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The New Orleans Saints suffered a significant roster blow ahead of NFL preseason Week 2, placing second-year wide receiver Bub Means on the season-ending injured reserve. The move comes after the 24-year-old pass catcher sustained an ankle injury in the team's 2025 preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) account to break the news to fans.
“#Saints placed WR Bub Means on IR, ending his season.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also confirmed the move to the injured reserve, while noting that tight end Mason Pline was placed on season-ending injured reserve as well.
“Saints placed wide receiver Bub Means and tight end Mason Pline on season-ending Injured Reserve.”
Means’ NFL career has been marked by untimely injuries. Drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh, the 6-foot-1, 216-pound wide receiver flashed deep-threat capability with blazing 4.43 speed. However, a high ankle sprain during his rookie year — also at SoFi Stadium against the Chargers — cut short his first season after just nine catches for 118 yards and a touchdown.
The Saints were counting on Means to compete for a wide receiver spot and contribute on special teams in 2025. His college career at Pitt highlighted his vertical speed, contested-catch ability, and knack for creating yards after the catch, but that potential will now be on hold for another year.
With Means sidelined, the Saints’ wide receiver depth takes a hit. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed remain the top options, while Cedrick Wilson Jr., Mason Tipton, Dante Pettis, Kevin Austin Jr., and Donovan Peoples-Jones will battle for increased opportunities. The injury also forces New Orleans to reassign potential return duties and may prompt the front office to explore signing a veteran before the regular season.
For first-year head coach Kellen Moore, the loss further tests a roster already facing questions about offensive consistency. In the 2024 NFL season, the Saints ranked 23rd in passing yards with 3,730 total yards, averaging just 205.2 yards per game. Removing a vertical threat like Means only reduces the unit’s flexibility further. Moore, hired in February 2025 after serving as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, now faces the challenge of adjusting his scheme to account for the setback.
New Orleans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 of the preseason, giving bubble receivers a valuable opportunity to prove themselves in live action. The matchup will serve as a key evaluation point as the Saints adapt to life without one of their promising young playmakers.
