New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) laughs with teammates as they warm up during minicamp practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie, La., Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
[Kellen Moore](https://www.nola.com/tncms/asset/editorial/cc6f9eba-7a9b-46be-9a8f-4a0e6756c8ef/) said earlier this week that he was optimistic several injured players would return to practice ahead of Sunday’s season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
And when the New Orleans Saints took the field Wednesday, the coach got his wish.
Cornerback Alontae Taylor returned to practice for the first time since injuring his groin Aug. 8 while the Saints were in Irvine, California for training camp. Along with Taylor, safety Julian Blackmon (undisclosed) and defensive tackle Khristian Boyd (hand) also appeared to participate in the session after missing part of last week.
One notable absence for the Saints, however, was still guard Trevor Penning. The fourth-year offensive lineman has been out since Aug. 10 with a turf toe injury, an ailment that carried a recovery timeline of four to six weeks.
If Taylor can play this week, his return is expected to be a huge boost for the team’s secondary.
The Saints have used Taylor as a nickel cornerback in defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s scheme, and his speed gives New Orleans the option to use Taylor as a blitzer. Taylor is coming off a season in which he had a career-high four sacks.
If Taylor is unable to go, the Saints would likely rely on veteran Ugo Amadi.