The Saints have a lengthy injury report heading into their Week 9 matchup with the Panthers, but they will have one critical player back on Sunday.
Quarterback Derek Carr has no injury designation and is set to return for the divisional contest.
Carr has not played since suffering an oblique injury in the Week 5 loss to the Chiefs, missing the last three games.
“Hopefully that’ll have a big positive impact,” head coach Dennis Allen said of Carr’s return in his Friday press conference, noting that the offense looked “really sharp” in practice. “My hope is that carries over into the game. But I think anytime you get a player like Derek that comes back, somebody with experience — he’s broken a lot of huddles throughout his career. So just being able to get the communication, everybody getting lined up, making sure everybody’s on the same page — I think that’ll improve with a veteran quarterback back there.”
Carr has completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 989 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
The Saints will not have cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring), receiver Bub Means (ankle), or running back Kendre Miller (hamstring), as they’ve all been ruled out.
Running back Jamaal Williams (groin) is doubtful.
Cornerback Rico Payton (back), receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (hip), offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri (shoulder), offensive lineman Shane Lemieux (knee), linebacker Nephi Sewell (knee), and defensive tackle John Ridgeway (oblique) are all questionable.
Running back Alvin Kamara, safety Tyrann Mathieu (illness), and tight end Juwan Johnson (shoulder) are off the report and set to play.
The Panthers will not have their left tackle when they take on the Saints this weekend.
Carolina has ruled out Ikem Ekwonu after he missed all three practices this week with an ankle injury. He suffered the injury in last week’s loss to the Broncos.
The No. 6 overall pick of the 2022 draft, Ekwonu will be missing the first game of his career due to injury. He played 100 percent of Carolina’s offensive snaps in 2022 and 2023.
Via Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, head coach Dave Canales said Cade Mays will start at center with Brady Christiensen moving over to play left tackle this weekend.
Safety Jammie Robinson (knee) and tight end Feleipe Franks (concussion) have also been ruled out.
Receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring), defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy (ankle), and safety Jordan Fuller (hamstring) are all doubtful.
Receiver Xavier Legette (toe), running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quad), outside linebacker DJ Johnson (ankle), and tight end Tommy Tremble (back) are all questionable.
The NFL has allowed players to wear Guardian Caps during games this year. Not many have chosen to do it.
Saints receiver Chris Olave might be the next one to do it.
Via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com, Olave said Thursday he’s thinking about wearing the soft outer covering on his helmet during games.
“I’m still considering it,” Olave said. “I was considering [wearing it] last game, ended up going with the regular helmet.”
Olave suffered a concussion in Week 6. He missed the Week 7 loss to the Broncos. He returned on Sunday, taking a shoulder to the helmet against the Chargers. He was checked in the sideline medical tent for a concussion, but he was cleared to return.
Olave said he changed his helmet after suffering the concussion. He said the safer helmet made him think he doesn’t need a Guardian Cap.
The resistance to the Guardian Cap usually flows from how it looks. Lumpy and clumpy, like a beanbag chair that has too many beans and not enough bag. But if it makes the game safer, everyone should try to get used to seeing it — and the players should try to get used to wearing it.
Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton’s run as the team’s starter ended last week when he was inactive against the Broncos after suffering a right thumb injury in a car accident and he’ll remain on the bench this week.
Head coach Dave Canales said on Wednesday that the team will stick with Bryce Young against the Saints this Sunday. Canales said he “erred on the side of caution” in making his decision and suggested that Dalton felt he was healthy enough to play.
Dalton confirmed as much when he spoke to reporters on Thursday.
“I felt like I could go,” Dalton said, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “For him, he wanted to give me another week of rest which definitely won’t be a bad thing.”
Canales indicated that the team will continue to make their quarterback decision on a week-to-week basis and Dalton was asked how he viewed being in that situation.
“It is what it is,” Dalton said. “I enjoy every time I get to be out there. We’ll see how this thing goes. We don’t know how it’s all gonna shake out.”
Young was 24-of-37 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions last week. Dalton was 11-of-16 for 93 yards and two interceptions in his last start.
The Panthers receiving corps got smaller this week when they traded Diontae Johnson to the Ravens and Thursday’s practice raised the possibility that they could be without Xavier Legette as well.
Legette was listed as a limited participant due to a toe injury. Legette was not on the injury report at all on Wednesday, so Friday’s participation will be telling about the risk to his availability against the Saints.
Adam Thielen (hamstring) was also listed as limited as he works to make his return from injured reserve.
Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (ankle), tight end Feleipe Franks (concussion), safety Jammie Robinson (knee), and right tackle Taylor Moton (rest) didn’t practice. Linebacker DJ Johnson (ankle) and tight end Tommy Tremble (back) were limited participants after missing Wednesday’s session.
Quarterback Andy Dalton (thumb) was a full participant again, but he’s set to be the backup to Bryce Young this week.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson experienced a major change in circumstances this week.
Johnson was traded from the Panthers to the Ravens in a deal that took him from a team with a 1-7 record to one with a 5-3 mark and aspirations for a deep playoff run. Johnson shared his reaction to that change of fortune after his first practice session with his new team on Wednesday.
“Once I found out where I was going, I was excited,” Johnson said, via the team’s website. “Sigh of relief. I’m ready to work.”
Johnson spent his first five seasons with the Steelers, so he’s very familiar with the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Speaking of Jackson, Johnson said that getting a chance to “contribute to the offense that he’s a part of and that he is a leader of is a blessing” and the hope in Baltimore is that the new wideout helps lift everyone to new heights in the second half of the season.
