Finally, for the first time in weeks, the New Orleans Saints had some injury luck on their side. One of the most important offensive players has started practicing again, but while his return was excellent news, the Saints still need more of their key players to return.
Positive Changes in Saints Injury Report From Yesterday’s Practice
Yesterday, the Saints saw the return of RT Taliese Fuaga to practice, but other starters appeared on the injury report. Not much has changed, except that more starters have returned to the practice field.
In today’s practice, Fuaga, RB Devin Neal, and S Justin Reid were all limited. In addition, RB Alvin Kamara, OT Asim Richards, and DT Davon Godchaux (typical Thursday rest day) did not practice, while EDGE Chris Rumph was a full participant.
#Saints’ Justin Reid and Chris Rumph upgraded: pic.twitter.com/QJADOVrXRo
— Ross Jackson (@RossJacksonNOLA) December 11, 2025
After his absence last week, Reid’s return to the lineup is excellent. Yes, the Saints did a pretty good job handling the injury, and S Jordan Howden was arguably the best tackler for New Orleans.
Still, given Howden’s prior inconsistencies and rookie Jonas Sanker’s recent struggles, having a veteran and captain like Reid commanding the defense is vital to any successful team.
The Saints’ defense has improved throughout the season. In the past four games, the Saints have ranked 6th, 12th, 5th, and 9th in defense per PFSN’s Defensive Impact Metric. Looking at their overall rank, 16th, there is a clear improvement.
One reason the Saints’ defense has performed well in recent weeks is Reid’s stability in the passing game. He is one of the main reasons New Orleans is so good, and he is not allowing big plays by opposing teams. Again, looking at the Saints’ defensive statistics, they currently rank ninth in yards allowed per play.
The “bend, don’t break” mantra has been the calling card of DC Brandon Staley’s defense this year, and given how young some of the DBs are on this team, the fact that there have not been many big plays allowed is exceptional. Without Reid back there, the odds of that staying true tumble.