The New Orleans Saints have placed starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. on injured reserve after the high-ankle sprain he suffered against Baltimore proved severe enough to require surgery.
The move, announced by the Saints on Wednesday, turns what initially looked like a multi-week injury question into a significant offensive-line absence. Banks is now guaranteed to miss at least four games, while reporting from the Associated Press indicates his recovery could extend into early December.
That is a major change from the initial postgame uncertainty. The first report described Banks as having a suspected high-ankle sprain with an MRI pending. Further testing showed the injury was more serious, and New Orleans has now made the roster move that confirms he will not be available in the short term.
What changed with Kelvin Banks Jr.’s injury?
Banks was injured late in the third quarter of New Orleans’ 24-17 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens. Ravens edge rusher Mike Green landed on Banks’ lower leg while finishing a sack of quarterback Tyler Shough, and Banks eventually left the field on a cart.
On Monday, the Saints’ own team coverage reported that the ankle injury would require surgery. On Wednesday, the club formally placed Banks on injured reserve as part of a set of roster moves that also included signing long snapper Cal Adomitis and reaching an injury settlement with running back Audric Estime.
The official transaction does not establish an exact return date. The Associated Press reported that Banks will be eligible to return after the four-game injured-reserve minimum, but that the expected recovery timeline could stretch into early December.
Asim Richards becomes the immediate answer at left tackle
Asim Richards replaced Banks against Baltimore and is the leading option to take over the starting job while Banks is unavailable.
Richards entered a difficult situation in Week 2. New Orleans was trailing, Baltimore’s pass rush had already begun affecting Shough, and Richards had to step in without a full week of starter preparation. The Saints still closed the game with two long fourth-quarter touchdown drives and completed the comeback.
Saints coach Kellen Moore praised Richards’ steadiness afterward, and the team’s own review of the game highlighted how he held up against a demanding Ravens front. That performance gives New Orleans a more credible short-term solution than a typical emergency replacement, but replacing a starting left tackle for multiple weeks remains a much larger test than surviving one quarter.
Why Banks’ absence matters for Tyler Shough and the offense
Banks has been a fixture on the left side of the line since New Orleans selected him ninth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He started all 17 games as a rookie and opened the first two games of 2026, so this will be the first extended absence of his NFL career.
For Shough, the impact goes beyond one-on-one pass protection. A change at left tackle can affect how the Saints set protections, how often they chip an edge rusher with a tight end or running back, and how aggressively they can send eligible receivers into routes on obvious passing downs.
New Orleans has shown it can function with Richards in the lineup. The Week 2 comeback is evidence of that. The next question is whether the offense can maintain that protection structure over full games once opponents have time to specifically target the replacement arrangement.
Week 3 against Las Vegas becomes the first full test
The Saints host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, giving Richards his first likely start in Banks’ place.
That matchup immediately tests the adjustment because Las Vegas can create edge pressure and force an offense to account for its pass rush in protection planning. New Orleans may respond with more help to the left side, quicker throws, movement concepts or additional protection depending on how Richards handles the matchup.
The Saints do not need Richards to duplicate everything Banks provides. They need the offensive line to remain functional enough that the injury does not change the entire identity of the passing game.
The Saints now have a longer-term roster problem to manage
Banks’ placement on injured reserve also changes the depth picture. Richards moves from swing-tackle insurance into a starting role, which means New Orleans must now consider who becomes the next tackle option behind him.
That is the hidden cost of a major offensive-line injury. The first replacement may be capable, but the entire depth chart becomes thinner. Any additional injury at tackle would force the Saints deeper into the roster at one of the positions most difficult to patch during the season.
New Orleans can use practice-squad elevations or additional transactions to reinforce the group, but the team has not announced a direct outside replacement for Banks.
What comes next for Kelvin Banks Jr.
The immediate timeline is now clear in one respect: Banks will miss at least four games because of injured reserve. The larger question is whether his rehabilitation allows him to return late in the season.
Because the injury required surgery, the Saints have little reason to rush the process. Banks is only 22 and is a foundational piece of the offensive line, so the long-term priority is getting him back at full strength rather than targeting the earliest possible return date.
For now, New Orleans moves forward with Richards at left tackle and a significantly different protection plan than the one it expected to carry into the season.