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The New Orleans Saints moved their record to 2-3 with a 39-32 shootout home win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. On Monday, there were some news updates surrounding the team.
WR/KR Deonte Harty May Miss the Rest of the Season
Oct 3, 2021; New Orleans Saints receiver Deonte Harris (11) returns a kick against the New York Giants. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY
Harty, the explosive four-year kick returner, left yesterday’s game in the first quarter with an apparent foot injury and did not return. On Monday, reports surfaced that Harty suffered ‘‘a significant toe injury that could sideline him for months’’.
Taysom Hill handled kickoff duties in Harty’s absence, while WR Marquez Callaway handled punt return duties. Chris Olave also left yesterday’s game, leaving the Saints to play the final two quarters with only Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith, and newly signed Keith Kirkwood at wide receiver.
Harty, 24, was an All-Pro kick returner with the Saints as an undrafted rookie from Assumption in 2019. He’s averaged 9.8 yards on kickoff returns and 25.4 on kickoffs. Harty also has 64 career receptions for 793 yards and 4 scores, including a career-high 36 catches for 570 yards and 3 scores in 2021.
Olave Update
Oct 2, 2022; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) catches the ball as Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) and linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) defend. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Rookie WR Chris Olave left yesterday’s game after a 17-yard touchdown reception early in the third quarter. Olave showed symptoms of a concussion and did not return to the contest. He had four catches for 54 yards and a score when he departed.
New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said on Monday that Olave was in ‘‘good spirits’’ but in concussion protocol, with his game-time status for next Sunday not to be known until later in the week. With the NFL’s recent stricter guidelines on concussions, there is no telling what could happen with Olave for next week’s game against Cincinnati.
Allen was clear that Olave would not be back on the field until he was ‘completely ready’.
The 11th overall selection and third wideout off the board in this spring’s draft, Olave has had a spectacular start to his rookie campaign. He has 25 receptions for 389 yards with two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion on 42 targets so far.
Jones Signed by Seahawks
Aug 26, 2022; New Orleans Saints running back Tony Jones Jr. (34) runs the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Third-year RB Tony Jones Jr. was picked up on waivers by the Seattle Seahawks on Monday afternoon. The Seahawks lost RB Rashaad Penny for the season with a broken leg suffered in the fourth quarter of the team’s loss to New Orleans.
Jones, undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2020, had played all three of his seasons with the Saints. He had 54 carries for 142 yards and five receptions for 29 yards in 2021, but just eight rushing yards in two games this season. Jones had been inactive for the previous two weeks before being released by the Saints on Saturday.
After Latavius Murray was signed off the Saints practice squad by the Denver Broncos last week, New Orleans only has Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and Dwayne Washington on the roster at the position.
The Waiting Game
Sep 11, 2022; Saints receiver Michael Thomas (13) catches a pass over Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24). Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans played Seattle without wideouts Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, as well as S Marcus Maye. Thomas injured his foot in the latter stages of a week three loss to the Panthers and has missed the last two games. He has 16 receptions for 171 yards and three touchdowns.
Landry was also hurt late in the Carolina loss, injuring his ankle. He’d play in the Saints week four loss to Minnesota but was clearly hobbled, catching just two balls for seven yards. Landry was reportedly going to suit up against Seattle, but was instead a last-minute scratch. He has 15 receptions for 168 yards so far in 2022.
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The statuses of Olave, Thomas, and Landry will be updated throughout the week. With them on the injured list and Harty already out, it’s worth noting that the Saints only have Callaway and Smith on the active roster.
Kirkwood was elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game and reverted back to the practice squad on Monday, according to John Hendrix of the Saints News Network. He joins wideouts Kirk Merritt and return specialist Rashid Shaheed on the team’s practice squad.
The health of QB Jameis Winston will also be monitored throughout the week. Winston has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and four fractured vertebrae in his lower back. Andy Dalton has started each of the last two weeks, completing 69% of his passes for 423 yards with two touchdowns and an interception with three sacks.
Sep 11, 2022; New Orleans safety Marcus Maye (6) strips the ball from Atlanta quarterback Marcus Mariota (1). Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Another player worth watching closely is S Marcus Maye, who has missed the last three games with a rib injury. Maye had 13 tackles and a forced fumble in the first two weeks. His range and versatility are invaluable for the Saints secondary, who were torched for several big plays against the Seahawks down the middle without Maye and with P.J. Williams on injured reserve.
No official updates were provided for Thomas, Landry, Winston, or Maye on Monday. The Saints first official injury report for Sunday’s game against the Bengals will be available on Wednesday.