In addition to a lopsided loss, the Saints were dealt with a major blow on the injury front Thursday. Cornerback Paulson Adebo suffered a broken femur, head coach Dennis Allen said.
Adebo had an air cast placed on his right leg before being carted off the field. Not long after, the 25-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital. Adebo has since undergone surgery which will end his season, something which is particularly notable given his status as a pending free agent.
A recovery timeline of four to five months should be expected in this case, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That means Adebo should be fully recovered well in time for the 2025 campaign, by which point he will have a new deal in place. It will be interesting to see how his injury affects his market value on a second New Orleans pact or one sending him to another team. In any event, the Saints’ secondary will be notably shorthanded for the remainder of the campaign.
A former third-round pick, Adebo has started each of his 51 games and (until now) he had avoided lengthy absences due to injury. He was held without an interception in 2022 after recording three as a rookie and before rebounding with four last year; in less than seven full contests in 2024, he managed to post another three picks. Those totals have been accompanied by 43 pass deflections (including 28 since the start of last season), a sign of Adebo’s ball skills.
After surrendering 11 touchdowns as the nearest defender during his first two seasons, the Stanford product improved considerably in coverage. While penalties were an issue this season, Adebo should figure to have a number of suitors if he reaches the open market this spring. While his attention turns to recover, New Orleans will move forward without a key starter on defense. Fellow first-team corner Marshon Latitmore exited the contest with a hamstring injury, and it remains to be seen how much further time (if any) he will miss. The former first-rounder has been the subject of trade speculation, but Allen confirmed Lattimore will remain in place for at least 2024.
With the Saints now sitting at 2-5 after winning their first two games, interest could of course pick up again with respect to veterans like Lattimore being available. In any case, a team already hit hard by injuries will need to contend with another season-long absence while attempting to end an ongoing losing streak.
