The New Orleans Saints haven't yet faced the Joe Burrow Bengals, but that's just a technicality. They're plenty familiar.
Former Saints standouts Trey Hendrickson and Vonn Bell are returning to the building where their careers started. And former Saints cornerback Eli Apple is returning to the city he apparently ... hates the most? Those are his words, not mine.
The former Saints cornerback has been notably silent in the week leading up to a matchup with one of his former teams. Host of the Jungle Roar podcast and Bengals reporter Mike Petraglia joined Inside Black & Gold this week and said Apple hasn't spoken to the media in advance of Week 6. That won't stop fans from letting him hear it, though.
Listen to the full breakdown from Mike Petraglia in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here. Remember to subscribe to Inside Black & Gold wherever you get your podcasts.
"I think Eli is very aware of his background," Petraglia said. "He's very aware of some of the struggles he's had in his past, right. And I think he doesn't want to say too much."
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Apple arrived in New Orleans by trade from the New York Giants midway through the 2018 season and started 15 games in the 2019 season. He was signed in free agency by the Panthers prior to the 2020 season, but flamed out quickly before signing 1-year deals in Cincinnati each of the past two seasons.
"He doesn't want to say something to us," he continued. "Because he knows if he says something inflammatory it's gonna get broadcast immediately. Whereas if something happens with he or his mom on social media, I think he believes there's a little more control to it."
But while Apple might get the lion's share of the fan attention, it's Hendrickson who has made the most transformative impact on his new team. It's no surprise to the other members of the Saints' 2017 draft class, most notably Alvin Kamara. He spotted, to use his words, "angry white boy Trey" on Day 1. The way he carried himself and the fire he played with was palpable, and that hasn't changed since arriving in Cincinnati.
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His impact in just 21 games is already enough for Petraglia, a Cincinnati native who spent many years as a Patriots reporter, to declare his signing as one of the top five in Bengals history. Hendrickson notched 14 sacks in the 2021 season that ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Rams. He's got 2.5 through the first five games of this season, and he's been a major force on the right side of Cincinnati's line.
Hendrickson was a cap casualty prior to the 2021 season, with Kamara, Marshon Lattimore and Ryan Ramczyk each landing major extensions in New Orleans. Safety Marcus Williams played on a franchise tag that season, but departed in free agency prior to this season.
"I will tell you [Hendrickson] plays angry. He plays inspired," Petraglia said. "The Bengals love him on their defense and that is one of the greatest acquisitions by the Bengals in recent memory. ... Trey Hendrickson has been a very quiet but dominant force in that on that defense and the Bengals his defensive teammates love him."
Bell's memories are a little more pointed. His career season in 2019 was followed by the signing of Malcolm Jenkins and his foray into free agency.
“They drafted me," Bell said this week, "and I appreciate the opportunity. But they moved on from me. ... You never forget that.”
But the ex-Saints are far from alone in returning to the scene of some of their top football memories. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are returning to the field where they won the Tigers a perfect season and their first College Football Playoff title. Another member of that squad, Tyler Shelvin, is on the Cincinnati practice squad. Another Louisiana native and LSU alum, La'el Collins, will be standing in front of Burrow.
It's enough to wonder if there might be some torn allegiances in the stands for the game. None of the Saints players polled on that subject expressed concerns. Burrow said he's excited for the return, but called it a "business trip."
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But the Saints RB said it best.
"You know, LSU never played a game in the NFL. ... I know they're looking forward to their homecoming and I think it's a lot of fans that are looking forward to them coming home, so I'm sure they'll have a welcome," Kamara said. "But they're gonna have Bengals stripes on them. So you know, there'll be support but not not the ultimate support."
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