May 23, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan talks with defensive tackle Issako Aaitui and defensive end Greg Romeus and defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker during organized team activities at the Saints training facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

OTAs are officially underway for the New Orleans Saints. Unlike rookie minicamp, the media is actually given access to the event and its players before and after each session.

With that in mind, there is now plenty of news flowing out of New Orleans, some of it good, others bad.

Let’s take a look.

Drew Brees Tells NOLA.com This is First Normal Offseason Since 2009

Per Mike Teiplett (video in link):

 New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees talks about how good it feels to have a “normal” offseason for the first time since Super Bowl hangover, lockout, the bounty scandal and his contract negotiations over the past three years.

 

Rob Ryan Considers Himself Lucky to  be With Saints

Per NOLA.com’s Mike Teiplett:

“It’s awesome. I got lucky,” Ryan said in his first interview session with the New Orleans media Thursday. “I’m fortunate enough to be with a great program like the Saints, led by Sean Payton. I haven’t felt this way since I was in New England with Bill Belichick. So I’m working for the best and I hope to be a small part of our success.”

“These guys have been well-coached before. They’re smart. They’re just ready to win,” Ryan said. “I think we all have a chip on our shoulder after last season. I don’t like getting fired. I knew I’d have a job in five minutes (his infamous quote right after the Dallas firing), so it was no big deal. I know I got my feelings hurt and so did our players. We’re looking to do something about it. …

 

NOLA.com Reports Saints Cut DE Greg Romeus

Per Katherine Terrell:

The New Orleans Saints have waived defensive end Greg Romeus, the team announced on Thursday afternoon. Romeus was a former seventh round draft pick out of Pittsburgh in 2011.
Romeus did not take any snaps with the Saints during his first two seasons while recovering from a pair of knee injuries. He tore his right ACL as a senior at Pittsburgh, while also being hampered by a back injury.

He was a potential early pick in the 2010 NFL draft after being named the Big East co-defensive player of the year in 2009. But after returning for his senior season, he had to have surgery for back pain.

Like Who Dat Dish? Let us know on Twitter @whodatdish or  on Facebook.

Dec 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; New Orleans Saints receiver Lance Moore (16) dives for the end zone in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The  New Orleans Saints are primed for OTA’s and preparing for a new season with a new-look defense. Unfortuantly, this may be the slowest news day we have had yet.

Today we we will briefely touch on some positional battles, take a gander at head coach Sean Payton’s coaching tactics and more in this edition of the Who Dat Dish.

Let’s take a look.

NOLA.com Says There Are Plenty of Positives Heading Into Camp

Per John Roach:

 Coming off a non-playoff season that was historically bad for the defense, the Saints would seem to be ripe to be picked apart. But on “Black and Gold Today,” Larry Holder points out that the sky isn’t exactly falling, and the team has several positives heading into 2013.

They include the return of Coach Sean Payton, the additions of young players entering their prime, such as cornerback Keenan Lewis and linebacker Victor Butler, and a fully signed draft class, some of whom will compete immediately for playing time.

 

Sean Payton Using “Shock Taactics”

Per NOLA.com’s John Roach:

 Wide receiver Lance Moore used the term “culture shock” to describe how he anticipated many players would feel once the offseason conditioning program commenced in mid-April with Sean Payton back in the mix. There may have been a culture shock for everyone since Payton brought CrossFit into the program.

The harder work: Fixing the defense with many of the same players from last year’s troubled unit. That will be the main issue the Saints will look to solve during the next several months leading up to Week 1.

 

ICYMI: John Hendrix Gives Us a Preview of the Wide Receiver Position

ICYMI: Federico Ferrari Compares Saints Players to Poker Players

Like Who Dat Dish? Let us know on Twitter @whodatdish or  on Facebook.

December 30, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws against the Carolina Panthers during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Panthers defeated the Saints 44-38. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

OTA’s are officially underway for the New Orleans Saints. This means there are a few tidbits of information that are worth going over today as camp progresses. There is also some news coming out of the league office that Saints’ faithful may not be all that pleased with.

Let’s take a look.

New Orleans is Contender to Host Super Bowl in 2018

Per NOAL.com’s Pat Yasinskas:

A potential bidder for Super Bowl LII in 2018 includes New Orleans. The Times-Picayune’s Jeff Duncan writes “New Orleans is expected to go ‘all in’ for the event, which would highlight the city’s yearlong tricentennial celebration.”

Sean Payton is Pleased with 100 Percent Turnout Rate at OTA’s 

Per Saints official website:

“In the last five weeks, I think we had a really good turnout, we are at 100 percent (participation) right now with the offseason program. Tomorrow (Tuesday) we start with the OTAs (Organized Team Activities), it’s good to see these guys and last week we had the rookies in. That’s kind of a crash course for those guys to bring them up to speed as quickly as possible. But everyone is here so we are looking forward to getting started. Tomorrow is the first time we are really kind of doing some football team activities and I think guys are excited about that. The weight room and the conditioning element have gone very well.”

NFL May Offer Cash Incentives to Players During Games at Pro Bowl

Per Canal Street Chronicles’ Dave Cariello:

Oh hey, great idea! But something feels familiar about all of this. Rewarding players with cash incentives for particular plays on the field? Seriously I swear I’ve heard this before. Damn I just can’t put my finger —

HOLY $#!+ IT’S F***ING BOUNTYGATE!

Those bastards have stolen our scandal and now they’re using it to fix their crappy all-star game!

Yeah okay, I know I said just last week that we need to start putting the past behind us but c’mon this is ridiculous. Let’s be honest. The whole game show concept is just a pay for performance program in a more respectable package (Heeeeeere’s your host, Gregg Williams!) and incentive is just another word for bounty.

Like Who Dat Dish? Let us know on Twitter @whodatdish or  on Facebook.