A brutal wave of offseason injuries has depleted New Orleans’ depth, leaving the roster shorthanded at key positions and forcing quarterback Tyler Shough to carry a heavy burden.
The New Orleans Saints have an Achilles heel prior to the 2026 NFL season. The Saints' weakness is injuries themselves.
As injuries go, everyone is dealing with them. Nobody is immune. Still, the Saints have had as bad a bout with them as most NFL teams have in the offseason. Now, it's become a legitimate concern.
Running back depth alone is looking concerning given them team is down four potential contributors in the backfield. Add in an injured potential No. 2 receiver in Jordyn Tyson and the Saints will be a shell of what they were expected to be in Week 1 in terms of talent.
ESPN NFL insider Katherine Terrell detailed the Saints' No. 1 obstacle leading up to what could be a memorable regular season. Terrell shares that injuries may be the determining factor that holds the team back. Here's some of what Terrell wrote on the topic.
"The Saints held 20 players out of practice Monday. Some, such as Jordyn Tyson, Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan, will miss significant time. Other players have new injuries with their severity and return timelines not yet known.
Running back Audric Estime returned to practice after injuring an ankle in the first preseason game, but two more running backs were out with injury (Devin Neal reinjured his hamstring and Ty Chandler has a season-ending knee injury.)
Wide receivers Bub Means and Trey Palmer didn't practice Monday (although Means returned in a limited capacity Tuesday), while tight ends Moliki Matavao (knee) and Oscar Delp (hamstring) were also absent. Matavao would be put on season-ending IR on Tuesday.
Cornerback Rezjohn Wright is going on season-ending injured reserve with a hip injury and Moore said rookie defensive back Lorenzo Styles will have 'time lost' due to a calf injury."
Aug 22, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Ty Chandler (32) carries the ball against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesIn the Saints' favor, they know that starting quarterback Tyler Shough can make things happen regardless of his surroundings. Shough proved as much when key players were injured last season. That said, New Orleans was probably hoping he would not have to carry the unit as much as he did last year. The frustrating injury luck continues into Week 1 of the 2026 season.
The Saints have time to get healthier. Even so, they can ill afford to suffer many more injuries as the offseason progresses. We'll keep an eye on New Orleans' depth health as they move toward the finish line of the preseason.
