| Saints interim coach Aaron Kromer iplans to ignore suspended coach Sean Payton’s advice. (US Presswire) |
Saints interim coach Aaron Kromer had no reaction Wednesday to suspended coach Sean Payton’s advice for the team.
Speaking at an SMU athletic forum in Dallas on Tuesday, Payton addressed questions from the audience and was asked what he would say to the 0-4 Saints if he were still coaching them.
"It would be, 'We're home here, it's Sunday Night Football, it's national TV, and it's not we got to get a win, it's we're getting a win tonight and this is how we're going to do it,'" Payton said.
New Orleans plays host to San Diego on Sunday night.
Asked if he would relay Payton’s message, Kromer said no.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” he added.
Brees is the reason: New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and San Diego tight end Antonio Gates have similar backgrounds. Both were gifted athletes who primarily played basketball in college before becoming elite players in the NFL.
Gates, undrafted out of Kent State in 2003, has caught 70 or more passes in five of the last six years, surpassing 1,000 yards twice in that span.
Graham, a third-round pick in 2010, caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards last year.
Saints QB Drew Brees played with Gates for three years in San Diego and now gets to throw to Graham.
“There’s no doubt I made those two guys and their successes,” Brees said jokingly.
Injury update: The Saints injury list is longer than in recent weeks. Kromer said RB Travaris Cadet, who played exclusively on special teams against Green Bay, missed practice on Wednesday with a right shoulder injury.
Also sitting out were LB David Hawthorne, who is nursing a right hamstring problem, WR Lance Moore (hamstring), and DE Turk McBride, who has been sidelined since the opening game with a ankle injury.
LB Jonathan Casillas, who missed the Green Bay game with a neck injury, was limited in practice.
This and that: The Saints re-signed WR Greg Camarillo and waived CB Elbert Mack. It's Camarillo’s third stint with the team this year. He was active for two games earlier this season but hasn't caught a pass. … Kromer confirmed that QB Seneca Wallace worked out with the team this week, adding that backup Chase Daniel wasn't hurt. Wallace was cut by Cleveland at the end of August. He started four games for the Browns in 2010.
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on twitter @CBSSaints.