Derek Carr is expected to be back at quarterback for the Saints this weekend and he said on Wednesday that the Saints can expect his “full commitment” to trying to turn around a season that started going off the rails before he missed three games with an oblique injury.
What Carr won’t promise is that his attempt will be a successful one. The Saints have lost six straight games after starting the season 2-0 and Carr was asked if he feels added pressure to stop the bleeding.
“I am no savior. There’s only been one of those and, that is not me,” Carr said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. “I am here to be a great leader and to be a great teammate and to do my job the best of my ability. And do I feel confident in what I can do? Absolutely. I feel confident in what I can do. I feel confident in what I can bring to our team. And that’s exciting, right? But to save us or anything like that, that’s not me, I’m gonna come in and do what my guys expect me to do. Bring energy, bring effort, be a great teammate. Encourage our guys, get everybody on the same page, lock in the details, hold each other accountable.”
The Saints will be in Carolina on Sunday and it’s hard to imagine a better opportunity to end a losing streak than playing the Panthers. If that doesn’t happen, it’ll be a long second half in New Orleans.
The Saints appear likely to have their QB1 back when they play the Panthers this weekend.
Head coach Dennis Allen said in his Wednesday press conference that it’s his expectation that Derek Carr will start on Sunday.
“Derek participated in practice,” Allen said. “We had him on a little bit of a pitch count today, but he did well. And I think signs are optimistic for the weekend.”
Carr has been sidelined since suffering an oblique injury against the Chiefs in Week 5.
Allen said Carr looked good in practice on Wednesday. While the team needs to see how Carr responds, Allen said Carr’s work was encouraging.
“I think it’s really just about how he looks out here in practice, how he throws the football, and how he feels in doing that,” Allen said. “Like I said, he’s been feeling much better each and every day.”
While Spencer Rattler started the last three games, Allen noted that Jake Haener is set to be the team’s backup behind Carr in Week 9.
Bryce Young will have at least another week as Carolina’s QB1.
Head coach Dave Canales said in his Wednesday press conference that Young will start against the Saints on Sunday, as Andy Dalton continues to rehab his right thumb injury.
“Andy is progressing,” Canales said. “He was out there throwing and I just really looked at all the things and for me, just erred on the side of caution and wanted to get Andy in the best possible situation to be able to make a decision going forward.
“Also, I’m excited for Bryce to have an opportunity to build off some of the things he did last week. Certainly things to work on, but a lot of good stuff that he did, too.”
While Dalton was a full participant in Carolina’s Wednesday practice, Canales noted that he wants to give Dalton more time to make sure his thumb is healed.
“It really was me taking the decision out of Andy’s hands,” Canales said. “If you were to ask Andy, can you go? He would tell you, yes. And for me, it’s like, he’s a week removed from a thumb injury. And I just wanted to make sure that we’re putting him back out there in the right state, in the right framework.
“And, I’m excited for Bryce to have another opportunity to build on the things that we’ve talked about, to continue to just grow and get that experience that we’ve talked about is invaluable — to be on the field, to be calling the plays, and doing it.”
This doesn’t mean that Young will remain the starter going forward, however.
“Bryce will be starting this week. We’ll collect all the information over the week with Andy, with Bryce, how he plays this week,” Canales said. “And then we’ll make another decision next week.”
Young completed 24-of-37 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in Carolina’s 28-14 loss to Denver last week. In five appearances with three starts this season, Young has completed 59.8 percent of his throws for 523 yards with two touchdowns and five picks.
Also on the injury report, offensive tackle Ike Ekwonu (ankle), tight end Feleipe Franks (concussion), linebacker DJ Johnson (ankle), safety Jammie Robinson (knee), and tight end Tommy Tremble (back) all did not practice.
Receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was limited.
Running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy (ankle), safety Jordan Fuller (hamstring), offensive tackle Yosh Nijman (knee), and linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quad) were all full.
Linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, linebacker Josey Jewell, and defensive end A’Shawn Robinson received rest days.
In the 2023 draft, three of the top four picks were quarterbacks. To date, two of the three have been benched.
After two weeks, Bryce Young — the first overall pick, made by the Panthers after trading up from No. 9 — was removed from the starting lineup for Andy Dalton. After eight weeks, the fourth pick, Anthony Richardson, has been benched for Joe Flacco.
The exception to date has been Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick and the 2023 NFL offensive rookie of the year.
Stroud’s Houston team keeps thriving. The Texans, at 6-2, are on track for a second straight playoff berth. The Panthers, in contrast, are the worst team in the league. The Colts, at 4-4, could make the postseason. If they do, it’ll happen with Joe Flacco playing quarterback.
The future for both Young and Richardson is murky at best. Young has started 19 games, winning only two. (He returned to the lineup on Sunday, because Andy Dalton was injured.) Richardson has 10 starts.
While it’s highly unlikely that either will be traded by Tuesday’s deadline, it’s fair to wonder what the offseason will bring. The Panthers likely will be looking for a new starter. The Colts could give Richardson a fresh start in Indy. Unless some other team that coveted Richardson makes the Colts an offer they won’t refuse.
Then there’s the possibility of a regime change in Indy. That would likely expedite Richardson’s exit.
However it plays out, it’s another example of young quarterbacks failing in their first NFL stops. With, as we’ve seen this year, the possibility that they will figure it out with a new team, in time.
For Young and Richardson, the time could come as soon as 2025. Barring what would be a surprise trade of either or both within the next six days.
