New Orleans Saints WR Jordyn Tyson (0)
New Orleans Saints WR Jordyn Tyson (0) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There was a ton of hype surrounding the New Orleans Saints' first-round draft pick, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. Tyson and Chris Olave playing side by side raised the offense's ceiling another level. Unfortunately, the Who Dat Nation has yet to see him take the field, and he might not for a few weeks.
Following Monday afternoon's practice, head coach Kellen Moore was asked if the former Arizona State Sun Devil would be returning to practice this week. "We'll see, though not right now," he quickly responded. "But he's progressing well; he's doing a really good job."
Tyson has been out since Aug. 13, when he strained his right hamstring during a joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and was later placed on injured reserve. That put him out a minimum of four games, which means that he would've been able to return to practice as soon as last week. However, the expectation with this injury was that the Saints would take the long approach, with reports that he might not return until after the week eight bye.
The Saints have been playing the long game with WR Jordyn Tyson
Before his injury, Tyson was expected to be the Saints' second name on the depth chart behind Olave. Since he went down, it's been the WR3, Devaughn Vele, filling in as the WR2. With him playing well with those extra snaps, it has allowed the team to take the approach they wanted, which was deliberate and slow.
Given his history of hamstring injuries, it's no surprise that Kellen Moore and Co. would want to be as cautious as humanly possible. It's something that's really hindered him since last October, when he initially strained his right hamstring in a game against Texas Tech. Although this most recent injury is said to be different from that initial injury, even though it's on the same leg.
Tyson spending his first few months as a professional football player rehabbing and learning the offense while not playing in games might seem ridiculous, but it's really best for his long-term outlook. This way, the risk of a setback or additional injury is at essentially zero percent.
Once a player is designated to return from injured reserve, they have a 21-day practice window where they won't count against the 53-man roster. This means that even when Tyson is back at practice, he might not play in that week's game. Hopefully with Tyson's rehab, the phrase "slow and steady wins the race" rings true.
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