By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Here is some good news for the New Orleans Saints wide receiver room. The position group was demolished by injury in 2024 with starting wideouts Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed dealing with season-ending ailments midway through the year.
Along with the two top options, then-rookie receiver Bub Means also saw his season come to a premature close due to an ankle injury. Means spoke with WWL Radio’s Jeff Nowak on Thursday and provided a positive update.
Per Nowak, Means was cleared of his ankle injury in January and is “back going full speed” approaching his sophomore season.
Means’ injury was, unfortunately, met with a setback that shut down his season after he was not able to get back from Injured Reserve. With the injuries that took place around him, his opportunities were just starting to tick up and would have only increased in 2024.
Now, looking ahead to 2025, Means is one of just a few wide receivers currently under contract. Along with Olave and Shaheed, wideouts Kevin Austin Jr., Mason Tipton, and veteran Cedrick Wilson Jr. are the only wideouts committed for 2025.
But with a new offense heading to New Orleans, some of that list could dwindle, while new names are introduced through free agency or the draft.
Means was the No. 170 overall selection in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He finished his rookie season with nine receptions for 118 receiving yards and a touchdown catch. He appeared in seven games with one start.
