Sean Payton: Deonte Harris is a quick study, and 'more mature beyond his years'

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It feels like a sure thing that Deonte Harris will make plays for the New Orleans Saints in the return game. His breakout rookie season ended with a trip to the Pro Bowl and recognition on the All-Pro list for his efforts on special teams, giving the Saints their most dynamic threat in the game’s third phase since Darren Sproles was fielding punts and kickoffs.

That part isn’t a mystery. But what has puzzled fans is how big of a role Harris could play on offense in his second year in the NFL. When asked how much development Harris has made over the summer as a conventional wide receiver, Saints coach Sean Payton was all smiles.

“Quite a bit,” Payton replied in his media conference call after practice. “He’s one of those players that is a little bit more mature beyond his years. As you’re around him, for someone who’s come from such a small program, he can pick things up very quickly, retain them, and then take them to the field. And it’s just up to us now really to continue to build and have packages for him and get him more involved offensively as well as in the kicking game. But he is a smart player and there’s a maturity to his game that’s very impressive.”

Harris starred at Assumption College in Massachusetts, winning a couple of NCAA all-division records for the appropriately-named Greyhounds. And he made a seamless transition from playing in front of 1,200-strong crowds to shredding NFL teams in 70,000-seat venues like the Superdome.

Based off what he’s seen so far in training camp, Payton seems optimistic that Harris can handle a heavier workload. If the Saints can get their electric return man more involved in the playbook, whether on designed touches or as one of their top four wideouts, he could add a real second gear to the offense that’s been lacking in recent years. And that should get fans excited.