The Saints’ edge rushing contingent suffered a blow on Sunday, and it will be shorthanded for some time. Defensive end Payton Turner suffered a turf toe injury and will undergo surgery as a result, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football.
Turner exited the game early in the second quarter and was unable to return. That led to reports of the turf toe injury, which has now been confirmed to require surgery. The former first-rounder will now miss time in his third season in New Orleans, one in which his future with the organization will likely become clearer.
Ahead of training camp getting underway, it was noted that Turner was not a lock to make the Saints’ 53-man roster. Getting cut would have marked an underwhelming run to his time in New Orleans, but not an entirely surprising one. The 25-year-old made just 13 appearances across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, finding himself a healthy scratch at times. He has yet to start a game, and the free agent departure of Marcus Davenport did not clear a path for a first-team role for Turner.
The Houston alum was pegged for a backup role behind Carl Granderson last month, and it was indeed the latter who lined up opposite Cameron Jordan on Sunday. A rotational workload would have still provided Turner an opportunity to take a step forward in terms of production compared to his first two campaigns (during which he collected just three sacks and 12 QB pressures) and in doing so helped his chances of securing a roster spot in 2024 and beyond. Now, his attention will turn to recovery while he is sidelined.
In Turner’s absence, the Saints will still lean heavily on Jordan and Granderson as starters. The team also has Tanoh Kpassagnon, who was re-signed in the offseason, in place as a depth option. New Orleans used a second-round pick this past April on Isaiah Foskey, and he could see a gameday role moving forward if Turner misses considerable time. Foskey was inactive during Week 1.
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