Tag: New Orleans Saints

Saints announce inactive players for Week 16 vs. Green Bay Packers

The New Orleans Saints have shared a couple of surprises in their inactive players for their Week 16 matchup against the Green Bay Packers:

The New Orleans Saints are preparing for their Week 16 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, which will feature even more injuries than once expected.

The Packers will be without a couple of key defensive players, including a once questionable Jaire Alexander who is dealing with a knee injury that has been bugging him since October. He was once expected to return this week, but it looks like he will need more time.

For the Saints, the biggest question mark was Marquez Valdes-Scantling due to a chest/illness injury designation. The team will indeed be without the big-play threat out wide, further weakening the offense. And veteran defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd was a surprise inactive during an eye injury.

New Orleans Saints inactive players

  • QB Derek Carr
  • RB Alvin Kamara
  • WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
  • DT Nathan Shepherd
  • DT Khristian Boyd

Green Bay Packers inactive players

  • S Javon Bullard
  • S Evan Williams
  • LB Quay Walker
  • CB Jaire Alexander
  • WR Malik Heath
  • OL Jacob Monk

Monday Night Football schedule: Is there a ‘ManningCast’ tonight?

There’s no ‘ManningCast’ for the Saints-Packers game tonight, but Peyton and Eli will return for a playoff game in January.

Peyton and Eli Manning have returned for a fourth season of the ManningCast with the two former quarterbacks set to provide commentary for 11 weeks of Monday Night Football games this fall.

The brothers released a funny 10-minute musical to promote the upcoming ManningCast season in September. The 2024 slate is now on a break as the regular season schedule has wrapped up for the ManningCast.

The program will return in the first round of the playoffs for a Wild Card game that will be televised on ESPN2, which is available to stream on fuboTV.

Peyton and Eli will welcome new guests on the program each week there is a ManningCast, and Bill Belichick will be featured on every episode this fall.

Check out the full schedule below.

ManningCast 2024 Schedule

NFL Week Date Game TV
1 Sept. 9 Jets @ 49ers ESPN2, ESPN+
2 Sept. 16 Falcons @ Eagles ESPN2
5 Oct. 7 Saints @ Chiefs ESPN2
6 Oct. 14 Bills @ Jets ESPN2
7 Oct. 21 Ravens @ Bucs ESPN2, ESPN+
8 Oct. 28 Giants @ Steelers ESPN2, ESPN+
9 Nov. 4 Bucs @ Chiefs ESPN2
11 Nov. 18 Texans @ Cowboys ESPN2
12 Nov. 25 Ravens @ Chargers ESPN2
14 Dec. 9 Bengals @ Cowboys ESPN2, ESPN+
Wild Card Jan. 13 TBD ESPN2, ESPN+

The ManningCast is televised on ESPN2. The primary MNF broadcast will continue to feature Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters on ESPN.

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How Spencer Rattler and the Saints used a walk-in freezer to practice for frigid Lambeau Field

Cold weather chess, not checkers.

You can simulate rain in practice if you’re going to play in the wet stuff, but as for preparing the cold? That’s a lot harder for NFL teams if you don’t live in a very cold place.

But the New Orleans Saints are playing cold-weather chess, not checkers, with starting QB Spencer Rattler and the other quarterbacks.

Per ESPN: “Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko took Rattler and the rest of the Saints’ quarterbacks into the walk-in freezer in the team’s cafeteria Saturday to run through plays. …  Janocko joked that he got the idea after watching “Cool Runnings.” In the movie, a character sits in an ice cream truck to prepare for the conditions he’ll face as an Olympic bobsledder.”

We’ll see if it pays off, but that’s a smart way to go about it.

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Is Alvin Kamara playing today? Injury updates for Saints RB

Saints RB Alvin Kamara is dealing a groin injury. Here are the latest updates.

The New Orleans Saints head to Green Bay for a Monday Night Football game against the Packers. The task will be difficult enough with a dome team playing on the Frozen Tundra. Compounding the test, QB Derek Carr will be unavailable.

That news only added a heightened focus on running back Alvin Kamara’s current status.

Here’s the latest for the Saints RB.

Alvin Kamara injury updates

Kamara is out due to a groin injury. He has not practiced this week.

How long will Kamara be out?

Kamara’s groin injury is tricky, and according to a report from NBC, it has head coach Darren Rizzi less than confident in terms of a timeframe for a return.

“The situation with Alvin right now, it was probably a little more significant than we initially thought. He’s week-to-week at the moment. I’m going to be honest, it doesn’t look great for this week,” Rizzi said. “We’ll see if it’s going to be multiple weeks. He doesn’t look great for this week.”

It’s an unfortunate roadblock for Kamara, one that actually puts a career milestone at risk this season.

Saints RB depth chart

Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller and Jordan Mims are listed behind Kamara.

Is Derek Carr playing today? Injury updates for Saints quarterback

Saints quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with a non-throwing hand injury. Here are the latest updates regarding his Week 16 status.

