After a 2-0 start, including a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, the New Orleans Saints quickly fell to Earth, losing seven in a row. While regression to the mean was expected, the plethora of injuries that followed only made things worse. One of their bigger losses came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6 when wide receiver Rashid Shaheed went down.
With just three games remaining, what is the latest on the wideout?
Rashid Shaheed Injury Update
When the Saints were trying to stay afloat, their matchup against Tampa Bay was one to monitor. Unfortunately, a 24-point loss was only the beginning of their worries.
Soon after the game ended, Shaheed was diagnosed with a meniscus injury. A full repair was necessary, so he went under the knife for season-ending surgery.
Despite being just three years into the league, Shaheed has had to face a ton of adversity in terms of injuries. Between the groin injury or thigh injury last season and a toe injury early in preseason, luck hasn’t been in his favor yet.
Shaheed’s recovery timeline is rather straightforward. Typically, surgery to fully repair a meniscus has a four-six-month timeline. While ruling out Shaheed for the rest of the season, it gives him plenty of time to ramp up for the 2025 campaign.
With the Saints on the brink of elimination, he’ll remain on injured reserve. Fans can expect Shaheed back directly for Week 1, barring any setbacks.
How Has Shaheed’s Absence Impacted the Saints?
New Orleans was served a reality check in the coming weeks, losing seven consecutive games and Shaheed in the process. Since then, the Saints have been steadying the ship with interim head coach Darren Rizzi. Even so, their 5-9 record has effectively put them out of the playoff race.
With an already expensive roster on their books, major changes might be coming in New Orleans, especially with the injury histories throughout the roster. Shaheed and Chris Olave, the team’s top two receivers, both missed extensive time. Alvin Kamara, Derek Carr, and Taysom Hill all sustained injuries while offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk saw his season end in the summer.
Needless to say, an All-Pro punt returner such as Shadeed is hard to replace. He scored in his final game of the season, energizing a stagnant offense. Additionally, as a consistent deep threat, he was the team’s leading receiver before his injury.
The Saints turned to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in his absence, but the vertical shots from early in the season have proven to be elusive late in the year.