The New Orleans Saints officially start their post-Dennis Allen era on Sunday. Allen was fired after the team’s Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers, and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was named interim head coach. Rizzi has already made several changes, and he’s hoping those changes will snap the team’s seven-game losing streak.
Unfortunately, when New Orleans tries to end this steak on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, the team will be without a few key players. That has been a theme for the Saints throughout the year, and it will continue in Week 10 with several inactive players.
Saints Week 10 inactives
Player | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|
Chris Olave (IR) | Wide receiver | Three |
Kool-Aid McKinstry | Cornerback | Rookie |
Cedrick Wilson Jr. | Wide receiver | Seven |
Erik McCoy (IR) | Center | Six |
Nephi Sewell | Linebacker | Two |
Spencer Rattler | Quarterback | Rookie |
Jamaal Williams | Running back | Eight |
Jaylan Ford | Linebacker | Rookie |
Lucas Patrick | Offensive line | Nine |
Khristian Boyd | Defensive tackle | Rookie |
Key absences and their impact
The biggest absence is, of course, Chris Olave. New Orleans recently placed the young wide receiver on injured reserve after he suffered his second concussion in four weeks. While the Saints made the right decision to give him some time off, the offense will certainly miss him.
Rashid Shaheed is already sidelined for the year, Olave is now done for at least four games, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. is also inactive for Sunday’s game. That leaves Derek Carr and the Saints with a really inexperienced, thin group of receivers.
Rookie corner Kool-Aid McKinstry being sidelined is also big for New Orleans. Paulson Adebo is out for the year, and Marshon Lattimore is a member of the Washington Commanders. As the Saints try to slow down Kirk Cousins and the Falcons, New Orleans will be without three of the top four corners it started the year with.
The final notable absence is starting center Erik McCoy. McCoy hasn’t played since suffering a groin injury in Week 3, but he returned to practice for the first time on Thursday. His return is near, but it won’t happen in Week 10 against Atlanta. New Orleans hasn’t won a game since he went down with injury, and the Saints will have to change that if they’re going to avoid an eighth straight loss.