The New Orleans Saints’ receiving corps has recently been bitten by the injury bug. The Saints’ top two receivers suffered injuries in last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and both players will not play. Their second-leading receiver, Chris Olave, will not play because he suffered a concussion in the first quarter.
Finally, their leading receiver will miss an extended period.
The New Orleans Saints All-Pro could miss the rest of the season
Rashid Shaheed will not play in tonight’s game and even longer after suffering a knee injury late in the fourth quarter of their last game. Shaheed will undergo surgery to repair his meniscus, and the Saints will go from there since he’ll either undergo a full repair or a trim. He will likely miss the rest of the season if he undergoes a full repair, which would be devastating for the Saints’ offense.
With Olave and Shaheed out for today’s game, this leaves the Saints with three wide receivers on their active roster. Don’t be surprised if they elevate one or two wideouts from the practice roster for gameday. That being said, the offense must rely on two rookie receivers.
New Orleans Saints rookie receiver number one
The first receiver candidate that must step up is Bub Means.
Means started his collegiate career with the Tennessee Volunteers as a defensive back for the 2019 season. Means transferred to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs for the 2020 season but redshirted in his first season with the Bulldogs but converted to wide receiver for the 2021 season. He would transfer to the Pittsburgh Panthers for the 2022 season and played his final season in 2023. He finished his collegiate career with 90 receptions for 1,552 yards and ten touchdowns.
The Saints drafted Bub Means in the 5th round, 170th overall of the 2024 NFL Draft. Means didn’t play much in his first four games, only participating in 19 snaps. Due to Olave exiting earlier, he played 50 snaps and made the most of the opportunity. He had five receptions on eight targets for 45 yards and a 10-yard touchdown reception.
New Orleans Saints rookie receiver number two
The second receiver candidate that must step up is Mason Tipton.
Tipton committed to the Yale Bulldogs for the 2019 season. He would have a solid career with the Bulldogs, earning All-Ivy Second Team in 2021, honorable mention All-Ivy selection in 2022, and a unanimous All-Ivy First Team in 2023. He finished his collegiate career with 132 receptions for 2,067 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Mason Tipton went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the Saints signed him as an undrafted free agent. Tipton had an impressive camp and made the initial 53-man roster. He didn’t play much in his first five games but saw the most playing time in Week 6, with 29 reps. He had one reception on two targets for 15 yards in Week 6 and is six of 11 for 40 yards on the season.
Don’t forget about the New Orleans Saints veteran!
Cedrick Wilson Jr.’s role should also increase as well. After posting career highs in his last season with the Dallas Cowboys, Wilson signed a three-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately, he couldn’t carve out a role on the Dolphins, and both sides agreed to void the final year of his contract, making him a free agent in 2024.
The Saints signed Cedrick Wilson Jr. to a two-year deal during the offseason. Wilson averaged around 30% of snaps in his first five games but played 51.4% last week. He also hasn’t been targeted much to start the season, but they threw him the ball three times in Week 6 and caught two for 28 yards.
The Denver Broncos elite cornerback will not play
The Denver Broncos secondary will be shorthanded for this Thursday night game. The Broncos elite cornerback Patrick Surtain II will not play because he suffered a concussion in their Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Levi Wallace will replace their elite cornerback in the starting rotation.
Not only will the New Orleans Saints not have their top two receivers, but the Denver Broncos will not have their star cornerback in this fair and even matchup. Don’t expect this game to have a lot of scoring. The only reason this game is getting hype is because this is Sean Payton’s first game back in New Orleans.
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