Kool-Aid McKinstry – Syndication Server

Saints announce inactive players for Week 11 game vs. Browns

Erik McCoy is active, but the Saints still aren’t fully healthy on the offensive line. Here’s the full list of inactive players in Week 11.

One name you won’t see on the New Orleans Saints list of inactive players is Erik McCoy. The center was activated from injured reserve on Saturday. That was merely a formality. It was known McCoy would play from the time the Saints waived Connor McGovern.

Unfortunately, the Saints still aren’t at full strength in the interior offensive line. Lucas Patrick remains out with an ankle injury for the second week in a row.

Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor will start in the secondary for the first time since New Orleans traded Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders. McKinstry was out with a hamstring, and now the team can get a look at potentially their cornerbacks of the future.

In addition to Patrick, Jamaal Williams was also ruled out after Friday’s practice. Here is the full list of inactive players as the Saints take on the Browns in a Week 11 showdown:

New Orleans Saints inactive players:

G Lucas Patrick (ankle)
RB Jamaal Williams (groin)
LB Jaylan Ford
DT Khristian Boyd
WR Mason Tipton
S Millard Bradford
QB Spencer Rattler (emergency quarterback)

Cleveland Browns inactive players:

WR Jaelon Darden
RB D’Onta Foreman
CBH Chigozie Anusiem
OT Jedrick Wills Jr.
QB Bailey Zappe (emergency quarterback)

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Saints secondary trending up on Thursday injury report vs. Browns

Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jordan Howden stepped up to full participation on Thursday’s New Orleans Saints injury report. The secondary is trending up:

Looking at where the New Orleans Saints injury report used to be on a weekly basis, they’ll take Wednesday’s injury report any day of the week. It was so good that Thursday’s injury report looking nearly identical is still a blessing, especially with the Saints’ history with midweek injuries.

Thursday’s injury report looks very similar, but there are two important changes. Kool-Aid McKinstry and Jordan Howden elevated from limited participants to full participants. The Saints secondary has been ravaged by injuries lately.

Alontae Taylor and Tyrann Mathieu have been the only healthy defensive backs. Howden suffered an injury against the Atlanta Falcons and returned during the game. The return of McKinstry and Howden give New Orleans essentially a full secondary.

Taylor and McKinstry are the future at cornerback. Mathieu is a veteran, but he will likely be on the team in 2025. Howden has been progressing and could be a piece for the future. If these four men are able to stay healthy, it can be a look at multiple foundational pieces in the secondary.

Saints start with their shortest injury report in weeks vs. Browns

The Saints started with their shortest injury report in weeks before Sunday’s game with the Browns. Team health is finally trending up:

This is what you want to see. The New Orleans Saints shared their shortest injury report in weeks, if not months, ahead of Week 11’s home game with the Cleveland Browns. Just nine players were listed this time after what’s felt like double-digit injury reports had become the norm.

And of those nine, only three didn’t practice on Wednesday. Linebacker Pete Werner (hand), guard Lucas Patrick (ankle), running back Jamaal Williams (groin) weren’t able to go, though in Werner’s case he’s said to be day-to-day with a chance to play on Sunday. So really that’s two inactives and a single starter down to start the week

Of course that doesn’t mean everything is great. The team’s two best receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, are both on injured reserve and might be done for the year already. But we’ll take our wins where we can find them. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi expressed optimism that starting center Erik McCoy (groin) could return from I.R. this week, and that rookie cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring) may return to the starting lineup after missing a few games with an injury of his own. That’s progress.

As for the Browns? Their injury report is even more brief than the Saints’, with the most notable listing being wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee), who practiced fully on Wednesday. Health won’t be in the Saints’ favor this week, but for possibly the first time this season it may not be actively holding them back.

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Saints rule out four players vs. Falcons on final Week 10 injury report

The New Orleans Saints ruled out four players for Sunday’s rivalry game with the Atlanta Falcons on the final Week 10 injury report:

The New Orleans Saints ruled out four players for Sunday’s rivalry game with the Atlanta Falcons on the final Week 10 injury report, including star wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion). He’ll be joined on the sideline by wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder), cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring), and left guard Lucas Patrick (ankle). Starting center Erik McCoy (groin), w ho recently returned to practice, is doubtful to suit up.

