t even dress out for the season opener.

It appears the Saints are taking a similar approach with Adam Trautman, a third-round rookie (selected 105th overall) ranked below Jared Cook and Josh Hill. He was a healthy scratch for their Week 5 contest with the Los Angeles Chargers, with the Saints opting to promote practice squad veteran Garrett Griffin in his place. Trautman’s first six games in 2020: 6 receptions on 7 targets for 73 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Now compare that to Graham’s first six games back in 2010: 5 receptions on 7 targets for 49 receiving yards. He was eased into the offense much like Trautman has been, before getting a late-season promotion in Week 9. Graham caught 3 passes for 49 yards and a score that day before averaging 3.3 receptions for 38.8 receiving yards per game down the stretch.

Sure, the comparison looks flimsy from an athletic standpoint. Graham was an inch taller and five pounds heavier than Trautman, while timing a blazing 4.53-second 40-yard dash (Trautman’s 4.80-flat was more pedestrian). Graham was a little better in the vertical and broad jumps, but Trautman pulled away in the agility drills, which you’d expect of a slightly smaller athlete.

Still, the similarities are there. And it at least appears the Saints are following the same blueprint to work a former basketball player-turned-tight end into the lineup. If so, it’s working well after Trautman caught his first career touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night.

Maybe the long-term vision is for Trautman to keep picking up more responsibilities as the year continues. Veteran starter Jared Cook is still their best option as a receiving threat, but he’s a free agent in the spring and had a couple of low moments against Tampa Bay, including a fumble at the Bucs’ 2-yard line on a would-be scoring play. The sooner Trautman can earn that role, the better off the Saints should be.

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WATCH: Saints rookie tight end Adam Trautman catches his very first TD pass

New Orleans Saints rookie tight end Adam Trautman, a 3rd-round draft pick out of Dayton, caught his first career touchdown against Tampa Bay

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The New Orleans Saints had high hopes for small-school tight end Adam Trautman when they traded all of their remaining draft picks to go get him early this summer, and the rookie has steadily worked to earn more responsibilities in the offense. On Sunday night, he passed one big career milestone by scoring his first career touchdown.

Trautman, a rookie third-round draft pick out of Dayton, was matched up against Devin White — the same Devin White who starred for the LSU Tigers and was selected with the fifth overall pick in 2019’s draft by Tampa Bay. And the former basketball player looked the part by outleaping White for the lob and winning at the catch point, carefully planting both feet in the end zone for six points.

It’s great to see the rookie contributing after so-so early returns on this year’s Saints draft class. Here’s hoping for many more highlight reel-worthy moments from him.

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Adam Trautman, Malcolm Roach among surprise Saints inactives vs. Chargers

The New Orleans Saints benched prominent rookies TE Adam Trautman and DT Malcolm Roach for Monday night’s game with the Los Angeles Chargers

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The big headlines for the New Orleans Saints inactive list are the names dressing out: starters including defensive end Marcus Davenport, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, tight end Jared Cook, and left guard Andrus Peat will join their teammates on the field at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against the Los Angeles Chargers.

But what’s a little more interesting is who didn’t dress for this Week 5 prime-time game. Two prominent rookies, tight end Adam Trautman and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, are each healthy scratches. Trautman has been playing often and led the team in snaps played at tight end just two weeks ago, but he’ll be replaced on Monday night by practice squad call-up Garrett Griffin. Roach, one of two rookies to play 100-plus snaps in the first four games, is also taking a backseat to last year’s breakout Shy Tuttle.

Additionally, the Saints are activating wide receiver Austin Carr from the practice squad. Returns specialist Deonte Harris was ruled out with a hamstring injury, and while the logical choice to replace him on punts and kickoffs would be rookie wideout Marquez Callaway — one of the best punt returners in college football the last few years — the Saints may have liked what they’ve seen out of Carr better in practice. He’s rehearsed the role with Callaway and Harris before.

If nothing else, maybe he’s a buffer between Alvin Kamara and the kicking game should Callaway make a mistake. The Saints shouldn’t be putting their most important player in the kicking game. We’ll find out at kickoff in just an hour or so.

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Saints trust rookie tight end Adam Trautman to step up for Jared Cook

The New Orleans Saints will lean harder on rookie draft pick Adam Trautman in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions with TE Jared Cook injured.

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The injury bug has struck the New Orleans Saints in a hurry, with starting tight end Jared Cook its latest victim. Cook exited Week 3’s loss to the Green Bay Packers with a groin muscle issue, and it’s kept him out of the team’s first two practice sessions before they hit the road for Week 4.

That’s a problem. Cook ranks second in targets (15) through three games behind Alvin Kamara (31), having converted a first down on 6 of his 9 catches. He’s also been the team’s only reliable vertical weapon, averaging 9.9 yards per target when thrown to. If he can’t play against the Detroit Lions, the Saints would have to lean on rookie tight end Adam Trautman.