The New Orleans Saints were without their starting quarterback Derek Carr in Week 15 against the Washington Commanders after an injury he suffered in Week 14 against the New York Giants. Carr went down late in that matchup with a non-throwing hand injury, which was later revealed to be multiple fractures in his left hand, alongside being placed in concussion protocol for a time.

Here are the current updates on Carr, his status for Week 16, as well as the remainder of the season:

Derek Carr injury update

The current status of Derek Carr is that he will be out for the Week 16 matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers, as he continues to push the timeline to try and potentially return this season. As of now however, the timeline is unclear, as reports conflict about the potential for his return, which we will discuss in the next section. The current status of his hand is that it requires more recovery time before he can be sent out onto the field, so he will remain out against the Packers and evaluate where he stands before the next two matchups.

How long will Derek Carr be out?

The current timeline we know regarding Carr is hazy at best, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that it is “very unlikely” for the Saints signal caller to return this season, and that he is at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact.

The other reports we have had come out believe he may return this season however, with Nick Underhill of Neworleans.football reporting that the “book is not yet definitively closed on Derek Carr’s season” and that if he is able to get his motion back, he would be able to possibly come back for some of the remaining season.

The word directly from interim head coach Darren Rizzi is a mix of the two, as he was quoted via WWL Radio saying, “We’re just gonna have to go along and when he (Carr) gets to the point where he can function well enough to play in the game, I know…he wants to play and when he can, he will.”

Saints quarterback depth chart

The current Saints quarterback room is pretty similar to how it has been in recent weeks, with the two younger players as well as the addition of one veteran for posterity sake just incase anything goes wrong. As things stand right now, the current quarterback room consists of:

  • Spencer Rattler
  • Jake Haener
  • Ben DiNucci

In Week 15, Haener got the start for the first half and did not particularly look spectacular in his playing time. So, during the break, the Saints came out and ran Spencer Rattler for the second half, and he was able to bring the Saints within a failed two-point conversion of taking down the Commanders. With that said, Rattler will get the start this week.

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Opinion: Saints should follow Falcons’ example and cut ties with Derek Carr

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to move on from Kirk Cousins, and the New Orleans Saints should consider following suit with Derek Carr:

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to release quarterback Kirk Cousins sometime between now and March after less than one full season starting on the team. This is because of a string of poor starts for the veteran quarterback, and ultimately a lack of true upside, which could hinder the team long-term if they were to retain his contract.

Many of the reasons the Falcons are moving on from Cousins sound like the same issues the New Orleans Saints are facing with Derek Carr. Large contracts with multiple years remaining that could hinder further team development, both have a .500 winning percentage this season when under center, both have a low upside compared to other options on the team, and both have been barely skating by in performances this season.

While the Saints do not have a first-round pick quarterback from the most recent draft class to turn to, they do have a high upside option in Spencer Rattler, as well as what could end up being a top ten draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft. To be clear, I am not a huge proponent of this quarterback draft class, but there are a few strong options that could develop into above average starters. The Saints have been stuck in their ways of trying to compete with an older roster for awhile now, and extending their veteran talents on enormous contracts. Now, most of those contracts look poor in hindsight outside Alvin Kamara and Demario Davis, and the Saints are still well below .500 on the season.

My belief is the Saints need to use their 2025 offseason to get Derek Carr off the roster, considering there is a potential out in his contract where the Saints would only be dealing with the one season of dead cap hit worth approximately $50 million, and build for the future instead. However, there is the option of making Derek Carr one of their June 1st designations where they would only go $10 million into the red instead of $50 million, which would be a significantly preferrable option. Odds are you are going to be dealing with a dead cap hit from other players anyways, including Ryan Ramczyk who is likely to retire at the current juncture.

Drafting a quarterback in 2025 and having them compete for the starting role with Spencer Rattler would likely be a good way to see what you have, and then build around one or the other for the future as the cap hits of the veterans clear up over time. This isn’t even a matter of “kicking the can down the road” anymore, it’s about finding financial flexibility to add youth to your roster and start finding ways to phase out some of the veterans who may want to leave or retire in the coming two to three seasons. Who knows what road the Saints will actually take, but if they are looking for a new head coach in 2025, giving them the chance to build from nearly scratch seems like a better offer than the current roster provides.

Report: Atlanta Falcons plan to release Kirk Cousins after only one season

ESPN reports the Falcons are looking to move on from quarterback Kirk Cousins after only one season of him playing in Atlanta:

The Atlanta Falcons made an intriguing decision this offseason, and that was giving Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract with $90 million guaranteed at signing, before drafting another quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. in the top ten picks of the 2024 NFL draft. This move received an exceptional amount of fan and media criticism, and for good reason as the move was questionable at best. Things have changed now however, with the pick of Penix Jr. looking like the better of the two moves, rather than the signing of Cousins looking better initially.

