The Saints’ upset of the Ravens came with a catch: left tackle Kelvin Banks went down late in the third quarter, turning a big win into a wait-and-see situation for New Orleans.
Banks, the 2025 first-round pick, had his ankle awkwardly rolled up on by Ravens edge rusher Mike Green. He was carted to the locker room and ruled out for the rest of the game soon after.
For now, there’s no official update on his status. Kellen Moore kept it brief, saying, "Kelvin's got an ankle. We'll see what this thing looks like tomorrow."
That uncertainty matters because Banks is a major piece of what the Saints are trying to build. His absence would hit both sides of the offense, and the ripple effects could be immediate. New Orleans has a thin tackle group behind him, and while Asim Richards is a serviceable option, he is not the kind of blocker who can be trusted to handle top-tier pressure without help.
That puts the Saints in a tougher spot on passing downs. Without Banks, Tyler Shough is likely to feel more heat off the edge, which means less time for plays to develop and fewer clean decisions for the quarterback. It also could force Kellen Moore to keep a tight end or running back in protection more often, and that shrinks the route tree in a hurry.
The run game would feel the loss, too. The Saints have already had trouble finding consistency on the ground in 2026, and Banks’ absence would only make that harder. Without him, the offense loses push up front and may have to lean more on runs inside or to the right side.
The timing is especially rough because New Orleans is about to face Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders. Crosby’s burst, power and relentlessness make him one of the league’s most difficult edge rushers to prepare for, even when a line is at full strength. With Banks’ status up in the air, the Saints are staring at a major protection challenge.
Richards does bring experience and positional versatility, and he has shown he can hold up against most competition. But if Banks misses time, Richards becomes the spot opponents will target. How well he handles that pressure could go a long way toward deciding whether the Saints’ offense keeps rolling or gets slowed down fast.
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Kellen Moore did not have much to offer afterward beyond saying Banks will need further evaluation, which leaves the Saints with more questions than answers for now. Left tackle is one of those positions where depth matters immediately, and New Orleans will spend the next stretch trying to figure out how long it has to manage without one of its key young linemen. [Read more 🡒]