By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints lost starting safety Will Harris Jr. in last week’s game due to a hamstring injury.
While the team does have a defensive backs room that they feel confident in, the potential Harris Jr to miss extended time means options need to be kept open. Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the Saints hosted four safeties this week.
According to Wilson, the team worked out safeties Alex Cook, Roderic Teamer, Tracy Walker III and A.J. Thomas.
Two of those names jump out immediately.
Teamer, the former Tulane safety, spent the offseason with New Orleans throughout training camp. His special teams acumen, in addition to the depth and experience he would provide at safety, is of valuable importance as well.
Walker III is an intriguing player to consider. Like Harris Jr., he spent time with the Detroit Lions defense, which is fairly similar to New Orleans’ scheme. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was the Saints defensive backs coach before joining the Lions staff. Glenn’s scheme is one that Harris Jr. highlighted as being very similar to Saints head coach Dennis Allen’s. If Walker III could pick up the system just as quickly, that would certainly be of interest to the Saints.
Allen said Wednesday, during his post-practice media availability, that Harris Jr. would be a candidate for Injured Reserve (IR) with his hamstring injury. Following the injury against the Kansas City Chiefs, he was carted off the field. If he went to IR, he would be required to miss at least the next four weeks before he could be activated to return to the field. That’s assuming the injury isn’t more significant, which would create a more lengthy timeline.
New Orleans has dealt with what feels like an abnormal amount of injuries so far this season. Those injuries have managed to hit a lot of very valuable players at that, intensifying the matter. Injuries do seem to be up around the NFL, but even Allen acknowledges that the issue has led the team to look for answers.
“I do think that’s an area we’ve got to look to try to improve in,” Allen said Wednesday. “Because certainly we’ve had our fair share of injuries. I think we’d be crazy not to look into trying to figure out the reasons why and see if we can’t solve some of those issues.”
New Orleans would love to curb its injury problem as soon as possible. But until then, looking into investing back in their safety room looks like a wise way to go. Especially if their starting safety will indeed be sent to IR. The Saints currently have an open practice squad spot. They can carry 17 thanks to the International Player Exemption for rookie kicker Charlie Smyth. Filling that spot with another safety would make sense.
Beyond Harris Jr., the Saints have fellow starter Tyrann Mathieu, second-year safety Jordan Howden and special teams captain J.T. Gray. On the practice squad the team currently carries veteran safety Jonathan Abram and Ugo Amadi who is listed as a safety but most often serves as slot depth when called upon on defense.
