WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.VA. -- The New Orleans Saints travel to New England Monday afternoon, but in the morning, they have one final tune-up before joint practices against the Patriots begin Tuesday morning.
After taking Sunday off, it's unclear how intense coach Sean Payton will make the practice Monday morning. Obviously, the Saints want to be fresh for their practices against the Patriots on Tuesday and Wednesday, which are followed by a preseason game Thursday at 6:30 p.m., but Payton has said he wants the men to work as hard as possible.
Running back Mark Ingram, cornerback Delvin Breaux and safety Kenny Vaccaro were among the players who missed the last Saints practice on Saturday, so seeing them return Monday would be a good sign that they can participate in the competitive joint practices.