Let’s take some time to break down the ew Orleans Saints injury report for Week 8’s game with the Las Vegas Raiders. Who’s in, who’s out, and who is questionable to play? You can find the full injury report in brief here, but let’s take a longer look at it:
Out
Just three players were preemptively ruled out this week with injuries, which is an improvement considering they’ve ruled out four or more players in each of the last three weeks.
- WR Michael Thomas (foot): Thomas will have missed five games after suffering a foot injury in Week 3’s road loss to the Carolina Panthers. It isn’t the same limb that took him out of action for nearly two years with a complicated ankle injury, but that’s small consolation.
- WR Jarvis Landry (ankle): Landry will have missed four games after injuring his ankle adjusting to an off-target pass in that same Panthers game. He gutted through it in Week 4’s game with the Minnesota Vikings in London, but the Saints have put him on ice during the weeks since.
- CB Marshon Lattimore (abdomen): Lattimore is dealing with a bruised kidney and a rib injury after colliding with other players defending a deep pass against the Seattle Seahawks back in Week 5.
Questionable
Five different Saints players are questionable to suit up this week:
- LG Andrus Peat (chest): Peat returned to practice on a limited basis this week after being held out the week before, having injured a pectoral muscle in the Week 6 Cincinnati Bengals game. A pectoral muscle injury ended his 2021 season altogether, so the Saints have exercised patience with him.
- TE Adam Trautman (ankle): Trautman was rolled up on during that loss to the Bengals and has missed most of the last two weeks resting up, though he returned to practice on a limited basis Friday and is questionable to play. He’s a big part of the Saints run game, especially their Taysom Hill-centric package of plays, thanks to his improved skill as a blocker.
- CB Paulson Adebo (knee): Adebo missed the first couple of games with an ankle injury but has been lately slowed by a knee issue, which has limited him in practice for three weeks. Hopefully he can go on Sunday, but it’s worth noting he still hasn’t practiced fully since Week 5.
- TE Juwan Johnson (hamstring): Johnson was added to the injury report on Thursday and practiced on a limited basis Friday, so we’ll see if he can play on Sunday. He’s been a key player for the Saints on critical downs this year and is their go-to receiving threat at tight end.
- DT David Onyemata (illness): Onyemata was added to Friday’s injury report as a non-participant due to an illness. Four different Raiders players have been dealing with an illness this week, and we’re in flu season, so that may be the case for Onyemata as well. He’s the Saints’ top defensive tackle and would be a big loss if unable to play, but it’s worth noting the Saints didn’t activate a replacement from the practice squad when given the opportunity.
Available
Four other Saints players were listed on the injury report this week, but managed to practice fully on Friday and are expected to play without any injury designations:
- RT Ryan Ramczyk (knee): Ramczyk has regularly rested on Wednesdays and been limited throughout the week as the Saints take precautions to manage his workload.
- OL Calvin Throckmorton (hip): Throckmorton was injured back in Week 4’s Vikings game and missed some time in practice before working on a limited basis, and the Saints upgraded him to full participation this week.
- DE Payton Turner (chest): Turner was also injured against Minnesota, missing the next two weeks of practices, but he was upgraded to limited reps last week (though he didn’t play against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night). He practiced fully this week ahead of the Raiders game.
- QB Jameis Winston (back/ankle): Winston practiced fully this week but is still receiving treatment on his back and ankle injuries, so he’s still listed on the injury report. Andy Dalton is expected to start ahead of him, though, with Saints coach Dennis Allen citing performance rather than health as the reason for Winston’s benching.
- Additionally, WR Keith Kirkwood (ankle) was upgraded from limited to full participation on Friday, but he was released from the 53-man roster to open a spot for CB Chris Harris Jr.
Injured reserve
Four Saints players will be eligible to return from injured reserve this season, though it’s worth noting teams are capped at eight activations from I.R. in 2022 (and New Orleans has already brought back DT Malcolm Roach and CB Alontae Taylor). They are:
- LT Trevor Penning
- DB P.J. Williams
- WR Deonte Harty
- CB Bradley Roby
Time will tell if they heal up enough to where they can play again this season, but they’ll at least be eligible to return if their bodies respond well to treatment.
And four other players remain on injured reserve with season-ending ailments: S Smoke Monday, LB D’Marco Jackson, LT Ethan Greenidge, and DT Albert Huggins. The Saints released LG Forrest Lamp from this list earlier this week with an injury settlement, saving themselves a little salary cap space and giving Lamp the option to play for another team as soon as he’s able to pass a physical.