Seven more Saints players are questionable for Sunday. That list includes safety J.T. Gray (back), cornerback Rico Payton (back), running back Jamaal Williams (groin), defensive tackle John Ridgway (oblique), safety Will Harris (hamstring), guard/center Shane Lemieux (knee), and linebacker Nephi Sewell (knee).

Two more Saints players were listed on the injury report this week, but they are both expected to play — running back Alvin Kamara (hand) and quarterback Derek Carr (illness).

For Atlanta, inside linebacker JD Bertrand (concussion) has been preemptively ruled out, whereas wide receiver Drake London (hip) and center Drew Dalman (ankle) are each questionable. It feels safe to say the Falcons have an advantage in team health for this week’s game.

Here’s the full and final Week 10 Saints-Falcons injury report:

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Saints list 13 players on Week 10’s first injury report vs. Falcons

The New Orleans Saints listed 13 players on Week 10’s first injury report for Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Falcons:

The New Orleans Saints listed 13 players on Week 10’s first injury report for Sunday’s game with the Atlanta Falcons, which has been a pattern for them in recent years. Double-digit players on the weekly injury report has become a norm, and it’s led to changes at practice with an extended warmup “activation period” to try and curtail soft-tissue injuries. But who is banged up this week?

For now, the focus is on the four players in that group who didn’t practice to start the week. That includes wide receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. (shoulder) as well as cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring) and left guard Lucas Patrick (ankle).

Just two players didn’t practice for Atlanta on Wednesday, both linebackers: JD Bertrand (concussion) and Matthew Judon (illness). But the Falcons nine players on their first injury report in total so it isn’t like they’re at full health, either.

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Saints announce inactive players for Week 9 game vs. Panthers

Injuries in the Saints’ cornerback room highlight the inactive players in Week 9. Here’s who will be sitting this one out for both teams:

Injuries took a toll on the New Orleans Saints cornerback room going into the Carolina Panthers matchup. Marshon Lattimore and Kool-Aid McKinstry were ruled out on Friday due to injury. McKinstry suffered his injury during practice. Lattimore exited a game with a hamstring for the second time this season

Kendre Miller and Bub Means are also dealing with injuries, but they aren’t on the inactive players because they’re on injured reserve. Jamaal Williams was also listed as doubtful.

No Miller. No Williams. Expect the typical heavy dosage of Alvin Kamara.

The Panthers will be without Adam Thielen, but Xavier Legette is available to Bryce Young. Offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu is out after leaving last week’s game with an ankle injury. Young’s supporting cast being at less than full strength will impact an already struggling offense.

This is a rematch from the season opener. The Saints trampled the Panthers and started the Saints hype train. Fast forward to Week 9 and these teams have the two longest losing streaks in the NFL.

Here is the full list of inactive players in Saints versus Panthers:

New Orleans Saints inactive players:

CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring)
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring)
CB Rico Payton (back)
RB Jamaal Williams (groin)
DT John Ridgeway (oblique)
LB Jaylan Ford
QB Spencer Rattler (emergency quarterback)

Carolina Panthers inactive players:

LT Ikem Ekwonu (ankle)
TE Felipe Franks (concussion)
S Jammie Robinson (knee)
CB Shemar Bartholomew
OLB DJ Johnson
TE Tommy Tremble

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Panthers receiving corps as riddled with injuries as Saints secondary

Alontae Taylor is the only one of the Saints’ top cornerbacks healthy this week, and Carolina is depending on a WR who was hurt in practice:

The passing game will be an interesting battle to watch when the Carolina Panthers have the ball against the New Orleans Saints. This game will feature a banged up Saints secondary versus a depleted Panthers wide receiver corps.

Paulson Adebo’s season is over with a broken femur suffered in Week 7. Marshon Lattimore and Kool-Aid McKinstry are both out with hamstring injuries this week. That leaves Alontae Taylor as the only piece of the core cornerbacks who will play Sunday.

