The New Orleans Saints’ injury report picked up some attention Thursday, and it started with two familiar names.
Chris Olave showed up with a hamstring issue, while Chase Young was added because of a calf injury. Both were limited participants, and with Kellen Moore not speaking to reporters Thursday, there was no immediate clarity on whether either player is in danger of missing Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Young’s calf is especially worth watching. He missed five games last season with a strained calf, so this is the kind of injury that can linger if it’s not managed carefully.
The Ravens, meanwhile, are dealing with their own mess. Baltimore had six players sit out practice, and three of the biggest names on that list were wide receiver Zay Flowers, tackle Ronnie Stanley and former Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
John Simpson, Calais Campbell and T.J. Tampa also did not practice.
Five of those six have now gone without practice this week. Flowers is the most obvious concern after he opened the season with five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, then came out of that game with a hamstring injury. He was labeled "day-to-day" afterward, but Baltimore is already thin at receiver after putting rookie Ja'Kobi Lane on injured reserve with a fractured wrist.
Hendrickson’s status matters on the other side of the ball. Baltimore brought him in on a four-year, $112 million deal this offseason after rescinding its trade for Maxx Crosby following the pass rusher’s failed physical. Hendrickson, who spent the 2017 through 2020 seasons with New Orleans, had eight pressures in Week 1, and the Ravens posted a 58.6% pressure percentage while he was on the field.
The Saints did get a little good news with Juwan Johnson. The tight end returned to practice Thursday on a limited basis after missing the previous day because of an illness.
There’s also a chance New Orleans could get several key players back for Sunday. Alvin Kamara, Cam Jordan and Oscar Delp could all make their season debuts this weekend. Moore said Wednesday the Saints "feel good about" Kamara returning, and the running back has been a full participant for the last three practices after an MCL sprain.
One player definitely trending the wrong way is Zach Wood. The long snapper did not practice because of a calf injury and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
In Other News...
Saints Already Face A Draft Decision Fans Wont Love
With Week 1 in the books, the Saints already find themselves looking ahead to the next draft board, and the early projections are not exactly flattering for a team that still has work to do on the roster. At No. 19 overall, New Orleans is in a range where the obvious top-end talent is often gone, which makes the evaluation more complicated and the margin for error a little thinner. That is why names like Alabama EDGE Yhonzae Pierre and LSU tight end TreyDez Green are getting early attention, since both could speak directly to areas where the Saints still need help.
The biggest question remains the outside pass rush, a spot that has been a sore point and will likely shape how the front office thinks about the first round. Cam Jordans return could change the feel of that group, but it does not erase the need for more impact off the edge or close the book on how the Saints want to build around him. For now, the draft picture is only a projection, but it already hints at a decision New Orleans may not enjoy having to make when the board starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Week 1 QB Issue And A Bijan Dilemma
Tyler Shoughs first real introduction to the Saints came long before he ever took a snap, and the rookie quarterback said the draft process in New Orleans offered its own little test of how he handled the moment. He described a delayed flight and the kind of communication wrinkle that can make a long night feel even longer, while the Saints kept him in the loop as they worked through the selection process. It was the sort of behind-the-scenes detail that says plenty about how a team evaluates a quarterback before it ever gets to the film.
For New Orleans, that matters because Shough is still trying to establish himself in a room where every rep and every decision gets watched closely. The Saints have made a point of building a clear draft communication strategy, and Shoughs recollection shows how much of the evaluation can happen away from the field, in the way a player responds when plans change and the clock keeps moving. It is an early reminder that his path with the Saints is about more than just arm talent, and that the organization was looking for signs of leadership from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Enter Week 2 With Tyler Shough Suddenly Under The Spotlight
The Saints left their opener with the kind of result that can sting and encourage at the same time, a narrow overtime loss to the Lions that still showed a team willing to fight through a long afternoon. Tyler Shoughs debut had its rough patches, but it also had real flashes, and the bigger takeaway for New Orleans was that the offense had enough juice to keep answering after a rocky start.
Shoughs 400-yard day has already pushed him into a brighter spotlight, especially with several media outlets nudging the Saints upward in their power rankings after seeing how competitive they were. The question now is less about whether New Orleans can be frisky and more about how quickly Shough can turn the good stretches into a more complete performance as the season moves into Week 2. [Read more 🡒]