By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Saints only ruled two players out this week with injury before taking on the Cleveland Browns: running back Jamaal Williams and starting left guard Lucas Patrick. While they were surefire inactives, a couple of questions were lingering. The Saints had activated linebacker Nephi Sewell from Injured Reserve while starting linebacker Pete Werner was limited in practice throughout the week. It now looks like both second-level players will be available.
In order to make room for both, the Saints look to have made the decision to roll out a trimmed down wide receivers room, making rookie undrafted free agent Mason Tipton inactive for this matchup.
Here are the Saints’ game day inactives for Sunday’s game against the Browns:
QB Spencer Rattler (3rd QB)
RB Jamaal Williams (Groin)
S Millard Bradford
LB Jaylan Ford
G Lucas Patrick (Ankle)
WR Mason Tipton
DT Khristian Boyd
New Orleans will have just four active wide receivers in this game. Veterans Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Dante Pettis will be joined by Kevin Austin Jr. who made an impact in his NFL debut last week in the team’s win against the Atlanta Falcons. The biggest concern here is that the Saints have had a lot of injuries at the position, including several to WIlson Jr. throughout the season.
If New Orleans ends up short at pass catcher, they could turn to their full room of tight ends and, of course, lean on running back Alvin Kamara in the passing game as well.
The big return for the Saints is on their offensive line. Center Erik McCoy has been out since Week 3 and will finally make his return in front of a home crowd just in time to face the Browns defensive line led by Myles Garrett.
