Garrett Grayson starting important 2nd year, Saints QBs coach says

New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi is getting his first look this summer at second-year quarterback Garrett Grayson.

Grayson was drafted by the Saints in the third round in 2015, a year after Lombardi left to become offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions.

Lombardi spent seven seasons with the Saints, the last five as quarterbacks coach, before earning his first NFL coordinator job with the Detroit Lions in 2014. He was fired last October.

Since returning to the Saints this spring, Lombardi has done his homework on his new quarterback.

"I went through every rep he had last year in practice and games, and there were a lot of positive things about what he did last year," Lombardi said. "I think every quarterback's looking to make a jump from year to year, but I think from your first to your second year, regardless of position, that's where you really see the most improvement."

Grayson spent 2015 as the third-string quarterback behind starter Drew Brees and backup Luke McCown. When McCown went on the injured reserve, the Saints signed veteran Matt Flynn.

There are only three quarterbacks currently in camp after the Saints waived their young project Griffin Neal.

Lombardi said it would wrong to assume that the Saints will add a fourth quarterback to replace him before training camp. Sticking with only three quarterbacks might be one way to maximize Grayson's reps.

"The way that training camp and the offseason has evolved, there are fewer reps, so I think it's hard for four quarterbacks sometimes to get reps," Lombardi said. "You can make it work. If there was someone we were real interested in, that would be a possibility. But I'm not sure you carry four just because that's what you've always done. Especially when you've got a young guy like (Grayson) you're hoping to get as many reps as possible."