New Orleans Saints rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson is still several weeks away from playing in his first NFL game, with his recovery from a hamstring injury not yet at the stage where he can practice, coach Kellen Moore said this week.
For a 1–3 team that just gave up 45 points on Monday night, the news means the No. 8 overall pick will not be part of the answer soon. Tyson has been on injured reserve since the summer and has sat out all four games so far.
Moore described a player whose work is still in the training room. “He’s still with the trainers right now, so that’s the focus right now from a rehab standpoint,” the coach said, adding that the team will open his practice window once he is ready for football work. He did not expect Tyson to practice before Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
The reported timeline
Adam Schefter reported on Monday that Tyson has made progress but remains weeks from game action, and that Week 7 is the earliest realistic return. The Saints have not confirmed a date.
The calendar complicates that target. Week 7 sends New Orleans to Paris to play Pittsburgh, a long trip that is an unusual setting for a rookie’s first snaps. New Orleans is then off in Week 8, so the home game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 9 looks like a more natural first appearance, giving Tyson the bye week as extra recovery time.
Tyson hurt his right hamstring on August 13, when New Orleans and Jacksonville held joint practices. The first estimate was that he would be out for about two months, which lines up with either of those dates. Once he returns to practice, the Saints will have 21 days to move him to the active roster or leave him on injured reserve.
The offense without him
New Orleans has still moved the ball through the air. In Monday’s 45–24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Tyler Shough completed 30 of 48 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown. Chris Olave caught eight passes for 116 yards, Juwan Johnson had six for 59, and Devaughn Vele added six for 54 and the Saints’ final score, a three-yard catch with 1:13 left.
The Saints drafted Tyson to give Shough a second outside threat beside Olave. Until he is ready, Vele and the tight ends will keep absorbing those targets, and the club has so far handled his recovery cautiously.
What comes next
The Saints host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, October 11, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Tyson’s status will be reflected in the weekly designations on our injury report and any roster move on the transactions page. The full numbers from Monday’s loss are in the Game Center.
No published comments yet. Start the conversation.