But his position coach wants it known that the team trusts Trautman should it come to that. Dan Campbell appeared on WWL Radio earlier this week and expressed strong faith in Trautman’s skills, saying: “When that injury happened with Cook, I didn’t hesitate to put him into that role. I think that says a lot about that kid.”

Trautman ended up playing 32 snaps on offense against Green Bay, compared to 21 snaps for Cook and 20 for co-starter Josh Hill. While Hill has mainly made contributions as a blocker, Trautman’s collegiate success as a pass-catcher (he caught 171 passes for 2,295 yards and 31 touchdowns at Dayton) positions him to fill in well for Cook.

Campbell continued, “I think we all like the kid and where he’s going.”

It’s a small sample size to be sure, but the early returns are encouraging for Trautman. He’s caught all three passes sent his way for 34 yards, converting a pair of first downs, and he has an easier matchup than most this week against a Lions defense that hasn’t guarded tight ends well. As a team, they have given up a combined 9 receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns to a group including former Saints tight ends Jimmy Graham (with the Chicago Bears) and Dan Arnold (for the Arizona Cardinals).

On paper, it’s a matchup the Saints can win. But just how many opportunities they’ll give a rookie from a small school in his first start remains to be seen. Campbell’s confidence in Trautman suggests strong expectations.

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WATCH: Rookie tight end Adam Trautman goes over the top in Saints practice

It didn’t take long for tight end Adam Trautman, a rookie NFL draft pick out of Dayton, to stand out at New Orleans Saints training camp.

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Just how much will New Orelans Saints fans see out of first-year tight end Adam Trautman in 2020? The team traded away four draft picks for the opportunity to add another impactful rookie, and while it’s early, Trautman is making the right moves in training camp to carve out some sort of role for himself in the offense right away.

Veteran tight end Jared Cook said just last week that Trautman has quickly adapted to life in the NFL, and is already running with the first-team offense: “He is getting a lot of reps. He has good strong hands, runs good routes. So I am excited. It has been pretty cool to have him as a young guy that can come in and contribute this early so far in camp it’s been easy. It’s been an easy transition to have him kind of step up and run a lot of plays with the ones.”

Now, to be clear, Trautman has gotten some of those opportunities because more reps were available in practice with co-starter Josh Hill sidelined due to an injury (last year, Hill averaged 40.5 snaps played per game, while Cook averaged 35.9).

But that shouldn’t take away from the fact that Trautman is earning more looks from his own merits, like this crisp completion from Jameis Winston in Friday’s practice session — with standout coverage linebacker Alex Anzalone almost in his hip pocket. If he can string together more moments like this, Trautman could make a splash under the bright lights in the Superdome:

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New Orleans Saints 2020 Fantasy Football Preview

The New Orleans Saints have a dazzling array of weapons on offense, which may give fantasy football owners confidence before training camp.

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The New Orleans Saints offense is always reliable for a high scoring output in fantasy football, especially in recent years with so many touches funneled towards pass-catchers like wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara. With veteran tight end Jared Cook entering his second year working with quarterback Drew Brees and free agent wideout Emmanuel Sanders added to the mix, the Saints are looking kind of scary on offense.

And that’s before you even get into the probable-upgrade of first-round draft choice Cesar Ruiz, who should add youth and athleticism to the offensive line after right guard Larry Warford’s departure. That’s great news for Kamara and No. 2 runner Latavius Murray.

This content appears in print in USA Today’s Sports Weekly NFL Fantasy Football Preview.

What’s new

The biggest addition of the offseason is Emmanuel Sanders, a Pro Bowler and experienced wideout with more hides on the wall than anyone the Saints have trotted out across from Michael Thomas since Brandin Cooks was in town. Sanders’ veteran savvy and playmaking ability should create opportunities for everyone around him while relieving the pressure on Thomas to catch a dozen passes or so each week. 

Additionally, there is hope for a big bounce back for Alvin Kamara, particularly as a runner. The Saints invested in their offensive line by drafting Cesar Ruiz out of Michigan in the first round, which should go a long way toward plugging holes in an already strong area of their offense. He should run into the end zone more than five times with better blocking up front.

Camp battles

Fantasy owners shouldn’t anticipate much movement at the top of the Saints depth chart, but there’s room for competition throughout the roster, particularly at wide receiver. 

Tre’Quan Smith is far from entrenched as the team’s third wideout, and the team has brought in nearly a dozen options to push him for his job. He could be playing elsewhere if he can’t be any more than an occasional red-zone threat. 

Newcomers could make an impact at tight end — if rookie draft pick Adam Trautman can push Josh Hill for passing-down snaps — and maybe at running back, should Ty Montgomery prove to be more than a curiosity backing up Kamara.

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Saints finally sign all four of their 2020 NFL Draft picks

The New Orleans Saints formally signed all four of their 2020 NFL Draft picks: Cesar Ruiz, Zack Baun, Adam Trautman, and Tommy Stevens.

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It’s taken longer than usual for the New Orleans Saints to get their rookie draft class under contract, but that’s par for the course in such a strange offseason. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic prompted the NFL to cancel offseason workouts and minicamp sessions, which is when rookie draft picks typically inked their deals. But everyone has signed on the dotted line now that the Saints have gathered for training camp.

