New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston is set to play Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with four fractures in his back, per Fox's Jay Glazer.

Winston is in "a lot of pain" and will be wearing extra padding to protect the area, Glazer added. Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com also noted the veteran signal-caller has been in pain "all week."

Winston took a hit in the fourth quarter of a Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons and was checked out in the medical tent before returning to the Saints bench. After the game, he said he was in pain.

When asked where the pain was, Winston responded: "Just pain. It was pain everywhere."

The 28-year-old, who was limited in practice all week, was initially listed for Sunday's matchup as questionable with a back injury. He told reporters Wednesday (h/t ProFootballTalk's Josh Alper) that he was still "getting over some first game soreness."

Winston has been riddled by injuries over the last two seasons.

The 2015 first overall pick appeared in just seven games during the 2021 campaign before suffering a torn ACL, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year. He also dealt with a foot injury during the 2022 preseason and will now be slowed by his current back ailment.

Winston was solid against the Falcons last weekend, completing 23 of 34 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two carries for nine yards.

However, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will present a tougher challenge for Winston and the Saints, though New Orleans has defeated Tampa Bay in seven straight regular season meetings.

If the Saints beat the Buccaneers, they'll be in sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 2-0 record.

New Orleans Saints star Alvin Kamara's status for Week 2 is uncertain because of a rib injury he suffered against the Atlanta Falcons.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Kamara is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's home game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 27-year-old was a limited participant in practice Wednesday but sat out Thursday and Friday.

The Saints offense has other injury problems. Backup running backs Dwayne Washington (hamstring) and Mark Ingram (ankle) are also questionable.

Quarterback Jameis Winston is listed as questionable with a back injury, though he has been able to participate on a limited basis every day this week.

Kamara missed time last season because of a knee injury suffered in the Saints' loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. The five-time Pro Bowler sat out the next four games before returning in Week 14.

Injuries were a major problem in New Orleans during the 2021 season. Michael Thomas missed the entire year with complications from offseason ankle surgery.

Winston tore his ACL in Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Taysom Hill sustained a concussion in Week 5 and missed the subsequent two games.

Not having Kamara would create problems for the offense. He led the team last year in yards from scrimmage (1,337) and total touchdowns (nine), despite missing four games.

Kamara was limited to 38 snaps with 46 total yards on 12 touches in Week 1.

The Saints could rely heavily on Winston, assuming he plays, and the passing game if Kamara and the other backs are limited or unavailable. He played well, particularly in the second half, against Atlanta to lead a comeback 27-26 victory.

The New Orleans Saints reportedly added some injury insurance to their backfield ahead of their Week 2 showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

ESPN's Field Yates reported they signed Latavius Murray to their practice squad on Tuesday, adding that such a move was "worth noting" because Alvin Kamara is "dealing with a rib issue."

Kamara played in New Orleans' season-opening victory over the Atlanta Falcons but posted pedestrian numbers with nine carries for 39 yards, three catches for seven yards, and zero total touchdowns.

The Saints found far more success on the ground with Taysom Hill, who ran for 81 yards and a touchdown on four carries. Yet it was Jameis Winston's two touchdown passes to Michael Thomas and Wil Lutz's 51-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that allowed the NFC South team to complete the comeback win.

Kamara missed four games last season, which was the first time since New Orleans selected him in the 2017 NFL draft that he appeared in fewer than 14 contests.

The Saints have Mark Ingram II and could rely even more on Hill if Kamara is sidelined. Still, Murray is a veteran who is familiar with the team from his time in 2019 and 2020 and can at least help stabilize the backfield if there are long-term concerns with the starter.

Murray, 32, has played for the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Saints and Baltimore Ravens in his career.

He appeared in 14 games for Baltimore in 2021, tallying 501 yards and six scores on the ground as part of a group effort for a team that was without presumed starter J.K. Dobbins for the season.

Murray's best individual efforts came in 2015 and 2016 for the Raiders when he ran for 1,066 yards in his second season in the league and scored 12 touchdowns in his third.

Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton spent much of his career coaching a future Hall of Famer in legendary quarterback Drew Brees. Payton said on Monday that he once hoped the heir apparent to Brees would be another future Hall of Famer: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

During an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Payton gushed about Mahomes and said he reminded him of Brett Favre during his pre-draft evaluations. Payton said the Saints were poised to take him with the 11th pick in the 2017 draft before the Chiefs traded up to the 10th spot to select him.

