Edwards-Helaire elevated, Olave out as part of Saints Week 18 moves

The New Orleans Saints have announced their Saturday roster moves ahead of the team’s final game of the year at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Saints shared the following roster moves and injury updates:

• Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been elevated to the game day roster. 
• Safety Millard Bradford has been elevated to the game day roster. 
• Wide receiver Chris Olave has been ruled out. 
• Linebacker Pete Werner has been ruled out. 

With star running back Alvin Kamara listed as doubtful and second-year back Kendre Miller ruled out with a concussion, Edwards-Helaire figures to get a lot of attention out of the backfield for New Orleans. It will not be an easy task for him nor the team, facing the NFL’s No. 5 run defense. 

The former LSU Tiger told LouisianaSports.Net that he would like to convince the Saints to consider bringing him back next season. This will be a chance to leave a lasting impression in the team’s finale. 

Despite all of the talk around potential return for some of the Saints’ top offensive weapons, the season will end at exactly that: potential. Olave, who is still one of the team’s best feel-good stories of the year just having returned to practice after a scary hit led to him being carted off the field with his second concussion in three weeks back in Week 9, won’t make it back for a regular season game until 2025. 

Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will have a healthy wideout to lead the way still with Marquez Valdes-Scantling who returned to full participation before the practice week ended. 

With Werner ruled out, the Saints defense will likely turn to linebackers Willie Gay Jr. and Nephi Sewell at the second level. The unit has been healthy for the majority of the season; however Werner began experiencing concussion symptoms after last week’s game. He made progress through concussion protocol, but not enough to finish the season on the field.