Demario Davis was limited in practice with a calf injury. It may be unrealistic but Kellen Moore should shut down Davis for the season finale. It’ll be a tough sell, but it will be beneficial for Davis and the New Orleans Saints.
Davis has been a warrior. He's played nearly every game since arriving in New Orleans. There were certainly some ailments in that time. He's a leader for the team and one of the best players. That's why you have to take the option out of Davis' hands.
You want to beat the Falcons, and the job would be more difficult without Davis. This season has long stopped being about wins and losses, however. This week may be an exemption to that thought process, but the idea of prioritizing the future is still prevalent. Though Davis is an elder statesman on the team, keeping him out of this game is about prioritizing the future.
The worst case scenario for Demario Davis is really bad
This is the absolute worst case scenario with calf injures. Some calf injures can lead to an Achilles injury. There are many calf injuries that are just calf injuries, but we've seen notable examples, like Kevin Durant and Tyrese Haliburton have calf injuries precede an Achilles injury. It’s truly unpredictable, so saving Davis from that scenario would be smart.
Davis has already announced his desire to play next year, but that doesn't mean he needs to play next week. It's a cautious approach, yes, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the Saints not do it. It's just something to contemplate. Even without the worst case scenario, pushing through an injury at this point feels unnecessary when the team has a hidden benefit from shutting Davis down.
Saints could get an extended look at Danny Stutsman
The biggest benefactor of Davis missing a game would be rookie linebacker Danny Stutsman. He’s a part of this great rookie class in New Orleans. He may have been the player with the most hype coming into offseason activities, but Stutsman is on the lower end of snap percentages among his peers.
For the majority of the season, Stutsman has played on a rotational basis. Pete Werner is still the starter and sees the majority of the snaps. Stutsman will come in occasionally. The rookie has shown some flashes in the limited action, and many fans have wanted to see his snaps increase. This could be the chance.
When Davis left the last game, it was Stutsman that replaced him. He has been learning both linebacker positions, and there's a chance Stutsman will be Davis' successor. With Davis already expressing the desire to return next year, it's more likely Stutsman competes with Werner for a starting role in 2026. Either way, getting a full game as starter under his belt will greatly benefit Stutsman's development.