Payton explained that he grew enamored with Mahomes after a pre-draft workout he attended with other Saints team officials in Lubbock, Texas. The former Texas Tech star was so impressive that Payton wanted to keep it under wraps that New Orleans had found its quarterback of the future.

"He reminded me of Favre because he had that, not just gunslinger, but he could torque his body and he could create speed on the ball without his feet having to be set, or perfectly set, so some of these off-schedule throws, he was very good at," Payton recalled. "I remember when we finished, I said ... 'Look, we're going right to the plane, we're not stopping, no one knows we're here. That's our next quarterback.'"

Kansas City traded up 17 spots to jump New Orleans and take Mahomes, who went on to become an NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion. The Saints selected cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was 2017 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and developed into a four-time Pro Bowler.

Payton thinks things worked out for both teams, but he maintains that Mahomes holds a special distinction in his mind.

"Both sides win, but [Mahomes] was the best that I've ever evaluated coming out of college, and there's a gap before the next one," Payton said. "He was that good."

Payton noted that there was just one negative he had in his evaluation of Mahomes.

"I wrote on my report, 'The only thing I don't like with this player, is the squeaky voice,'" he said. "That was it. That's a true story, that's the only thing I didn't like."

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas' long-awaited return is reportedly imminent.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that Thomas will play against the Atlanta Falcons.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported Saturday night that Thomas was expected to be active for Sunday's season opener. The wideout had been listed as questionable because of a hamstring injury, so the fact that he's playing should be exciting for fantasy football managers.

Schefter added that Falcons rookie receiver Drake London, who was questionable with a knee injury, is also expected to play.

Thomas hasn't played in an NFL game since January 2021, when the Saints fell to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Divisional Round.

He missed most of that season with an ankle injury, and then he sat out all of 2021 because of complications from left ankle surgery. He returned to practice for the first time in over a year when training camp opened in July, but he suffered the hamstring injury a few weeks after that.

Thomas expressed cautious optimism about his chances to play when he spoke to reporters earlier this week.

"I'm itching very much [to play]. I think it's kind of obvious," Thomas said on Wednesday. "But I don't want to get too excited. It's still a couple days."

Now that he's gotten the green light, Thomas is hoping to return to form as one of the best receivers in the league. In his last healthy season in 2019, Thomas recorded 149 receptions for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns on his way to being named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

If Thomas comes anywhere close to those numbers in 2022, fantasy managers would be ecstatic. He had future Hall of Famer Drew Brees throwing to him back then, so his production might look a little different this time around. But if Thomas can remain healthy, it shouldn't take long for him to become Saints quarterback Jameis Winston's favorite target.

New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Trevor Penning might be able to play this season.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Penning "has a chance" to be ready by early November after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his foot.

Rapoport noted that at the least Penning will be able to practice and at best he could see the field down the stretch in the regular season.

The injury occurred in the Saints' preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 26.

Rapoport reported at the time that Penning was going to be out indefinitely. The 23-year-old was placed on injured reserve by the Saints last week, meaning he will have to miss at least the first four games.

The Saints used the No. 19 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft to select Penning. He was expected to compete for the starting left tackle spot vacated by Terron Armstead, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency.

A three-year starter at Northern Iowa, Penning was named to the All-MVFC first team in 2021. He was also a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to the most outstanding offensive player in the FCS.

Penning had an inconsistent preseason performance before suffering the injury. He allowed five pressures and was called for a holding penalty that was declined against the Houston Texans on Aug. 13.

Per Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, Penning fared better in the second preseason contest by allowing one pressure on 26 pass-blocking snaps against the Green Bay Packers.

James Hurst, who is entering his third season with the Saints, will likely be the starter at left tackle.

New Orleans Saints strong safety Marcus Maye was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of aggravated assault with a firearm, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

Law enforcement sources from Jefferson Parish confirmed the news to WDSU-TV's Travers Mackel (h/t Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV).

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network relayed a statement from Maye's attorney, Eric Hessler, denying the allegation:

Maye, 29, is about to enter his first season with the Saints after playing the first five years of his NFL career with the New York Jets.

Underhill relayed a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office statement regarding the alleged incident, which took place in Metairie, Louisiana.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen was asked about the arrest Thursday and told reporters that the team wouldn't comment until it had more information.

