John DeShazier: Saints put on pads, get to work

Coach Payton called it a productive first day

White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. – Saturday literally was not the first day of training camp for the New Orleans Saints this year; Thursday and Friday were work days, too, at The Greenbrier.

But the first day in pads always seems to provide a different mind-set and pace for players, a different mental feel and, almost certainly, a different physical one due to the likelihood of collisions.

So it made sense that the Saints appeared to have a little more bounce in their step Saturday. After a full offseason of work and two days of training camp in which they wore no pads, getting back to “football” gave players and coaches alike a new reference point.

“It…