Saints Regaining Strength: Key Players Could Return After Bye Week

The Saints should get some reinforcements back after their bye, but will still be without a few key contributors.

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi talks to the referee against the Cleveland Browns / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

A New Orleans Saints (4-7) team has a much-needed bye this week. The Saints went into their bye on a high note, winning the last two games after a seven-game losing streak led to the firing of Dennis Allen.

When the Saints return to action, they'll face the Los Angeles Rams at home on Sunday, December 1. In doing so, New Orleans also may get a few players back that for several weeks have been missing in action.

WHO WON'T RETURN

Three players that definitely won't be returning by Week 13 are wideouts Chris Olave, Bub Means, and running back Kendre Miller. All are on injured reserve but will not yet be eligible to return.

Once a player has been placed on injured reserve, they must remain out for at least four games, NOT weeks, before returning. Olave, dealing with consecutive concussions, was placed on injured reserve after a Week 9 game against Carolina and will be eligible to come back after the Week 14 contest at the New York Giants.

Means and Miller were each put on injured reserve after a Week 8 loss to the Chargers. Since a bye week does not count towards IR absences, they'll each be eligible to return to action after the Rams game on Sunday.

Olave, Miller, and Means will be sidelined for at least another week or two and continue to be key absences. However, the Saints could still get some welcome additions back to the lineup when they suit up against the Rams.

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New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Lucas Patrick (62) / neworleanssaints.com

WHO MAY RETURN

Erick McCoy and Lucas Patrick

Starting left guard Lucas Patrick has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Patrick has been out for four of the last six contests on an interior offensive line battered by injuries.

Center Erik McCoy returned last week in a victory over Cleveland after missing seven straight outings and most of a Week 3 loss to Philadelphia.

McCoy played a bit more than half of the Saints offensive snaps before leaving after reaggravating the groin injury that caused him to miss more than two months. Some reports indicated that McCoy could have returned but was being held out as a precaution. The next 10 days should tell us whether that was truly the case.

If McCoy and Patrick both return to action against the Rams, each will certainly be welcome and much-needed additions. It will also mark the first time since the third snap of Week 3 that the New Orleans starting offensive line is fully intact.

New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams (21) runs the football against the San Francisco 49ers / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Jamaal Williams

The Saints passing attack and running game have both been adversely affected by the shorthanded offensive line. Alvin Kamara is having a career year, but should be even more effective with an intact line in front of him. His versatility will be even more lethal with additional backfield help.

Running back Jamaal Williams has missed the last three outings with a groin injury. Williams is a rugged between the tackles runner that has 32 carries for 124 yards and a score this season, averaging 3.9 per run. He hasn't been overly effective, but with both he and Kendre Miller out it has left the New Orleans offense extremely limited, especially with their options in the backfield.

No NFL team has been more negatively affected by injuries this season than the New Orleans Saints. This is especially true on the offensive side. They'll still be without some key pieces against the Rams. Namely Olave and fellow WR Rashid Shaheed, out for the year after knee surgery.

Slowly but surely, however, the Saints are getting healthier. Already riding the momentum of two straight wins, getting another victory against the Rams and more contributors back could give New Orleans at least an outside chance in the NFC South heading into the stretch run.