To kick off their preseason, Kellen Moore’s crew didn’t just take a loss on the scoreboard—they watched key players limp off one by one. “On the medical side, Will Clapp, Trevor Penning obviously came out of the game. We’ll see how those guys go. Bub (Means) came out, and then Mason Pline was there. We’ll see how those guys go, we’ll get a report there,” Moore told reporters afterward. And now, those reports are starting to roll in.

Meanwhile, the first bit of clarity brought a sigh of relief — sort of. Trevor Penning, carted off in the second quarter, avoided the season-ending fate many feared. According to NFL Network, the 26-year-old will miss a few weeks with a foot injury from Sunday’s loss to the Bolts. That’s far from ideal, but for Penning and the Saints, it’s better than the nightmare scenario that flashed through the minds of Who Dat Nation the moment the cart appeared.

Penning will be a big miss for Moore. This offseason, Moore’s staff moved the former first-round pick from tackle to guard, a shift that’s already looked like a smart fit for his power-driven style. He’s also heading into a contract year, raising the stakes for his performance. On the brighter side, his recovery timeline looks far less grim than that of center Will Clapp — whose own foot injury will keep him out for the entire year.

Indeed, the confirmation hit hard. “Saints C Will Clapp will miss the entire 2025 NFL season with a foot injury, per @Schultz_Report.” Yahoo Sports posted on X. “Clapp’s foot injury requires surgery that will officially be season-ending.” Losing him on the second offensive play felt like a gut punch, immediately testing the Saints’ thin depth chart.

Adding to the headache, Clapp had been stepping in for starter Erik McCoy, offering at least some stability in the middle. Once Clapp went down, undrafted rookie Torriccelli Simpkins got the call. Combine that with Penning’s early exit, and you have two major blows to an O-line already under the microscope.

To complicate things further, Rams coach Sean McVay revealed he’d been discussing joint practices with New Orleans this week. Moore didn’t hide his stance, making it clear that “team health” would heavily influence the decision. With injuries now looming large over the Big Easy, that call just got tougher. However, the Saints and Kellen Moore have some plans.

Kellen Moore and the Saints shuffle roster amid injury concerns

So after the latest injury updates left Kellen Moore’s squad paper-thin, the Saints wasted no time patching the holes. The Big Easy front office signed WR Roderick Daniels and DT Jayden Peevy, while also bringing back TE Seth Green, whom they waived the previous week. Daniels and Peevy were among 12 players who worked out for the Saints. Interestingly, the list also includes a trio of center options in Cody Whitehair, Scott Quessenberry, and Nick Harris.

So why has Moore signed them? Peevy’s got the size, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 308 pounds. He’s been around, on practice squads in Tennessee, Carolina, Cleveland, and Houston. Daniels, on the other hand, offers explosiveness. The former SMU standout averaged 15.3 yards per catch in each of the past two seasons and chipped in as a return man with 10.3 yards per punt return and two scores. He officially joined the roster after Tuesday’s workout.

But Green’s return is all about timing. He was cut to make room for Mason Pline, but after Pline went down, Moore called him back. With Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill still recovering from knee issues, and Jack Stoll struggling with drops, Green has a golden shot to stick. For now, UDFA Torricelli Simpkins III will back up Erik McCoy at center after stepping in for Clapp on the third snap against the Chargers.

Finally, the Saints still have fallback options. They could look to second-year Kyle Hergel or veteran Shane Lemieux, who started at center in 2024. For now, they’ll finish their practices in California before returning to the Superdome turf for a date with the Jaguars. So let’s see how Moore sets up his squad.