Could the Saints be without Cam Jordan to Start the Season?

Cameron Jordan could miss more than the preseason with a lingering hamstring injury, but Kellen Moore believes the Saints have enough pass-rushing depth to weather his absence.

Nov 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) reacts after forcing a fumble against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan may not suit up for the beginning of the season due to a lingering hamstring issue.

Jordan's injury occurred during Thursday's practice, and he has missed the past three practice sessions. He did not attend Saturday's practice because he attended Drew Brees' Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Head coach Kellen Moore said "he's going to miss a little bit of time," noting that regular assessments will dictate the recovery process. Moore did not say when the eight-time Pro Bowler would return, but the injury was serious enough to have Moore admit that Jordan could remain sidelined beyond the preseason slate.

"It could possibly get into the season, but you never know," Moore said. "[You need] to have some patience with it, let it take its course and we'll collect more information as we go."

Jordan, who has been in the league since 2011, has played in all but two games oin his career. In 2022, he sat out for a Week 11 matchup following an orbital fracture, and previously, he was sidelined for a single game in 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19.

The 37-year-old edge rusher signed a one-year contract to return to New Orleans for a 16th season on June 16th.  Jordan's deal has a base value of $7.5 million ($6.15 million signing bonus, $1.35 million base) and is worth up to $11 million with sack incentives.

How Would the Saint’s D-Line Look Heading Into the Regular Season?

Jul 30, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) looks on during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Replacing a veteran like Jordan is difficult; he is the roster's most tenured player and led the team with 10.5 sacks last season. However, they do have options on the edge, and great ones at that.

The Saints feature veteran pass rushers in Chase Young (10 sacks) and Carl Granderson (6 sacks) on the defensive line. New Orleans also bolstered its roster by trading for Tyree Wilson during the draft and signing former New England Patriots defensive end Anfernee Jennings in April.

"We certainly feel good about our depth in that position. We got some really talented players on the edge. We view it as a strength of our football team," Moore said. "We're going to need multiple guys to play throughout the season no matter what. ... So we'll take time to kind of evaluate while Cam's out and see where it looks here through training camp and then these other guys will be ready to go."

Training Camp Schedule

Here's the practice schedule for the week:

- Wednesday, 9:00-10:15 a.m., Helmets (Closed)
- Thursday, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Pads (SOLD OUT)
- Friday, TBD, Walk-Thru (Closed)
- Saturday, Saints vs. Jaguars, 3:00 p.m., Superdome

Mailbag Submissions

Wednesdays, On SI Saints will answer your questions about what we see from our vantage point. To submit your thoughts or inquiries click here.