The Saints officially placed cornerback Paulson Adebo on injured reserve, ending his 2024 season after breaking his femur last week, per New Orleans.Football’s Nick Underhill.
Adebo was carted off early in the second quarter of New Orleans’ Week 7 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night, requiring season-ending surgery. The former second-round pick is expected to recover in time for training camp in 2025, though his status in a contract year means a potential free agency navigation while rehabbing from his injury.
Adebo’s injury is yet another setback for a Saints team that has dropped their last five games after starting the year 2-0. Leading receiver Rashid Shaheed is out for the season after meniscus surgery, and Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy has yet to return from injured reserve after hurting his groin in September.
Adebo was on pace for career-highs in tackles, interceptions, and passes defended before his injury. That will assist his case in free agency as he attempts to capitalize on a significant jump in the cornerback market this offseason. This is also the first major injury of his career, as Adebo played in 52 of the Saints’ 58 games since he was drafted, with 51 starts.
Second-round pick Kool-Aid McKinstry took over for Adebo against the Broncos and is expected to replace him in the starting lineup opposite Marshon Lattimore moving forward. With Alontae Taylor starting in the slot, the Saints only have one more cornerback on their active roster: undrafted rookie Rico Payton. In the short-term, Shemar Jean-Charles will likely be in line for elevations from the practice squad, and potentially a promotion to the active roster. New Orleans will need to find more cornerback depth for the rest of the year, especially if they move Lattimore, a potential trade target, at the deadline.