Jairus Byrd joined the New Orleans Saints this offseason, but he has yet to take the field for the team as he recovers from back surgery in May.
More from New Orleans Saints
- Shocking reunion with Saints fan favorite finally made official after months of hints
- 3 Saints players who won’t be on the roster after training camp
- NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
- Long-awaited Saints shoe drop is finally coming courtesy of Alvin Kamara
- Is Mark Ingram’s new CFB gig a signal that he’s retired from NFL?
Byrd has sat out for the Saints’ first two preseason games, however, he is expected to make his debut with the team on Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts.
Saints head coach Sean Payton says that Byrd should take the next step in his recovery this weekend, after taking part in his first full-contact practice earlier this week.
“This is an important game, because he hasn’t been able to play in the first two,” Payton said, via ESPN.com. “Now, we’ll be smart with the reps we give him and the amount we give him, but I don’t think you can just throw the ball out there and play.”
The third preseason game is viewed as the “dress rehearsal” for starters, so getting Byrd on the field to get a good look at the first-team defense is something that will only benefit the team moving forward.
If Byrd can show that he is capable of being the player the Saints expected him to be when they added him to the roster this offseason, their defense could take some major strides forward as they look to return to the Super Bowl.