The New Orleans Saints are taking a brutal hit right out of the gate for their Sunday afternoon showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, with three key starters already landing on the IR-OUT list. This isn’t just a couple of backups, folks. We’re talking about core pieces getting sidelined before they even hit the field. This early season news drops like a ton of bricks for New Orleans.
Saints’ Depth Chart Decimated Before Kickoff
Man, you gotta feel for Saints fans right now. Their first injury report for the Vikings game is rough, especially with those IR-OUT designations. Starting offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, and running back Travis Etienne are all DNP and out with ankle, knee, and hamstring injuries respectively. Losing Banks, Bresee, and Etienne this early? That’s a gut punch for sure. On top of those, starting running back Alvin Kamara is a DNP with a back issue, and receiver Chris Olave also didn’t participate, though his was for NIR-Rest. But DNP is DNP, right?
Other Saints players are also dealing with some significant issues heading into the weekend. Wide receiver Barion Brown is a DNP with a thigh injury, linebacker Kaden Eliss has a calf injury keeping him out of practice, and linebacker Anfernee Jennings is DNP with a knee issue. Those are all full practice absences. Guys like safety Julian Blackmon (shoulder), tight end Noah Fant (abdomen), linebacker Carl Granderson (ankle), safety Mike Reid (ankle), and quarterback Tyler Shough (left hand) were all limited participants. At least linebacker Jaylan Ford (ankle), defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (groin), and cornerback Lorenzo Styles (calf) were full participants, so that’s a small win in a tough report.
Vikings Not Without Their Own Concerns
While the Saints are definitely facing a bigger mountain, the Vikings aren’t exactly coming into this game at 100 percent. They’ve got their own problems, especially when you look at that offensive line. Starting running back Jordan Mason is out with a thumb injury, already landing on the IR-OUT list. That’s a tough loss for their ground game. Star wide receiver Jordan Addison, who coach Kevin O’Connell called “minor, if it is anything at all,” was a DNP with a hamstring. Still, you never wanna see your star wideout DNP.
Their offensive line is definitely dinged up, with starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw a DNP due to a concussion, and starting right tackle Brian O’Neill limited with a knee injury. That’s two crucial O-linemen potentially hampered! Cornerback Charles Demmings also didn’t practice because of a hamstring. On the brighter side, Justin Jefferson was a limited participant with an ankle injury and was reportedly “back at” something, which is better than a full DNP. Aaron Jones was also limited, but that was for NIR-Rest, which feels like a planned workload. Center Michael Jurgens (elbow), punter Brett Thorson (hamstring), and tight end Ben Yurosek (ankle) all managed full participation, so at least some guys are looking good.
This Sunday afternoon matchup at Caesar’s Superdome is gonna be wild, especially with so many key players on both sides dealing with injuries. It’s really gonna test the depth of both these teams. You gotta wonder who steps up for New Orleans, trying to overcome those huge losses, and if the Vikings’ line can hold it down without Darrisaw. It’s gonna be a grinder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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