A report from Adam Schefter of ESPN came out early Saturday morning with the news that Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons are expected to part ways sometime between now and Mar. 17, 2025 when his $10 million roster bonus is due. This comes after Cousins was formally benched during the week for Penix Jr. in lieu of a string of bad performances by the veteran signal-caller, and despite some good mixed in there, the Falcons have opted for the rookie instead.

The Falcons were on a four game losing streak before Week 15, where they managed to scrape by the lowly Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 15-9, where Cousins only threw for 112 yards with 1 touchdown to 1 interception. The offense stalled out, and ultimately that was the tipping point for the Falcons’ front office, as they will now move on to another option.

College Football Playoff: 2025 draft prospects to watch during Tennessee vs. Ohio State

Here are the top 2025 NFL draft prospects to watch during the Tennessee Volunteers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Playoff game:

The newly expanded College Football Playoff format has begun and is already providing a great look at some 2025 NFL draft prospects.

For teams like the New Orleans Saints, the draft is nearing the center of attention already. This will give them extra insight on their potential draft crushes playing in high-pressure situations.

The last matchup of the first round is the Tennessee Volunteers taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes. There is NFL talent all over the field in this one.

The top draft prospect in this matchup is certainly one that the Saints should be paying attention to in Volunteers defensive end James Pearce Jr.

Pearce is an ultra-productive pass rusher with 19.5 career sacks and 110 total pressures forced, with just two real seasons of real play time. New Orleans could desperately use someone that can actually get to the quarterback.

Tennessee has another intriguing defensive lineman, this time on the interior. Omarr Norman-Lott is an intriguing Day 2 option. He is a large presence that has potential both against the run and in pass rush. Pairing him with Bryan Bresee could be deadly.

Taking a look at a Day 3 option, the Buckeyes have safety Jordan Hancock that has improved a lot during his career.

Hancock has played both safety spots, but has also spent much of this campaign defending the slot. He has three career interceptions and four forced fumbles. The defensive back also has 82 tackles with 2.5 sacks.

How to Watch

While some of the playoff games were broadcast on TNT and Max, this matchup will be back on ESPN and ABC. It will also be available to watch on ESPN+ and in some Disney+ plans.

Chris Olave’s star college teammate may become available this offseason

Garrett Wilson could become open for trade this offseason. Reuniting New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave with his Ohio State running mate would be dynamic:

The New Orleans Saints are stuck with Derek Carr’s contract for at least another season, so the team could try and get the most out of him as possible before blowing the roster up.

Could they try to add more weapons this offseason to open up the offense even more? One surprising move could be available to them: pairing star wideout Chris Olave with his elite running mate from college for a young duo out wide.

Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, people close to New York Jets star receiver Garrett Wilson believe that he could request a trade this offseason.

“They think that he will ask for a trade after the season,” Cimini said on the Flight Deck podcast. He admitted that it was speculation, but it does make sense.

The Jets are just 4-10 this season and are going through a lot of internal issues right now. New York took Wilson’s star status away after trading for Davante Adams to appease Aaron Rodgers. It doesn’t take a lot to wonder why the receiver might be unhappy.

Adding him to the Saints offense, to be back with his friend Olave, would certainly open up Carr’s options in the passing game. Wilson has 262 catches over his first three seasons with 933 yards with six touchdowns this year alone.

Having him work the route tree while Olave stretched the field worked well in college, so New Orleans should at least think about pairing them together once again.

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Do New Orleans Saints need more help on defensive interior or edge?

Do the New Orleans Saints need more help on the defensive interior or out on the edge? PFF debated what’s best for them in the 2025 draft:

The New Orleans Saints have a lot of needs to address in the 2025 NFL draft, and the defensive line might be chief among them if Spencer Rattler can make some plays at quarterback down the stretch.

Pro Football Focus analyst Bradley Locker completed an exercise where he pondered two popular draft selections for each team in the league. For the Saints, those two players were Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Nic Scourton and Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.

“The Saints rank 20th in defensive EPA per play and have a boatload of free agents set to hit the open market along the defensive line. New Orleans will desperately need more from that unit next year, so it’s hard to go wrong with either of these options,” said Locker.

The decision basically depends on which ground needs more help for next season.

Scourton would be a much-needed boon to the pass rush. He had more success in the Big Ten than the SEC, but still had 17 sacks during his career. He projects as a solid player that should be better against the pass.

The Aggies product already boasts a solid pass rush set. Given that a defensive tackle leads New Orleans in sacks, they can certainly use a boost off the edge. Carl Granderson has regressed a little bit and Chase Young hasn’t been much of an improvement.

In a surprising turn of events, though, the Saints run defense has fallen off the edge too. Bryan Bresee has become a great pass rusher, but is a long way from solid against the run. Adding another stopper up the middle could be the perfect pair with him.

That’s exactly what Grant would be. Don’t ask him to get to the passer, but he doesn’t let much by him on the ground. He is a massive presence and recent All-American.

A drop in production from Scourton this year could scare New Orleans from potentially falling into the same trap of athletic defensive linemen. Grant is a lower-risk prospect and would immediately improve their line.

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