The New Orleans Saints officially added Dez Bryant to the fold Wednesday, and got him on the practice field for the first time Thursday. But one day after his first time in a Saints uniform, Bryant’s season ended. Bryant suffered a torn Achilles during his second practice with the team, and was placed on injured reserve.
Dez Bryant placed on injured reserve after Achilles tear in Saints practice
Bryant had just signed with the Saints, though he could still have a future with the team in 2019.
Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Before it was known that he tore his Achilles, Bryant thanked his supporters on Twitter:
Saints teammates Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram showed Bryant — and his signature celebration — some love too:
Both of those players, plus Alvin Kamara and some players on defense, threw up Bryant’s “X” celebration during Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That wasn’t the only good sign from Sunday, as Saints coach Sean Payton said that the team would be happy to have Bryant back in 2019, provided he has a full recovery.
“He’ll have a full recovery and I know he still plans on playing,” Payton said, via NFL.com.
The bad news for Bryant came shortly after Payton told reporters the veteran receiver was looking good in practice and coming along.
The injury reportedly happened on the final play of practice on what was an otherwise “routine route” for the receiver.
What does this mean for Bryant?
It’s a brutal injury for Bryant, who waited until November to sign with a team. Bryant, 30, spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl and racking up 7,459 yards and 73 touchdowns. After he was released by the team in April, Bryant wasn’t quick to join another team, even reportedly spurning an offer from the Ravens.
After spending the first half of the season watching and tweeting about the NFL from home, Bryant joined a playoff contender in New Orleans and was excited about his new digs:
The recovery for a torn Achilles is usually about a year, which is a tough timetable for a 30-year-old receiver who hasn’t played since the end of 2017. It’s too soon to know if Bryant will try to rehab, or if he decides to hang it up for good.
If he can follow the timetable for recovery, he might be on track to be ready for training camp in 2019.
What does it mean for the Saints?
If season-ending injury left the Saints needing another receiver to fill the void left by Ted Ginn’s injury.
The solution was Bryant, but now it’ll be Brandon Marshall, who was released by the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the season. Marshall, Bryant, and Kamar Aiken all worked out for the Saints earlier in the week before New Orleans decided to sign Bryant.
Marshall, however, impressed the Saints and could have been their choice if he hadn’t been for Bryant, according to Ian Rapoport. Now he’s on the squad:
In the meantime, the team promoted Keith Kirkwood from their practice squad. Just this week, Saints teammates were raving about Kirkwood, an undrafted rookie out of Temple.
Bryant is the fifth receiver for the Saints who has suffered a major injury. Cameron Meredith was just placed on injured reserve Thursday, while Ted Ginn Jr. and Travin Dural are still on IR. Tommylee Lewis went on IR earlier this season, but he can play again after Week 11.
The Saints are 7-1 and one of the best teams in the NFL right now. Drew Brees is having a career year, and Michael Thomas has made a name for himself as a legitimate No. 1 receiver. Running back Alvin Kamara is also a huge weapon in the passing game.
But Bryant was supposed to help take some pressure off Thomas and give the Saints another experienced wideout as they try to aim for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Unfortunately, they will now have to find that help elsewhere.
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