Three of the New Orleans Saints‘ four quarterbacks joined most of the team’s wide receivers at a group workout in Beaverton, Ore. this week — NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that Tyler Shough scripted throwing sessions for himself, Jake Haener and Hunter Dekkers. Brandin Cooks organized the whole event with made sure guys like Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed were in attendance.

But Spencer Rattler had a good reason for missing out. He had already committed to hosting a youth football camp back in South Carolina and clearly didn’t want to leave the campers out to dry. Unlike, say, ex-Pittsburgh Steelers wideout George Pickens, who backed out of a similar commitment of his own after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Underhill added that Cooks already worked out with Rattler in Arizona (where Rattler is from) earlier this offseason, and that they’re planning to do so again with more of the receivers before camp.

Previously, Shough told reporters that he and Cooks were planning workouts in both Oregon and Texas before the Saints regroup for training camp in a few weeks: “We’re getting a good group together. It’s Brandin Cooks kind of leading that charge. He’s such a great influence, just on the whole team, offensively-wise.”

We’ll see if Rattler and the other quarterbacks participate next time in Dallas, but it’s reassuring to know he had a valid excuse. Skipping a workout with your teammates because of some beef over a starting job is one thing. A scheduling conflict that puts you on the other side of the country is something else. Keeping your word to a bunch of young athletes and their families is worth taking a rain check to put in some work another day.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Spencer Rattler’s youth camp kept him from Saints vets’ group workout