Rough day for rookies and Day 4 Practice 2 report

It wasn’t the greatest days for Saints rookies on Sunday as two rookies were injured and another received some stern words through the media.

Saints coach Sean Payton said “it’s not OK” that first-round pick defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis still hasn’t signed a contract.

“He needs to get in here in the next couple of days,” Payton said following the afternoon session. “We’re on to really the end of our first week here and there are a lot of reps here that you don’t get back. … Picks ahead of him are done so it’s time.”

On the injury front, second-round pick cornerback Tracy Porter injured his right hamstring and fifth-round pick defensive tackle DeMario Pressley re-aggravated a pre-existing right foot injury forcing the Saints to place him on injured reserve. The team signed defensive end Marquies Gunn to fill the roster spot.

Porter was chasing wide receiver Devery Henderson on a deep route when he went down at about the 20-yard line. The two players tangled up and Henderson tweaked his right hamstring on the same play forcing the wide receiver off the practice field.

Free agent rookie wideout Todd Blythe took a blow to the head and may miss some time. Payton didn’t want to call it a concussion because he wasn’t sure yet of the immediate prognosis shortly following the afternoon practice.

The Saints knew about Pressley’s foot injury when they drafted him in April. The former North Carolina State product initially re-injured his right foot during offseason workouts. Pressley endured numerous injuries through his college career and many teams downgraded his stock on draft boards.

In practice news:
- QB Drew Brees and RB Deuce McAllister mishandled a snap early in the team period and MLB Jonathan Vlima scooped the ball up.

- S Josh Bullocks hurried backup QB Mark Brunell misfired on a pass to WR Adrian Arrington allowing CB Aaron Glenn to pick the pass off. He likely would have return it for a touchdown.

- Before Porter left the field, he made a nice pass breakup in the back of the end zone on a Brees pass intended for Henderson.

- Brunell later threw a strike to Arrington for a 20-yard TD by the near pylon despite CB Jason David having good coverage.

- The prettiest throw of the day occurred late in practice as Brees found WR Marques Colston on a fade route near the back corner of the end zone. CB Randall Gay couldn't do anything about it even though he had pretty good coverage.