New Orleans' regular season opener: Saints looking for more production from Toon

Discussions between Toon and Brees during the years 11-in-11 Thursday focused on the fact that the receiver to flatten the angle of your cut by half as much as Brees expected, based on the defensive coverage. Toon angle was too deep, forcing him to slow down and back behind him to make the pass.

'' I know he can be a real productive guy for us and be a big contributor "," Brees said when asked about the exchange with Toon, adding that it is often more effective to deal with the cross-ups implemented immediately rather than waiting to take it in movie theaters or meetings.

'It has to happen in practice, in a live stage, where you can come out and say,' Hey, I want you to see what I see, and this is the setting, this is the little nuance that is kind integrated in this game. '' '

'I have a great comfort level with Toon,' Brees said. 'But that is always growing. '"

Toon, the son of former New York Jets All-Pro Al Toon, was selected from Wisconsin in the fourth round in 2012, however, he was slowed by a foot injury during the preseason and the Saints put on injured reserve, ending his rookie year.

Last season, Toon was healthy, but played only intermittently. He appeared in eight games with four starts and had four catches for 68 yards and no touchdowns. He also had several drops. A pass that bounced off the hands was intercepted in the loss to the New York Jets, and rarely played after that.

Early in training camp, Toon seemed to be emerging as one of the most effective in training camp receivers. But after Brees was injured a muscle in his abdomen and sat out for two weeks earlier this month, Toon was on the receiving end of a smaller number of passes during full team drills. It also has not been prominent in the first two preseason games of the saints, making four catches, none more than 6 meters.

Now, however, Brees is back in practice and planning to start preseason game Saturday night in Indianapolis. To Toon, a strong performance could help you carve out a regular role in a game reception probably revolve around Saints receiver Marques Colston all time and star tight end Jimmy Graham.

So Toon saw it as a good sign that he was wanted Brees in practice, and taking an active role in the discussion of his route running with it.