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The Saints won’t have one of their key defensive players for the start of the regular season.

Per Nick Underhill of neworleans.football, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders is expected to be out for a couple of weeks with a calf injury.

This could affect how the Saints construct their initial 53-man roster. If Saunders will be back after just two weeks, then New Orleans wouldn’t want to place him on injured reserve, as that would automatically keep him out for four games. But the Saints could look to keep more depth on their defensive line.

Saunders started all 17 games for New Orleans in 2023. He recorded 57 total tackles with one tackle for loss and one pass defense. He was on the field for 47 percent of the club’s defensive snaps.

A Chiefs third-round pick in 2019, Saunders signed a three-year deal with New Orleans in March of last year.

All teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

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Boston Saint

It’s always something.

Halo

Here we go with the injuries.

AsylumGuido

Sounds like nothing serious. One consistent since Dr. Matt Rhea took over as Director of Sports Science two years ago is that he shuts the player down at the very first sign of soft tissue stress and begins a slow "ramp up" to full go. In the past they would have rubbed dirt on it, taped it up, and told the player to go back out there.

What sounds like "injuries" is nothing more than conservative treatment is most cases. I'd be surprised if he wasn't out there versus the Panties in week one.