On Monday, the Saints announced that all four of their draft picks have officially joined the team and filed their contracts with the NFL, a process that’s been more of a formality under recent collective bargaining agreements compared to those used in the past. Because salaries are tied to draft slotting and the rookie wage scale, there’s simply less to be negotiated than before.

And because the values of each rookie contract were already known, this won’t make much of a dent on the Saints salary cap outlook. Each player signed a four-year contract, though first-round pick Cesar Ruiz has a fifth-year team option worked into his deal.

But while everyone is now under contract, it may take some time for the Saints rookies to get on the practice field. Like other teams, the Saints will test all of the new arrivals for COVID-19 and begin an acclimation period involving physicals, equipment sizing, and a strength and conditioning program.

There’s still a long road to travel before we’ll see any new Saints football, but at least we’re on the right track. And for the curious, here are the jersey numbers chosen by each Saints draft pick:

  • #1. QB Tommy Stevens, Mississippi State
  • #51. C Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
  • #53. LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin
  • #82. TE Adam Trautman, Dayton

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2021 NFL mock draft forecasts Saints to add another pass-catcher

The New Orleans Saints selected Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft, pairing him with Adam Trautman.

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The New Orleans Saints shocked the football cognoscenti by trading all of their remaining picks to go get small-school prospect Adam Trautman in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the latest too-soon projection for next year’s event has them adding another tight end.

And there’d be little to argue with if that’s the way the Saints end up going. Luke Easterling over at Draft Wire has connected New Orleans with Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, a rare tight end to be named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list — college football’s honor for the nation’s best pass-catcher, usually a wide receiver.

Freiermuth’s resume speaks for itself. The big underclassman listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds has already tied Mike Gesicki’s school record for touchdown catches (15) before his junior year, and he finished in second-place last season in every receiving category behind wideout K.J. Hamler, an eventual Denver Broncos second-round pick. While he’s known for his receiving ability, his eagerness to throw blocks at the line of scrimmage suggests he could develop quickly with pro-level coaching.

Affectionately called “Free Moose” by Penn State faithful, Freiermuth could team up with Trautman in a one-two punch to set the stage for overhaul at tight end in New Orleans. Jared Cook has been hyped up by the coaching staff all summer, but he’s entering a contract year after his 33rd birthday. Josh Hill, the nominal backup and blocking specialist, is also 30 and only under contract through 2021. It might make sense for Trautman to replace Cook next offseason with Freiermuth coming down the pipeline a year later.

Still, it’s far too soon to guess who the Saints might end up picking. Dozens of mock drafts failed to connect them with Cesar Ruiz ahead of this year’s event, even in the days leading up to the draft. The Saints themselves won’t know who is on their radar until the team has played out its season and navigated free agency. So keep Freiermuth’s name in mind once college games kick off in the fall — this isn’t much more than the start of our own watch list.

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Ranking the Saints draft picks odds of success, based off jersey number

The New Orleans Saints rookie draft picks chose their jersey numbers. Cesar Ruiz setthimself up for success while Zack Baun almost fumbled.

Good news, everyone! This year’s crop of New Orleans Saints draft picks didn’t waste any time in choosing their new jersey numbers, so we’ve already gotten a good look at what they’ll be wearing once Saints training camp rolls around.

Forget all of the other factors that help decide whether a rookie will flourish — things like skill, athleticism, experience, versatility, and opportunity. The only thing that’s truly important is which number a player slaps on his chest. Everyone knows this. Seriously.

However, fewer football fans are aware of the unwritten rules of picking a good jersey number (and avoiding a bad one). In light of that, we’re going to rank the Saints rookie draft picks based off the digits they’ve tied themselves to (for now; more on that later).

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Pro Football Focus high on Saints picks, grades 2020 draft class a ‘B’

The New Orleans Saints received a solid grade for their 2020 NFL Draft class from the Pro Football Focus analysts after picking Cesar Ruiz.

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While some experts have their reservations about the New Orleans Saints’ rookie class from this year’s NFL draft — ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. among them — others are taking a more optimsitic view.

The team at Pro Football Focus reflected well on the prospects New Orleans acquired, particularly first-round draft pick Cesar Ruiz, the center out of Michigan. All in all, PFF handed the Saints a ‘B’ grade for their performance.

Per PFF draft analyst Mike Renner:

“You weren’t going to get a talent like Ruiz later in the draft… He’s a guy I didn’t love at first because he’s not like Mekhi Becton, where you fall in love with one block. You’re going to fall in love with the fact that you’ve watched four games and didn’t see him have one really bad block. That’s Cesar Ruiz to me… He’s just smooth and good and always on balance… They got a very good player.”

Additionally, the picks the Saints made in the third round were each ranked among the five best prospects at their positions. Wisconsin defender Zack Baun graded fourth-best among linebacker options, whereas Dayton tight end Adam Trautman was the third-best. Not bad additions at all to one of the league’s deepest rosters.

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