Tag: Bub Means

Rookie Saints draft pick suffered injury setback

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said Saturday that rookie wide receiver Bub Means suffered an injury setback, likely ending his season:

This isn’t the news Bub Means was hoping for. On Saturday, New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi told reporters that Means had suffered a setback in practice and would likely revert to injured reserve, ending his season.

Means suffered an ankle injury earlier this season that put him on IR for several weeks; when he was cleared to return to practice, he was only able to work on a limited basis for a few days before sitting out again. Now his year is likely over with his 21-day practice window coming to a close.

It’s a disappointing turn, but these things happen in the NFL. Means is a young player and it’s important he get his body right and prepare for what should be a long career. The rookie from Pittsburgh totaled 9 receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown this season, appearing in seven games.
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Week 15 injury report: Saints practice again without their best player

The Saints practiced on Thursday again without their best player. Alvin Kamara (illness) is still a DNP on the injury report:

This isn’t good. The New Orleans Saints practiced on Thursday again without their best player. Star running back Alvin Kamara (illness) was still a non-participant on the injury report ahead of Week 15’s game with the Washington Commanders.

Now, Kamara is only dealing with an undisclosed illness, so this could be something as minor as the flu. But it’s worth watching for changes to his status closely in the days ahead. At the same time, if there’s a player on the roster who could walk onto the field Sunday afternoon without having taken a single practice rep, it’s him.

The only change to the injury report was the Saints downgrading rookie wide receiver Bub Means (ankle) from limited reps to non-participation. He’s still on injured reserve with another week of eligibility remaining to get the green light to play, but this is two weeks now we’ve seen him test that ankle and then have to scale back on the days that followed.

Here’s what we learned from both teams:

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Saints injury report: Starting offensive line coming into focus vs. Giants

The New Orleans Saints could have their starting offensive line together for the first time since Week 3 against the New York Giants. More on Thursday’s injury report:

There weren’t many changes for the New Orleans Saints on Thursday’s updated injury report, but the news we did get was mostly positive ahead of Sunday’s game with the New York Giants. The Saints announced that right guard Cesar Ruiz (concussion) returned to practice on a limited basis after sitting out on Wednesday, and he would bring a big boost to an offensive line already dealing with several high-profile injuries.

If Ruiz is able to go along with left guard Lucas Patrick (calf) and center Erik McCoy (groin), each of whom also practiced limited reps, the Saints would have their starting five together again for the first time since Week 3.

Of course it wasn’t all good news. Rookie wide receiver Bub Means (ankle), still on injured reserve, did not participate in Thursday’s practice after seeing limited snaps to start the week. Whether he’s experienced a setback or was held out of an abundance of caution remains to be seen.

As for the Giants? They added three players to their already-heavy injury report, most notably rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (groin). His status is worth monitoring in the days ahead. For now, here’s the full Thursday injury report from both teams:

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Saints injury report: Latest on Taysom Hill, Kendre Miller, Bub Means vs. Giants

New Orleans Saints injury report: Latest on Taysom Hill, Kendre Miller, Bub Means vs. New York Giants in Week 14

Wednesday’s initial New Orleans Saints injury report was a mixed bag of news ahead of Sunday’s game with the New York Giants. Last week’s brief injury report was nice while it lasted — the list has since grown from six names to twelve, doubling in size.

Some of these developments are positive, but not many. Running back Kendre Miller (hamstring) is one of the new additions as he returns to practice in anticipation of being activated again from injured reserve. Another new listing is rookie wide receiver Bub Means (ankle), who was limited.

But losing impact players like tight end Taysom Hill (knee) and right guard Cesar Ruiz (concussion), neither of whom practiced, is worrisome. Key starters like center Erik McCoy (groin) and left guard Lucas Patrick (calf) were each limited to start the week.

Here’s the full injury report from each team:

Saints lost another receiver to injury late in loss to Chargers

The New Orleans Saints lost wide receiver Bub Means to an ankle injury on Sunday. They can’t afford many more hits to the receiving corps:

The New Orleans Saints lost wide receiver Bub Means to injury on Sunday when he was carted off the field late in the 26-8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Head coach Dennis Allen noted after the game that Means had suffered an ankle injury, but he declined to share specifics. Means had previously left the game with a hand injury but returned in an attempt to play through it.

While the Saints have had plenty of other issues abound contributing to their lack of success, injuries have been one of the key problems. And wide receiver is a particular area that has caused many woes.

Among those names include Rashid Shaheed (out for the season after knee surgery) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (who didn’t play this week due to a hip injury). Depending on how things shake out with injuries at the position moving forward will have great bearing on just how soon a newly-signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling could see the field.

Valdes-Scantling was inactive for Week 8, shortly after joining the Saints. If he is to take the field sooner rather than later, expect him to make an impact as a deep threat as he totals 22 career catches of 40 or more yards.

The Saints will aim for a (much) better offensive performance when they face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 12 Noon CT/1 p.m. ET.

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Saints score 27 points in second quarter against Buccaneers

The Saints and Bucs were keeping the scoreboard operator busy

There was a wild first half in the Big Easy on Sunday as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints put 51 points on the scoreboard.

The Buccaneers surged to a 17-0 lead before New Orleans ralled, keyed by a punt return for a TD by Rashid Shaheed.

Spencer Rattler was making his first NFL start at QB and the rookie from South Carolina threw for 140 yards and a TD before the break.

