The New Orleans Saints have not been able to justify their significant cap expenditures for the 2024 season. While they were among the top five spenders this past offseason, their record of 5-9 has them out of the playoff hunt.
Even though the team was never in the upper echelon, the loss of Chris Olave in Week 9 put a real damper on their season, before further injuries to QB Derek Carr and others worsened matters. But, with Week 16 on the horizon, what is the latest on Olave and his return timeline?
What Is Chris Olave’s Injury?
The physical nature of football was on full display when Olave went down with his injury. During the first quarter of a Week 9 matchup between the Saints and the Carolina Panthers, the talented receiver was going up to catch up a pass with Panthers safety Xavier Woods trying to stop the play.
Unfortunately, a nasty collision between the two led to Olave lying motionless on the field for several minutes in what was a scary visual. As medics rushed to him, he couldn’t even make it off the field on his own. Instead, he had to be stretchered out, while Woods was penalized and fined.
Eventually, Olave was diagnosed with a concussion. Since then, he’s been at home, with his past history of head injuries leading to him and the Saints erring on the side of caution.
When Will Olave Return From Injury?
Almost two months since the injury, we are finally seeing some signs of progress for Olave and his return to action. Given his history of concussions, the Saints are being extra cautious with him. He was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 10, sidelining him for a minimum of four games.
That meant his earliest possible return date was Week 15. However, Olave did not suit up for that game, with interim head coach Darren Rizzi making it clear beforehand that the receiver didn’t seem particularly close to returning.
“We’re trying to figure out, what’s the best now for the long term? There’s a process in which he’s going through. He met with our people, and then there’s people outside the building. Chris is going to be out right now for the short term, and then we’ll make a decision for the long term. But he is meeting with multiple people and everyone here and medical staff has been in touch with all of them.”
Olave did not participate in either of the Saints’ first two practices of Week 16 prep on Wednesday and Thursday. He finally made his way back to the practice field Friday, albeit in a limited capacity, and he has been ruled out for the Saints’ Week 16 matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. But, with continued progression, Week 17 could see him return.
The Week 9 concussion was the second of the season for Olave, and it was his fifth head injury overall since his collegiate career began at Ohio State. The cumulative effect of those injuries could certainly take its toll on a player’s long-term health.
How Has Olave’s Absence Impacted the Saints?
Any other season without Olave would be a major hurdle for the Saints. In each of his first two seasons, the wide receiver cleared the 1,000-yard mark. However, this year has been a different story.
In the eight games that he did suit up for, Olave was only able to accumulate 400 receiving yards, putting him on pace for 850 for a full season. A New Orleans team that was already 2-7 when he went down now carries a 5-9 record.
The Saints’ season has brought a myriad of injuries that have only made matters worse. Rashid Shaheed, Bub Means, Cedrick Wilson Jr., and Taysom Hill have all gone down at various times as well, with Shaheed and Hill out for the season.
While the Saints have been eliminated from postseason contention, Olave will try to make a comeback in the last few weeks of the 2024 campaign. Coming up on his fourth season, he is in line for an extension, and some impressive late-season performances could help net him a big payday.