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Saints place Sheldon Rankins on injured reserve

By John Buhler

Jun 14, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (99) during the first day of minicamp sessions at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 14, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (99) during the first day of minicamp sessions at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Orleans Saints have placed their rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins on injured reserve with a designation to return.

The New Orleans Saints have placed their 2016 first-round draft pick in Sheldon Rankins on injured reserve with the designation to return, according to NOLA.com. New Orleans used its No. 12 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft on the star defensive tackle for the Louisville Cardinals.

Rankins broke his fibula during an August training camp practice, but the Saints medical staff have remained adamant that his rookie season hasn’t already come to a close. However by placing Rankins on injured reserve Monday, he will not be able to return to the Saints active roster until eight weeks later.

New Orleans has said that its rookie defensive tackle’s rehabilitation at the Saints facility in Metairie is going over well. Rankins can return to the Saints for practice after Week 6 and could make his first appearance in an NFL game as early as Week 9.

The Saints were proactive in handling Rankins’ foot injury by re-signing defensive end Daryl Tapp after cutting the opening day roster down to 53 men. However, the Saints are still a long way from being a competent defensive team.

For New Orleans to win enough to make the NFC Playoffs this season, they will have to win by virtue of Drew Brees shootouts under center. The Saints should be skilled on offense with players like Brees, running back Mark Ingram, and wide receiver Brandin Cooks, but it will all be for not if the Saints can’t stop anyone on the defensive side of the football.

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Rankins was expected to contribute right away in the Saints front-seven, but will now have to wait until Week 9 before he can make his much-anticipated NFL debut. New Orleans is wisely handling the Rankins injury, but can the Saints tread water without its first-round pick at defensive tackle?

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