The TD pass was good for 10 yards to Bub Means and it gave New Orleans its first lead at 20-17.

The teams then traded touchdowns and the Saints led at the half, 27-24.

WATCH: Spencer Rattler makes Saints history with his first NFL touchdown pass

Spencer Rattler threw his first NFL touchdown pass to another rookie, and it came when the team needed it most. It also made Saints history:

Take a bow, Spencer Rattler. The young quarterback threw his first NFL touchdown pass to another rookie, and it came when the team needed it most. Rattler swung a fastball to wide receiver Bub Means in the back of the end zone, giving the New Orleans Saints a lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Context makes the play even more impressive. The Saints fell into a 17-0 deficit early on after the Bucs scored a couple of touchdowns on their own, one of them off a fumble recovery, but New Orleans fought back. The defense took the ball away, Rashid Shaheed scored a long punt return touchdown, and when Rattler got in he took care of business, putting them on top 20-17.

It was the first time in Saints franchise history that a rookie quarterback’s first touchdown pass was thrown to another first-year pro in his first start. And it’s a good start to Rattler’s NFL story. Let’s see if he can keep it going.

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Dennis Allen says the Saints offense needs more firepower

Dennis Allen says the Saints offense needs more firepower. Underperforming veterans need to step up, but so do the draft picks watching games in sweatpants:

The New Orleans Saints have a good set of options at the skills positions, but good is the enemy of great. And Saints head coach Dennis Allen is looking for someone to step up now that injuries have hit the top of the depth chart.

Chris Olave played through a hamstring injury against the Atlanta Falcons. Taysom Hill scored both of the team’s first two touchdowns before exiting with a ribs issue. That meant an even heavier workload than normal for Alvin Kamara, and a wider range of responsibilities for Rashid Shaheed. And Allen needs to see other guys pulling their weight.

“We got to find some other guys that can make plays for us other than Alvin, Olave, Taysom,” Allen said Monday, looking back at Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. “I thought Rashid did some good things from an offensive perspective.”

Shaheed obviously made a big mistake on special teams by muffing an early punt which Atlanta recovered for a touchdown, but he did catch 8 of his 11 targets for 83 yards. That trailed Olave’s 8 receptions (on 10 targets) and 87 yards for the team lead. Kamara had 77 rushing yards and 42 receiving yards. Some more options would be nice.

Maybe Kendre Miller can provide a spark, but he has a lot to prove after missing all of training camp and the first four games with a hamstring injury. Allen has said before that he’s anxious to see whether Miller has even picked up the offense without taking any practice reps in it.

One obvious pick to step up? Juwan Johnson. He’s been a non-factor at best in Klint Kubiak’s offense, which was the case for him during most of last season, too. If he can’t get open and catch passes they need to find someone who can.

It’s disappointing when you look at their recent draft history and see guys like Miller, A.T. Perry, and Bub Means watching so many games in sweatpants. Allen is right that players need to step up outside their top talents. At the same time, the players he and his staff have drafted are not meeting expectations. They aren’t going to sign any free agents who can outplay guys already in the building, and it’s not looking like they’ll be in position to make a bold trade before the deadline in November. But if Allen’s comments are anything to go by, something is about to change.

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Chris Olave’s absence would force players to see more targets vs. Falcons

The Saints passing attack has been all Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Other players must step up if Olave’s hamstring injury sidelines him:

The New Orleans Saints passing attack has been led by a blend of Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Foster Moreau is your next leading receiver, but with just 5 receptions for 45 yards.

Derek Carr expressed how the lack of targets for players is partially due to the flow of the game and the Saints not passing as often. Still, with the Big 3 commanding so much of the passing volume, you wonder how much one player missing would hamper the offense.

That hypothetical could be a reality on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, as Olave was limited with a hamstring injury on Friday.

Juwan Johnson is the first name that comes to mind as a player who must step up in Olave’s absence. You wanted more out of him in Olave’s presence, but Johnson has to step up if the receiver misses the game.

Johnson is supposed to be your leading tight end, but he’s been shut out of the stat sheet for the last two weeks. He’s not the only one. You’ll look for more out of Moreau and maybe Cedrick Wilson Jr. as well, but the veteran wideout has been limited with an ankle injury. This could be the moment for rookies Mason Tipton and Bub Means to step up at wide receiver, but look for Equanimeous St. Brown to get called up from thee practice squad.

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A.T. Perry is a healthy scratch for Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys

The New Orleans Saints opted to make A.T. Perry a healthy scratch entering Week 2’s Dallas Cowboys game after he missed Week 1 with a hand injury:

The New Orleans Saints have been moving their wide receiver corps around all offseason and preseason, trying to find out the best mix of players for their roster. Ultimately, that led to A.T. Perry being marked as a healthy scratch for Week 2, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. This comes after Perry practiced without limitation the whole week, though he missed Week 1’s game due to a hand injury.

This is somewhat surprising after Perry suited up for 10 games last season, starting three, and was impressive in his playing time given. However, in preseason there were times when other players were getting opportunities over him, especially in the game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Could this just be injury management and ensuring he is completely healthy before he gets any run time? Maybe. Could it also be the Saints saying they really like what they have in guys like Bub Means and Mason Tipton over Perry? Also maybe. Who knows the thought process here, but ultimately the decision has been made, at least this week, to go away from Perry and stick with the receiver room they had for Week 1.

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