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Three Players Missing from the Saints’ First Practice of the Week — Two Still Unaccounted For, One Out with Injury

Saints Youngster Projected To Win Training Camp QB Battle

The New Orleans Saints were without three starters at their initial practice ahead of Week, though only one was due to injury.

Chris Olave was absent due to an ankle injury suffered during the loss to the Broncos, while DE Chase Young was absent due to an illness and Alontae Taylor missed the session for personal reasons. Olave played through his injury against the Bears and had his first career two-touchdown game.

Here's how the initial injury report broke down for the Saints on Wednesday:
LP = limited participation; FP = full participation; DNP = did not participate

- WR Chris Olave (ankle): DNP
- CB Alontae Taylor (NIR-personal): DNP
- Chase Young (illness): DNP
- TE Juwan Johnson (neck): LP
- RB Alvin Kamara (ankle): LP
- DT John Ridgeway III (shoulder): FP

Juwan Johnson was wearing a red, non-contact jersey for the session, as was Taysom Hill, who was not listed on the injury report. Kamara is still managing an ankle injury but has not missed a game.

The Saints have officially sent center Erik McCoy (torn biceps) and Kendre Miller (torn ACL) to injured reserve, while signing RB Kendre Miller to the active roster and Audric Estime to the practice squad. The Saints still have one roster spot open, which will be filled by Ridgeway when he's reverted back to the active roster.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore said it'll be veteran Luke Fortner filling in for the absence of McCoy.

On the Bucs side of the equation the list is 17 names, though they only head a walkthrough coming off of Monday Night Football, so the injury report is estimated.

Here's how it broke down:
- QB Teddy Bridgewater (teeth): DNP
- LB Lavonte David (knee/rib): DNP
- WR Emeka Egbuka (hamstring): DNP
- DT Greg Gaines (toe): DNP
- WR Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula): DNP
- G Luke Haggard (shoulder): DNP
- RB Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder): DNP
- DB Christian Izien (knee): DNP
- LB Haason Reddick (ankle/knee): DNP
- LB Markees Watts (toe): DNP
- S Antoine Winfield Jr. (toe): DNP
- G Ben Bredeson (shoulder): LP
- TE Devin Culp (knee): LP
- G Michael Jordan (knee): LP
- QB Baker Mayfield (knee): LP
- CB Zyon McCollum (thumb): FP
- RB Josh Williams (concussion): FP

A name that isn't listed is WR Mike Evans, who has landed on IR with a broken clavicle.

The Saints (1-6) host the Bucs (5-2) at 3:05 p.m. inside the Caesars Superdome. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.

Packers Cheerleader Sues a Packers Player for Harassment by Flirting with Her While Already Married
Can you believe it? A charming, dynamic cheerleader from the Green Bay Packers is "exploding" and dragging a team player to court for "unforgivable" behaviors! Abigale Licciardi – the star of the Packers Cheer Squad – has officially filed a lawsuit, and the drama behind it is stirring up NFL fans! Could this be the "biggest scandal" in Packers history? Read now to discover the "scorching" details! Abigale Licciardi, a professional cheerleader for the American football team Green Bay Packers in the NFL, is a prominent member of the Packers Cheer Squad group. She is a former student at the University of Wisconsin, where she participated in the local cheer squad and dance activities. Before that, Abigale was a dancer for NBA events and holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Marquette University. Abigale is active on social media, often sharing about games at Lambeau Field, community activities, and her role as a brand ambassador for the Packers. As part of the Packers Cheer Squad team consisting of about 47 members (combining male and female), Abigale participates in fan interactions, charity events like "Dream On 3," and performances at Packers games. She has an Instagram account (@abigalelicciardi) with posts about cheer life and a TikTok (@abigale_packers) where she shares videos about game days and dance routines. Before joining the Packers, she worked at a local event company, proving her versatility and passion. But the "nightmare" struck when Abigale got "entangled" with a Packers player! That's Mike Thornton, a backup defensive end who rarely plays for the Packers – a guy who's practically "anonymous" to fans, only playing sporadically on special teams and never a pillar. Thornton, 29 years old, has been married since 2021 to his wife, a community nurse, and they have two young children (one boy and one girl). Yet, according to Abigale's lawsuit, Thornton has been "flirting" with her recklessly, despite his happy family life! The "explosion" happened when Thornton started sending "sweet" messages to Abigale via Instagram, praising her smile and energy after performances. At first, Abigale thought it was just friendly praise from a teammate, but things quickly "crossed the line" into harassment! Thornton called her in the middle of the night – sometimes at 1-2 a.m. – to "share" about playing pressures, invite her for private dinners, and even send "suggestive" videos filmed at the gym! Abigale stated in the lawsuit: "He knows I only focus on my career and the team, but he won't stop. Those midnight calls make me anxious and stressed, severely affecting my performance!" According to insider sources, Thornton has been "stalking" Abigale since preseason, frequently "lingering" at community events she attends, and intentionally "creating situations" to approach her. Thornton's wife, upon learning, went "crazy" and threatened to break up, but the guy remains "blind"! The Packers are "shaken" by this scandal: The team management has temporarily isolated Thornton for investigation, while fans are divided – one side defends Abigale's "brave accusation," the other suspects it's a "staged script." The NFL league is also intervening, which could lead to heavy fines or removal from the roster! Abigale, with her "queen" image on TikTok and Instagram, is now becoming a "victim" of harassment – a thorny issue in the sports world! How will the court punish Thornton? And will the Packers "clean up" the team to protect their cheerleaders? Don't miss out – follow now for the next "drama" update! What do you think about this case, comment below!