Tough news for the New Orleans Saints comes from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who reports that veteran defensive end Noah Spence was put on the reserve/non-football injury list after tearing an ACL in his knee while getting ready for their late-summer training camp.
Spence doesn’t have an extensive injury history — he did miss go down halfway through the 2017 season after hurting his shoulder, but otherwise has turned in a clean bill of health. So this shouldn’t be seen as the sort of recurring issue that has ended other players’ careers.
And because the Saints placed Spence on the non-football injury list rather than injured reserve, he will not test waivers. He’ll remain with the Saints (even if he doesn’t count against the 90-man roster) and be able to receive treatment from team doctors once their facilities reopen, and have the opportunity to practice and pursue a roster spot once his body is right.
But ACL injuries can end a year before it begins, and Spence is definitely in a tight spot right now. Here’s hoping for a full recovery.
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