Saints Rising Star Expected To Play Vs. Cardinals

The New Orleans Saints are expected to have a big piece ready to roll on Sunday.

New Orleans shared its injury report on Friday and on it there were two tough updates, but also one very positive one. Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.net shared the depth chart on social. The two negative takeaways were the fact that Chase Young and Trevor Penning were both ruled out while dealing with calf and toe injuries.

The Saints got some good news on Friday

Dec 15, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs against New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

But, on the bright side, cornerback Alontae Taylor was listed as a full participant and is expected to play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

"Saints Chase Young and Trevor Penning ruled out for Sunday’s game. Alontae Taylor good to go," Jackson said.

#Saints Chase Young and Trevor Penning ruled out for Sunday’s game. Alontae Taylor good to go. pic.twitter.com/7ICVVhtnBp
— Ross Jackson (@RossJacksonNOLA) September 5, 2025

That's a pretty big deal. Taylor dealt with a groin injury throughout the summer and it wasn't clear if he would be ready to go until this week. He returned to practice on Wednesday to the surprise of some. He had missed weeks due to his groin injury and then all of a sudden videos started popping up on social media with Taylor in attendance.

Alontae Taylor returned to practice today pic.twitter.com/ipolELe4MX
— NOF (@nofnetwork) September 3, 2025

Taylor is entering his fourth season after appearing in all 17 games for the Saints last year, including 15 starts. He's someone who could have a big impact on the defense this season. There is some high expectations around him. This is so much so that ESPN's Jeremy Fowler listed Taylor as a player he's watching to potentially get a last-second contract extension before the season begins.

"Week 1 can create urgency for contract extensions that teams or players slow-played over the past four months," Fowler said. "That happened in Tampa Bay on Tuesday, when the Bucs reached agreement on a four-year, $90 million extension with right tackle Luke Goedeke.

"The Bucs identified Goedeke as a player they'd like to keep long term, and a recent comp -- the Packers' Zach Tom at four years, $88 million -- informed the right tackle market. With Goedeke extended, here are a handful of candidates I'm keeping my eye on: Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, Cowboys guard Tyler Smith, Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor, Rams safety Quentin Lake, and Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers."

The Saints are better with him than without him, obviously. So, this is a step in the right direction for Week 1.

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