Actions speak louder than words, and the New Orleans Saints showed everyone what they think of Payton Turner when they picked former Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey at No. 40 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Turner, the No. 28 pick in the 2021 draft, has only appeared in 13 of 34 games through his first two seasons — largely due to injuries.
But his first season started as a healthy scratch in the 2021 opener, and his second year with New Orleans ended the same way in the 2022 finale. He hasn’t made enough progress when healthy to earn those reps, and the Saints are already making moves to account for it. Now entering his third training camp in black and gold, Turner won’t receive any excuses from head coach Dennis Allen.
