Turner could miss several months. New Orleans Saints DE Payton Turner will be sidelined for a while after playing a big role on the Saints’ defensive line. In the second quarter of the Saints’ 16–15 win against the Tennessee Titans, coach Dennis Allen confirmed that Turner had injured his toe and would likely need surgery. Allen compared Turner’s injury to the one that sidelined Trevor Penning for nearly three months last year. Turner has been injured a number of times in his career.
Sunday’s game against the Titans was his 14th since the Saints selected him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
“It’s unfortunate for Payton because I thought he did some good things early in the game and had a nice training camp,” Allen said Monday. “It’s an unfortunate loss.” If Turner goes on injured reserve, Isaiah Foskey could replace Turner, who was inactive last week against Tennessee.
I definitely think he [Foskey] has a chance,” coach Allen said. “Obviously, we also have some options in the training team. Let’s see what we think is the best move for the team.”
What are coach Allen’s chances? He pointed to Niko Lalos, Kyle Phillips and, most recently, Terrell Lewis of the Chicago Bears, now that Turner will most likely undergo surgery.
With him missing a few games on the schedule, Coach Allen will have to make the decision to rotate the three ends around to see who might be the best fit until Turner returns. Who do you think should replace Turner in his absence? Let us know in the comments below.
