The New Orleans Saints won’t be getting Chris Olave back into the action any time soon.
The Saints star receiver is headed to injured reserve this week, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, after suffering his second concussion of the season during a loss to the Carolina Panthers.
After the hit to the head from Panthers safety Xavier Woods, which occurred over the middle of the field after a high bail sailed out reach, Olave went down on the field and briefly lost consciousness. He was taken off the field strapped to a backboard and transported to an area hospital for additional testing. Those tests went well and he was back to the stadium prior to the end of the game and travelled home with the team.
Still, interim head coach Darren Rizzi said this week that the team was taking things “day by day” and all options were on the table. The third-year WR was in the process of seeing specialists to assess his options.
"He wants to go thoroughly through the process and make sure he’s making the best decision from Chris Olave," Rizzi said this week. "I think we’ll remove football from that equation in the beginning of it and what’s the best decision for the person and so listen, my conversations with him and our medical staff have been we’re gonna be kind of thorough, he’s gonna be thorough and his family is going to be thorough with the process and I fully support that."
Olave’s concussion history has become a concern due to the volume of head injuries he’s suffered, numbered now at five spanning one in his college career and another four in his 2.5 NFL seasons.
The Saints star WR will not be eligible to return until Week 15 at the earliest, but there is a strong possibility he sits out the remainder of the season, particularly considering where the Saints currently sit in the standings with a 2-7 record that is tied for the worst in the NFL. Olave has been the Saints most productive receiver since they drafted him No. 11 overall out of Ohio State in 2022, compiling back to back 1,000-yard seasons to start his career while catching passes from a host of different QBs. He's the Saints leading receiver on the year with 32 catches for 400 yards and a TD.
Olave's absence, while unsurprising, means the Saints will be without four of the WRs they went into the season with when they face the Falcons this week trying to end a 7-game skid. Rashid Shaheed (knee) and Bub Means (ankle) are both on injured reserve, while Cedrick Wilson (shoulder) has been ruled out after missing the week of practice. That means the Saints will turn to UDFAs Mason Tipton and Jermaine Jackson, as well as veteran newcomer Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the active roster. The Saints could also look to practice squad options in Dante Pettis, Equanimeous St. Brown and Kevin Austin Jr.
The Saints (2-7) host the Falcons (6-3) on Sunday for a noon kickoff at the Caesars Superdome. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.
