The Sports Xchange

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — After six days of training camp, including the last five on the practice field, the New Orleans Saints will get a day off Tuesday.

The brief respite will come after a solid practice Monday morning, which coach Sean Payton said didn’t happen a year ago when, for the first time, he penciled in a midweek day off to close out the first week of camp.

“The notes from a year ago on this practice weren’t real good, so it was kind of a focal point for us in the staff meeting last night,” Payton said after a morning workout in pads. “These guys handled it well. … I thought the work was good. We cut (the periods) back a little bit and got some extra conditioning in.”

Payton said injured players will receive treatment and perhaps some will get workouts while the coaching staff works on the upcoming camp schedule. But he said he expects the players to respond from the break.

“I think we will come back Wednesday with good work. The officials will be here,” he said, noting that practice will be normal on Wednesday and Thursday before a scrimmage on Friday. “(Friday) we will have a chance to change up kind of what we are doing.

“So, more installation though, more situational football, a lot more situational football. We still have red zone, two-minute (drill), a lot of other categories before we’re ready to scrimmage — and certainly before we’re ready to play our first preseason game.”

–After one week, Payton said he detects a different tone in this year’s squad, which underwent a lot of changes after a disappointing 7-9 season in 2014.

“Well, listen, I hope so,” he said. “It’s early, and we’re just getting started. We’ve got a lot of work to do still.

“The tunnel is pitch-black right now. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, yet I think guys have handled what we have given them. The tempo has been good, they are moving around, so I’m encouraged that way, but it’s early.”

–Third-year left tackle Terron Armstead had to leave the practice field during the team portion of Monday’s first practice and did not return.

Payton, who rarely talks about injuries in the offseason or in training camp because he’s not required to do so by NFL rules, did not offer an update on Armstead.

Armstead, who is going into his second full season as the starter on the left side, was not seen going to the ground and left the field quietly. Until Monday, he had dominated in 1-on-1 pass-rush drills.

Bryce Harris took Armstead’s place with the first-team offense for the remainder of the morning practice.

–While the Saints got second-year cornerback Brian Dixon off the non-football injury list Monday morning, their list of players not taking part in practice continues to be long.

Safety Jairus Byrd, tight end Josh Hill, guard Mike McGlynn, cornerback P.J. Williams, tight end Kevin Brock, outside linebackers Davis Tull and Anthony Spencer, defensive end Glenn Foster and inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe did not practice.

The Saints did get Ellerbe back for the afternoon walkthrough; he had been sidelined since the second day of camp with an undisclosed injury. Ellerbe played in just the season opener for the Miami Dolphins last year before going on injured reserve.