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It was kind of weird — Alex Okafor felt like he was back while also understanding that he was not all the way back.

The New Orleans Saints defensive end recovered right on the most optimistic schedule from the Achilles injury that ended his 2017 season in November. He was there for the first day of training camp, which in itself was a remarkable feat.

“His rehab process, considering the injury, was outstanding,” said Saints coach Sean Payton.

But there is a difference between being ready to be on the field and ready to do the things you were doing before the injury. Okafor did all the things he needed to do to hit that first stage – simply being there.

Now, he may be ready to be himself again.



“I feel good, man,” Okafor said a few days before the Saints played the Ravens. “I haven’t had any mishaps, no setbacks. The first couple weeks, I was still getting my feet wet. But now I think I’m where I need to be. I think I’m ready to take off.”

He followed that statement up by turning in one of his most disruptive games of the 2018 season, recording his first sack of the 2018 campaign and also batting down a Joe Flacco pass at the line of scrimmage.

Okafor is splitting time with rookie defensive end Marcus Davenport. Against the Ravens, Okafor played 43 defensive snaps compared to Davenport’s 31. At times, they were on the field together with Cam Jordan.

He was in the midst of a career year before the injury last season. While he has felt good physically in his comeback, he said it is hard to make up for the nine months of football he missed during his rehab.

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