People say iron sharpens iron, which is especially true in the NFL. Facing top-tier players is vital to the roster’s success and development. Sadly, the New Orleans Saints will miss a major opportunity in their upcoming joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams, as superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett and wide receiver Puka Nacua could be absent with injuries.
Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and all-time single-season sacks leader, is dealing with an inflamed knee. On the other hand, Nacua has soreness in his psoas muscle (core/hip). Head coach Sean McVay addressed these situations in his press conference after the Rams’ practice on Monday.
“Puka is doing good. Whether or not we wait for next week or not, we’re kind of just taking it a day at a time,” McVay said. “And then, Miles, we’ll see. Probably next week is when I think we will get those guys back.”
The Saints’ secondary and offensive line need experience against elite talent like Myles Garrett and Puka Nacua.
The Saints’ cornerbacks are a young, unproven group that needs to be tested. As a result, missing a chance to face one of the NFL’s rising stars is crucial. In all likelihood, they wouldn’t have held up well; that’s expected, but that doesn’t matter. Likewise, the offensive tackles are missing a chance to prove their worth and showcase their reliability against arguably the most dominant defender of all time.
These joint practices are considered as important, if not more, than the preseason. In all likelihood, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Taliese Fuaga, Kelvin Banks, etc. won’t play against the Rams on Sunday. So, this is Kellen Moore’s best chance to see them in action.
Because of this, it’s still an invaluable practice for the starters, but it’s lessened without facing Myles Garrett or Puka Nacua. The Rams have an extremely talented roster, including Devante Adams, and the Saints are still facing starting-caliber players. But the expectations for them will be higher as they aren’t against two All-Pro’s. They must show Kellen Moore that they can dominate.
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