Tag: Report

Terron Armstead week-to-week after high-ankle sprain vs. Panthers

The New Orleans Saints lost starting left tackle Terron Armstead with a high-ankle sprain against the Carolina Panthers, sidelining him.

The New Orleans Saints lost starting left tackle Terron Armstead during Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers to a high-ankle sprain, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday morning. Armstead is managing his injury on a week-to-week basis and is already ruled out for Thursday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. High-ankle sprains can sideline players for as long as a month, though it’s not uncommon for them to return sooner.

It’s obviously a huge loss for the Saints offensive line. The step down from Armstead to his backup, Patrick Omameh, is as wide a gulf as there can be found in the NFL — when healthy, Armstead is an All-Pro talent and one of the best left tackles in the game. Omameh is a journeyman with more NFL experience at both left and right guard than left tackle. The Saints also have an option in rookie left tackle Ethan Greenidge, an undrafted free agent out of Villanova who has been a healthy inactive all year.

This injury compounds a bigger issue for the Saints offensive line, which is the absence of starting left guard Andrus Peat. Peat is expected to miss about four more weeks after having his broken arm surgically repaired. He’s normally the top option to fill in for Armstead at left tackle, but he’s off the table and replaced by backup left guard Nick Easton.

Hopefully things stabilize for the Saints soon, but for now, it appears they’re going into the late-season stretch with both their starting left tackle and left guard sidelined by injuries. Their next opponent is the Atlanta Falcons, who sacked quarterback Drew Brees six times just a few weeks ago, when both Armstead and Peat were in the lineup. New Orleans has to make some quick adjustments on the fly.

[vertical-gallery id=23127]

Terron Armstead injured, questionable to return vs. Panthers

New Orleans Saints left tackle Terron Armstead injured his ankle and is questionable to return to play versus the Carolina Panthers.

[jwplayer 2kZ1kNtl]

The New Orleans Saints offensive line took another hit early against the Carolina Panthers, with left tackle Terron Armstead injured his ankle during the first quarter. Armstead walked off the field slowly under his own power before riding a medical staff cart into the locker room. An announcement from the team updated his status as questionable to return to the game.

In his place, the Saints called up veteran  backup Patrick Omameh, who has spent most of his time in the NFL at left or right guard. The Saints were already starting a backup next to Armstead in Nick Easton, who was filling in for injured starter Andrus Peat. Ironically, Peat is normally the go-to option to replace Armstead, but he’s going to be out about four more weeks after breaking his arm against the Atlanta Falcons.

This injury to Armstead has been one of the few problem areas on offense for the Saints against Carolina. They have otherwise avoided mistakes and converted on tough downs, ending two of their first three drives with touchdown scores (including a 26-yard run by Latavius Murray and a 13-yard pass to Tre’Quan Smith). That third drive ended with a punt, which the Saints were fortunate to recover.

Armstead’s status is officially questionable to return, so he hasn’t been ruled out entirely. Stay tuned for an update to his situation.

[vertical-gallery id=22891]

Report: Seahawks tight end Ed Dickson headed back to injured reserve

In an unexpected turn of events, Seahawks TE Ed Dickson – who was just activated this week – could be headed back to the injured reserve.

Just days after the Seattle Seahawks activated tight end Ed Dickson back to the 53-man roster, he might be headed back to the injured reserve.

A report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicates that’s exactly what is likely to happen.

“Seahawks expected to place TE Ed Dickson back on IR, according to sources,” Fowler tweeted early Thursday evening. “Dickson was activated this week but there’s concern over his recovery from injury.”

This report contradicts what coach Pete Carroll had said earlier in the week – that Dickson would actually be able to carry a full workload Sunday against the Eagles.

“He’s going to play a regular load if the week works out fine,” Carroll said Wednesday. “He’s been conditioning for a long time. He’s been practicing with us for quite a while. He should be ready to go. Weight’s in a good spot. He looks like he’s in good shape. He won’t play the whole game because we’ll be moving guys in and out. We expect him to play a regular role.”

If the Seahawks do place Dickson back on the injured reserve, they will undoubtedly have to active Tyrone Swoopes up from the practice squad.

This story is continuing to develop.

[lawrence-related id=51351]

Report: Josh Hill suffered ‘mild’ concussion vs. Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints lost backup tight end Josh Hill with a concussion, which one report described as a mild injury rather than serious.

[jwplayer WU2Y8Ngc]

The New Orleans Saints lost a big part of their offense on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when backup tight end Josh Hill was ruled out from returning to the game with a concussion. Hill isn’t the pass-catching threat many would expect a valued Saints tight end to perform as, but he fills a critical role in the offense as one of their best blockers. Saints coach Sean Payton described his loss as like losing the front door to a house, requiring a quick scramble to adjust his playsheet.

Fortunately, Hill appears to have escaped a serious brain injury. Per Larry Holder of The Athletic, Hill’s concussion was described as mild, though the team still took all precautions to protect his health. Hill was a limited participant in practice on the Wednesday Saints injury report, which is encouraging. It’s worth noting that he was limited in practice throughout the week before the Buccaneers game with a calf issue, though it didn’t slow him down in the game.

Hill has averaged nearly 39 snaps per game this season, often outplaying big free agent signing Jared Cook. Still, it isn’t really fair to compare the two of them given their vastly different skills sets; Hill is a blocker first and a receiver second, while the Saints spent the summer suggesting Cook’s arrival would allow them to open up a part of the playbook once designed for Jimmy Graham. If Cook continues to catch touchdowns like his high-flying grab against Tampa Bay, he might end up earning that adulation.

Even if this latest concussion is only a minor hurdle, fans should remember that it’s the third brain injury in as many years for Hill. He exited last year’s NFC championship game with a concussion and dealt with another one early in the 2017 season. Here’s hoping this isn’t the beginning of a trend like the series of concussions that ended Coby Fleener’s Saints career.

[vertical-gallery id=22742]

Saints rule out Josh Hill vs. Buccaneers with concussion

The New Orleans Saints lost backup TE Josh Hill during their game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a concussion, leaving them shorthanded.

[jwplayer fqTgTjBU-ThvAeFxT]

The New Orleans Saints ruled backup tight end Josh Hill out for the rest of their game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced Sunday. Hill suffered a concussion during the first half and was not cleared to return by team medical staff.

It’s made the Saints short-handed at the position, with Jared Cook the only active tight end left in the game. Third-year reserve Dan Arnold was a healthy scratch before kickoff, though the Saints can shift do-it-all quarterback Taysom Hill into the tight end spot in a pinch.

One other adjustment the Saints can make in Hill’s absence is the use of extra offensive linemen in heavy personnel packages. They went to that exact look early in the fourth quarter for a short-yardage situation, sending backup blockers Will Clapp and Patrick Omameh out to reinforce the formation — meaning every active offensive lineman was on the field at the same time. Quarterback Drew Brees ended up leaping over the top of the line to pick up a fresh set of downs.

Hopefully Hill won’t be plagued by concussion symptoms in the coming weeks. He was limited in practice throughout the past week with a calf injury, though it obviously didn’t prevent him from suiting up. The Saints lack depth at tight end and haven’t gotten consistent production out of Cook to this point in the season. Still, Hill’s health is what is most important, and he shouldn’t rush to return from this brain injury.

[vertical-gallery id=22474]