The first injury report has been released ahead of Sunday’s battle for the top of the NFC South between the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.
Both teams appear to be headed in the right direction when it comes to the health of their rosters. Both clubs are working on getting injured players back into the lineup, while also managing some expected losses for the week. But overall, there’s a lot of positives for both sides of the divisional showdown.
Here is the information from the week’s first injury report:
New Orleans Saints
Did Not Participate
- RB C.J. Donaldson (shoulder)
- RB Alvin Kamara (NIR-resting player, back)
- C Erik McCoy (biceps)
Limited Participation
- T Kelvin Banks (ankle)
- G David Edwards (knee)
- CB Martin Emerson (shin)
- RB Travis Etienne (hamstring)
- TE Noah Fant (back)
- DT Christen Miller (knee)
Full Participation
- T Asim Richards (thumb)
The Saints just got rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. back last week, and could now be set to return running back Travis Etienne Jr., whose practice window was opened on Wednesday. This is promising for the Saints, who are hoping to prove that their run game improvements from last week’s overtime win over the Cleveland Browns are sustainable going into a matchup with the NFL’s No. 28 rushing defense.
In order to do so, the Saints will need to prove that they can again navigate the loss of McCoy. This time, New Orleans is turning to starting right guard Cesar Ruiz to move to the position, allowing rookie Jeremiah Wright to see his second career start.
Ruiz handled snapping responsibility in college at Michigan, but has taken only 378 career snaps at center since entering the pros. He has not taken a regular-season snap at center since 2022 season, per Pro Football Focus.
Carolina Panthers
Did Not Participate
- RB Chuba Hubbard (NIR-resting player)
- LB Bobby Okereke (foot)
Full Participation
- RB Jonathon Brooks (groin)
- G Brady Christensen (hamstring)
- RB Trevor Etienne (ankle)
- DT Lee Hunter (calf)
- CB Michael Jackson (groin)
- CB Will Lee (hamstring)
- WR Xavier Legette (knee)
- G Damien Lewis (knee)
- LB Jaelan Phillips (hamstring)
- G Torricelli Simpkins (ankle)
Christensen, Hunter, Jackson, Lee and Phillips are all key potential returns for Carolina. The team has been managing a lot of injuries in its secondary and on the offensive line. With Jackson and Lee trending toward returning to action, the Panthers can begin to cut down on penalties and explosive plays allowed in the passing game.
Meanwhile, the team is set to return a key player of its pass rush with Phillips, one of the Panthers’ biggest free agency acquisitions in the offseason, to help add another impact player to a defensive line led by defensive tackle Derrick Brown.
Offensively, the Saints are fielding two of the NFL’s top edge rushers in Chase Young and Carl Granderson. With Christensen potentially returning following his 21-day practice window which opened last week, the Panthers’ line would improve and help take pressure off of the tackles.
