TheOak

Knee injuries for wide receivers have occurred in an unusually high volume at NFL training camps in recent days. The Philadelphia Eagles lost Jeremy Maclin and Arrelious Benn to torn anterior cruciate ligaments, and San Diego's Danario Alexander was diagnosed with a torn ACL on Tuesday.

This rash of season-ending injuries prompted New Orleans Saints third-year wideout Morgan to tweet Tuesday, "Rough day to be an ACL #sheesh."

A day later, Morgan officially was added to the growing list after receiving a second opinion on a knee injury he sustained in Saturday's Black and Gold scrimmage.

Saints coach Sean Payton announced that Morgan was diagnosed with a partial ACL tear and meniscus tear that required surgery Wednesday. A knee injury also cut short Morgan's rookie year in 2011. Defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman also was lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.

"Appreciate all the concern and love. Staying positive through it all," Morgan said via Twitter shortly after Payton announced the news Wednesday morning. "Time to get stronger physically as well as mentally!!!"

Drew Brees succinctly described his reaction to Morgan's prognosis: "Stinks."

"His role was there, you know? Then so all of a sudden, that's taken away," Brees said. "For a guy like him, a young player that's really had to fight through a good bit during the first two years of his career, then to all of a sudden have that established position and you can really start building a game plan around him. And then he's gone.

"So it's frustrating for him, I know. I texted him quite a bit the last couple of days just talking to him. He's keeping his head up and staying really positive. It's an opportunity for him to come back stronger both physically and mentally having to overcome something like that. You say it's going to be tough, but it will be a defining moment for you in your career, and I believe that whole heartedly."

Morgan's offseason already had been rocky after his arrest in late May on charges of DWI and driving without a license.


Sean Payton says Joe Morgan, Kenyon Coleman out for season: video
Morgan will have surgery on Wednesday
It never affected his on-field status with the Saints, though. Morgan, who replaced Devery Henderson as the team's deep threat and No. 3 receiver, owned up to his mistakes within the organization and publicly and never missed any practices during organized team activities.

Now, the third receiver slot is seemingly wide open. Brees said it will be hard to replace Morgan because no one can match that element of speed.

Kenny Stills will be one of the players vying to replace Morgan. Brees said Stills, the team's fifth-round pick in 2013, had already seen an increase in first-team snaps since the start of training camp.


New Orleans Saints' Joe Morgan and Kenyon Coleman injury analysis, your comments and more: Black and Gold Today
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune sports writer Rachel Whittaker and Saints beat writer Katherine Terrell break down the impact of the season-ending injuries to WR Joe Morgan and DE Kenyon Coleman. Check back every weekday for your daily snapshot of all things New Orleans Saints.
"He's playing very well," Brees said of Stills. "He seems to be grasping the offense very well. You can tell at times his head is spinning a little bit because it's a lot of information and a lot to think about at times."

Brees said he also has faith in Nick Toon, Andy Tanner, Preston Parker and Jarred Fayson.

"All of these young receivers can play," Brees said "It's just a matter of how they fit into the big picture."

The Saints signed veteran wide receiver Steve Breaston on Monday on the heels of learning Morgan's prognosis.

"There's going to be opportunities, and unfortunately with this situation there will be more opportunities," veteran receiver Marques Colston said. "Someone is going to step up and take advantage of those.

"It's just all about coming in and putting the work in day in and day out and just being ready for the opportunity."

First-round pick Kenny Vaccaro, whose tackle injured Morgan, has been known for his aggressive play throughout camp. Also during the scrimmage, Tanner (shoulder injury) didn't escape after encountering Vaccaro.

Morgan, as well as his teammates, said Vaccaro isn't to blame for Morgan's injury.

Morgan quickly came to Vaccaro's defense Saturday after the scrimmage, tweeting: "Don't blame @KennyVaccaro4 It was a routine tackle. I admire how feisty a player he is too. He's going be great for us."

"It was such a freak play," Brees said. "It wasn't this blatant, obvious (play). It was a kind of a bang-bang. He catches it and Kenny is just there to jump on his back. In the process of putting his (Morgan's) knee down, it just kind of buckles on him or gets caught in a funny position.

"Sometimes you have those freak incidents where everything is kind of out of control. It just happened."

Colston added: "He's (Vaccaro) a guy that's out here and he's doing what the coaches ask him to do. Like I said, unfortunately that kind of the nature of this game.

"You can't really fault a guy for practicing hard."
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf...gan_story.html

dizzle88

Nick toon, Kenny Stills now is your chance to shine

st thomas

is this where AA makes all dreams come true. damn wtf is going on at camp. if there showing off in front of Ryan or Payton , quit please

Mr.Riaton

This might be Payton's way of showing Goodell that we even put bounties on our own players!

homerj07

Can Breaston shine with a quality QB?

st thomas

he should go nuts with drew, when he had awesome season at arizona was it warner still passing the rock?

Beastmode

Not even worried about it. I can't think of one receiver Brees has not turned into gold or close to it.

TheOak

Yes, Warner was chunkin the punkin then, he also had Bolin and Fitzgerald on that team and still made over 1k yards... Which says a lot to me, Warner had options, he chose to throw to him.

thebdj

Anyone remember a guy called Marques Colston who was drafted in the 7th round and asked to step up? This is the time for Stills and/or Toon to make that jump. What an opportunity!

And if anyone was panicking, let's not forget we still have Colston, Moore, Graham, Sproles and Thomas which is a decent bunch of guys to throw the pigskin to!

SmashMouth

Can Will Smith catch and run routes?