This is the second time Maye has been arrested in the past two years, per Jake Asman of ESPN 97.5 Houston.

Maye, who played free safety for most of his Jets career, is currently set to start at strong safety according to the Saints' latest depth chart.

He signed with the Saints on a three-year, $28.5 million contract this offseason.

New Orleans opens the season on Sunday, Sept. 11 at the Atlanta Falcons.

Fantasy managers keeping an eye on New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas can feel a little more optimistic about his prospects of playing in Week 1.

Per Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com, there is "positive news" about Thomas' hamstring injury.

Duncan noted he "would be surprised" if the veteran wideout isn't in the starting lineup against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 11.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen said the 29-year-old was dealing with "a little bit of a hamstring" issue that caused him to be held out of practice on Aug. 21.

Arguably the best receiver in the NFL during his prime, Thomas has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons. He last appeared in a game in December 2020 and was limited to only seven games that year because of an ankle injury. He missed the entire 2021 season while recovering from ankle surgery.

It was just three years ago that the Ohio State product set an NFL single-season record with 146 receptions and led the league with 1,725 yards while adding nine touchdowns. He was named 2019 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year for his dominance that season.

A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, Thomas is expected to be the focal point of the Saints passing attack when he's healthy.

Having him ready at the start of the season would be a boost to the offense, especially with Jameis Winston also in line to be ready for Week 1. Winston played in New Orleans' preseason finale after being questionable with a sprained foot. He went 4-of-4 for 59 yards in his lone series.

Rookie receiver Chris Olave, who was drafted 11th overall, should also see a high volume of targets. But the passing game still figures to be filtered through Thomas, at least early in the season.

It turns out punting the ball 81 yards might catch the eye of fans and others.

Perhaps even the NFL's drug testers.

New Orleans Saints punter Blake Gillikin blasted an 81-yard punt during Friday's preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. On Sunday, he shared a message that said he was chosen for a "random" drug test with the caption "punt at your own risk."

Gillikin punted five times in all and averaged 59.4 yards per kick with one downed inside the 20-yard line.

He was also impressive in the team's preseason opener against the Houston Texans with six punts at an average of 50.2 yards with three downed inside the 20-yard line.

The Penn State product saw game action for the first time in his career during the 2021 season with two kickoffs, which both went for touchbacks, and 83 punts. His 47.7 yards per punt total was the seventh-highest mark in the league.

Gillikin also won the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in October.

It was quite the start to his NFL career, but Friday's punt suggested he could challenge a Saints' franchise record if he replicates the feat during the regular season. Tom McNeill holds the franchise record for longest punt at 81 yards, which he set during a 1969 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Perhaps that mark will be in Gillikin's sights when the Saints take the field for their season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 11.

The New Orleans Saints are banking on having wideout Michael Thomas for the start of the regular season.

"When the ball kicks off for real, Mike Thomas is going to be ready to go, and we're excited about that," head coach Dennis Allen told reporters Tuesday.

Thomas, 29, missed the entirety of the 2021 season with a left ankle injury and didn't participate in the team's preseason opener Saturday against the Houston Texans.

In early August, he returned to 11-on-11 drills for the first time since the 2020 season.

"Honestly there was a couple of times he ended up on the ground," Allen told reporters at the time. "That's all part of the process in building that confidence. I think he's in a good mindset right now, I think he looks good physically. I'm excited about where he's at."

And Thomas has been pretty happy just to be back practicing with the team again.

"Man, I'm kind of lost for words," he told reporters in late July. "I didn't want to come up here and get emotional or anything. But it was a blessing to be back out there with the guys."

"I mean, even the year that I played [a total of nine games in 2020], I was playing injured, and I was still kind of helping this team win games and move the chains. And I was clearly on one ankle," he added. "I'm just happy to be trending now in the right direction and handling my business. ... And I take pride in that challenge."

When healthy, Thomas was a receptions machine and a three-time Pro Bowler. He posted at least 1,100 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons and 100 or more receptions for three straight years between the 2017-19 campaigns, culminating in an epic performance in 2019 (149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns).

But the injury bug bit in 2020, and now the question is whether Thomas can ever return to the form that made him one of the game's best receivers and most dangerous offensive weapons.

If he does, the trio of Thomas, Jarvis Landry and rookie Chris Olave could make the Saints very dangerous through the air.