One former New Orleans Saints first-round pick's comeback campaign has come to an end. The Detroit Lions placed defensive end Payton Turner on injured reserve Thursday afternoon, ending his season. Turner, 27, was drafted by the Saints out of Houston back in 2021 but struggled to stay healthy. He left as a free agent after playing just 31 games in four years. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys last year but didn't play in a single game due to a rib injury.
Joining a third team didn't change his luck. Turner signed with the Lions back in March, but missed the first three weeks of practice with a back injury that initially wasn't believed to be serious. After being held out of the first two preseason games and still unable to get on the practice field,
Detroit put him on season-ending injured reserve.
It's a tough break for a young athlete just trying to find his way. Turner's time with the Saints was underwhelming, to say the least, but it's not his fault that his body hasn't held up to the rigors of life in the NFL. Good luck to him in whatever comes next.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Former Saints first-round pick lands on season-ending IR with new team