Xavier Legette is the only wide receiver of note available to Bryce Young. Adam Thielen is doubtful and Diontae Johnson was shipped off to the Ravens. Even Legette, who is expected to play, was added to the injury report midweek with a toe injury.

Carolina has struggled to throw the ball this year with Young or Andy Dalton. This would be normally be an easy matchup for the Saints secondary. With all the injuries, it’s difficult to project how they’ll perform.

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Saints changing practice routine in the face of recurring injuries

The Saints have had eight injuries happen during practice this year, so now they’re shifting their pre-practice routine:

Health has been one of the New Orleans Saints biggest enemies this season. New Orleans has been on the losing side of that battle for the majority of the season.

The injury bug doesn’t discriminate with the timing of the injuries either. The Saints have suffered injuries in game and in practice. The latter is making Dennis Allen switch their practice routine.

The most notable injuries such as Derek Carr, Erik McCoy and Chris Olave happened in live action. Pete Werner, however, missed three games with a hamstring injury he suffered in practice. Kool-Aid McKinstry is missing the Carolina Panthers this week with a hamstring injury suffered in practice, too.

The Saints have suffered 8 injuries in practice this year. Allen said they are “looking at hydration levels, a little more pre-practice stretch, activation period.”

A focus the lead up to practice is integral. Hamstrings have been one of the most common injuries. The stretches and activation period alterations are aimed to getting the body prepared for more strenuous activity. These changes were needed. What they’ve been trying wasn’t working. Hopefully it makes a positive difference.

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Alontae Taylor on constantly shifting roles: ‘I’m used to it’

Injuries may push Alontae Taylor to strictly lining up outside this week. But changing roles isn’t anything new for the Saints’ slot corner:

Injuries to New Orleans Saints cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Kool-Aid McKinstry may keep Alontae Taylor from playing any snaps in the slot on Sunday.

After Paulson Adebo’s season-ending injury, Dennis Allen moved Taylor outside in his base defense. When the New Orleans Saints were in nickel formation, McKinstry played outside and Taylor went back inside.

But McKinstry was downgraded to a DNP on Thursday, and Lattimore hasn’t practiced all week. Both are dealing with hamstring injuries, and it doesn’t seem like either is trending towards playing against the Carolina Panthers.

Current plans seem like safety Ugo Amadi will play the nickel, which he did last week. This is another shift for Taylor. He started the year at solely nickel corner, then he played both inside and outside last week and it appears he’ll strictly be a boundary corner this Sunday.

Moving around is nothing new, and Taylor said, “At this point I guess I’m used to it.”

It helps that Taylor is going to his natural position. He maintains that he is a cornerback who has gotten comfortable playing the nickel. The comfortability outside means no acclimation period. Even if it’s just Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers, it’s still another NFL team, and Taylor knows he can’t take them lightly.

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Thursday’s injury report update has a mixed bag of news for the Saints

Thursday’s Saints injury report update has a mixed bag. A couple of players were upgraded to full reps, but three of their four cornerbacks missed practice:

Thursday’s injury report update has a mixed bag for the New Orleans Saints as they prepare for Week 9’s game with the Carolina Panthers. A couple of players were upgraded to full reps, which is positive, but three of their four cornerbacks missed practice.

Marshon Lattimore and Kool-Aid McKinstry are both dealing with hamstring injuries; Lattimore exited last week’s loss late, and he’s been managing this issue for a while. McKinstry practiced on a limited basis Wednesday but wasn’t able to go Thursday. And rookie corner Rico Payton has a back injury.

That leaves Alontae Taylor as the only full-time cornerback on the 53-man roster who practiced Thursday. Practice squad corners Shemar Jean-Charles and Tre Herndon were both available, but guys like Ugo Amadi, a safety with experience covering the slot, probably had to help them fill out rotations in practice.

It’s far from an ideal scenario, even against a bad passing attack like Carolina’s. Bryce Young is still an NFL quarterback and he has pro receivers to throw to. The Saints’ depth chart is being stretched to its limit. We’ll have to wait and see if Friday’s injury report has more good news than bad.

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