[sendtonews_embed video_id=”b8AfKDXMO9-1049355-7498″]
Sheldon Rankins has been designated to return from injured reserve
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) November 25, 2020
New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is on his way back from the injured reserve list, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. Underhill reported after the Nov. 1 Chicago Bears game in which Rankins was injured that he would miss about three weeks, and that’s been the case.
After landing on I.R. back on Nov. 6, Rankins was designated to return on Nov. 25 after sitting out games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, and Atlanta Falcons. The NFL tweaked injured reserve rules for the 2020 season due to expected COVID-19 absences, allowing teams to send players to and from I.R. as often as needed so long as they spend at least three weeks on reserve, and the Saints have again benefited from the rules change.
If Rankins is able to practice this week, he should be ready to suit up for a Week 12 road game with the Denver Broncos on Nov. 29. The big defensive tackle ranked among Saints leaders in quarterback pressures created (13 in his first 7 games) before going down with a knee injury, and he could be a big boost to a Saints interior line rotation that’s been effective in recent weeks.
New Orleans has mixed and matched backups like Shy Tuttle (17.3 snaps per game), Malcolm Roach (24 snaps per game), and Ryan Glasgow (14 snaps per game) during Rankins’ absence behind starters David Onyemata and Malcom Brown. Glasgow replaced Roach (a healthy scratch) on the gameday roster for last week’s game with the Falcons just five days after being signed to the practice squad, so the Saints are obviously looking for improvement up front.
But Rankins has to prove he’s fully healthy first. Here’s hoping for good news on the Saints injury report this week.
[vertical-gallery id=40707]