The New Orleans Saints formally designated left tackle Trevor Penning and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach to injured reserve on Thursday, though these moves were both expected prior to the team’s announcement. Each player must rest at least the first four games before being eligible to return, meaning the soonest they could suit up would be Week 5’s home game with the Seattle Seahawks.
New NFL rules allow up to eight players to return from IR after sitting out at least four weeks, so if both of them return that leaves six spaces available before New Orleans hits the league’s limit. It’s a good sign for the health of wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith that he’s avoiding this early-season stint on IR after exiting the preseason finale with an upper-body injury said to be impacting his shoulder or collarbone.
While Roach is expected to return to action as soon as he’s able, the wait may be longer for Penning. His turf toe injury requires surgery to repair a torn ligament and, depending on how his body responds to treatment, he could very well miss his entire rookie season. Let’s hope for the best, though, for one of the team’s first-round picks. The sooner he’s healthy and practicing the better for all involved.
