The Saints invested the No. 8 overall pick in Jordyn Tyson, knowing his college medical chart was a mess. They drafted him to instantly pair with Chris Olave and give Tyler Shough another target, but the gamble blew up before the actual games even started.
New Orleans fans watched their top pick land on Injured Reserve in August without playing a single regular-season down. Now, after eight straight weeks of waiting on a quiet rehab process, the Saints are finally reaching the tipping point on his return.
Saints Nearing Jordyn Tyson Return
“Saints first-pick Jordyn Tyson could return from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him as early as next week vs. the Browns, per sources. But even if it’s not then, he is not far away from playing,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, clearly saying that the Saints first-round pick will be making his NFL regular season debut very soon.
During the final stretch of 2026 preseason action in mid-August (a joint practice against the Jacksonville Jaguars), first-round pick Jordyn Tyson suffered a right hamstring strain when getting shoved near the sideline after a catch.
The Saints initially placed him on Injured Reserve (IR) with a designation to return, slating a roughly two-month recovery window that sidelined him through September and October. Heading into November, Tyson is nearing the final stages of his rehab, with his 21-day activation window looming for his long-awaited NFL debut.
Tyson’s injury was initially believed to be a re-aggravation of his hamstring injury in 2025 at Arizona State, but later reports cleared that it was different, even though it was on the same leg. He suffered a Grade 2 right hamstring strain that sidelined him for three games during October 2025, which he re-aggravated in November 2025.
The lingering issue forced him to skip drills at the NFL Scouting Combine and Arizona State’s Pro Day before running routes for scouts at a private workout in April.
Before his injury, Tyson was expected to be Chris Olave’s backup. Since he went down, his name on the pecking order has gone down too, with Tyson now at WR3 and Devaughn Vele filling in as the WR2.
However, as soon as he comes back in, Tyson could seriously give Vele a competition for the WR2 spot.
Saints Might Go Easy on Tyson Upon Return
The Saints’ offense has felt stuck in second gear, relying heavily on contested catches and short check-downs. Tyson brings the kind of pure acceleration that lets quarterback Tyler Shough throw into rhythm instead of holding onto the ball and taking unnecessary hits in the pocket.
That said, Moore is well aware of his lengthy medical file and will be as cautious as possible when distributing the snaps. Given his extensive hamstring history and two months of missed game action, the offensive staff will almost certainly put him on a strict snap count for his first game or two to avoid another costly setback.
Whether he takes 15 snaps or 40 against Cleveland, getting Tyson back on the grass changes how defenses have to play New Orleans. If he can stay healthy and build instant chemistry with Shough, the Saints’ offense is about to look completely different down the stretch.
If New Orleans opens his activation window ahead of the Browns matchup, expect them to play the long game in protecting their $32 million investment.
Saints Announce Long-Awaited Jordyn Tyson Return Before Week 9 vs. Browns