The New Orleans Saints got their first injury report of the 2026 season, and the biggest update came right away: Cameron Jordan will not be available for Week 1 against the Detroit Lions.
Head coach Kellen Moore said Jordan has already been ruled out, leaving New Orleans without one of its key defensive ends for a trip to Ford Field. That matters in a big way for a Saints team opening on the road against a Lions squad that’s widely seen as a serious playoff contender.
There was at least some encouraging news on the offensive side. Alvin Kamara, who has been dealing with a knee issue, and Kendre Miller, listed with an unspecified injury, were both seen practicing during the portion open to reporters. Kamara was limited.
Not everyone showed up in the visible stretch of practice. Audric Estime (thigh), tight end Oscar Delp (hamstring), and practice squad receivers Cedric Tillman and Trey Palmer were not observed. Moore also said defensive end Jonah Williams had a medical issue and was waived after the team determined he was not ready to contribute.
Detroit, meanwhile, did not practice Wednesday, so the first real read on its Week 1 health will have to wait until Thursday. For now, the Lions estimated that three players would have been limited: defensive back Christian Izien (groin), edge rusher Derrick Moore (hamstring), and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (goin).
Five others would have been full participants while still getting treatment: cornerback Keith Abney II (hand), safety Thomas Harper (ankle), linebacker Trevor Nowaske (knee), cornerback Ennis Rakestraw (ankle), and linebacker Jimmy Rolder (hamstring).
In Other News...
Saints Just Made Another Cap Move Fans Know Too Well
The Saints are back at the familiar business of moving money around, this time by restructuring defensive lineman Nathan Shepherds contract to open up about $2.7 million in cap space for 2026. The maneuver converts part of his base salary into a signing bonus, giving New Orleans a little more breathing room as it tries to manage the roster and stay under next years salary cap.
It is the kind of short-term fix New Orleans has leaned on before, and it does come with a catch. By pushing some of the cost down the road, the Saints will carry more than $7.1 million in dead money in 2027 when Shepherds deal runs out, a reminder that every bit of flexibility now usually comes with a bill later. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Backfield Suddenly Has Trade Buzz Fans Can't Ignore
A hip injury to Malik Davis in Cowboys practice has changed the conversation in Dallas almost overnight, and it has ripple effects that reach all the way to New Orleans. With Dallas suddenly thinner at running back for the foreseeable future, the idea of the Cowboys looking around for help has become a natural talking point, especially with the Saints carrying more backfield depth than they can comfortably use every week.
That is where the trade buzz starts to get interesting for Saints fans, because Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller have both been mentioned in the speculation. Nothing has been confirmed, and there is still a wide gap between rumor and reality, but the possibility alone is enough to make New Orleans backfield worth watching a little more closely as the market shifts around it. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans May Feel Vindicated Watching Paulson Adebo In New York
Paulson Adebos move to New York gave Saints fans a fresh way to judge one of their former draft picks, and the early returns have been uneven. The cornerback, drafted by New Orleans before signing a three-year contract with the Giants, arrived with the kind of pedigree that usually brings expectations with it, but his first season there was rocky in coverage and raised questions about how quickly hed settle in.
John Harbaugh has already made it clear the Giants will sort out playing time by performance, not by salary, and that leaves Adebo in a familiar prove-it spot. He was not listed as a starter on the Week 1 depth chart in his second season, which only adds to the uncertainty around how prominent a role hell have as New York tries to sort out its secondary. [Read more 🡒]