Marcus Maye news comes at the worst possible time for the Saints

New Orleans Saints’ Marcus Maye could miss time in the 2022 season after getting arrested on Thursday morning, forcing the team to rethink its options at the safety position.

As first reported by Nick Underhill, Maye was arrested for aggravated assault with a firearm in an alleged road rage incident that occurred in New Orleans.

Maye’s lawyer has since released a statement denying the allegation, yet Maye nonetheless runs risk of violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. This also isn’t his first strike in the league.

Maye is already facing potential discipline for a DUI arrest back in February of 2021, the hearing of which has been delayed to take place in November of this year.

At Thursday’s practice, when Maye was noticeably absent, head coach Dennis Allen told reporters they were aware of Maye’s arrest and were still gathering information on the incident. It’ll be interesting to see whether Maye will pop back up in practice during these crucial final days of preseason.

Saints’ Marcus Maye was arrested for aggravated assault on Thursday and faces a potential suspension

It’s been a turbulent few days for Saints fans who saw the team trade beloved defender C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Eagles earlier this week.

NOLA’s secondary could possibly be without two elite starters in 2022 if Maye is found guilty, which means the Saints will have to rush to look for backup options.

Maye, who signed a three-year contract with the Saints this offseason, was projected to be the team’s starting safety alongside Tyrann Mathieu. The former Jets defender spent five solid albeit injury-riddled years in New York, and his recent arrest could sour his debut season in New Orleans.

As depth behind Maye and Mathieu, the Saints have Daniel Sorensen, J.T. Gray, and preseason standout Justin Evans, yet none of those players possess the raw talent and upside that Maye has.

An area of strength has now become an area of buoying concern, though the Saints probably aren’t panicking just yet. Keep an eye on Maye’s situation as the story continues to develop.