Injuries kept Payton Turner from taking the field for a majority of his rookie season, but he's officially ready to start trying to change that narrative in Year 2.
The 2021 first-round pick out of Houston announced that he's now been medically cleared to return following a "major shoulder surgery" last November, which ended his season short.
"It’s been a long road to recovery," Turner wrote. "I had a pretty major shoulder surgery last November and didn’t have quite the rookie year I wanted but shoutout to everybody that’s stayed down with me and helped me get to this point, blessed to say I’ve been CLEARED."
Turner was absent from OTAs and minicamp, but spoke to the media after the first OTA session and indicated the plan all along was for him to return for the full training camp. He said he was champing at the bit to get back on the field, but was letting the process play out.
The news means that two of the Saints' key players returning from injury are officially cleared for the 2022 season. The others we have yet to see are TE Taysom Hill (lisfranc), WR Michael Thomas (ankle) and DE Marcus Davenport (shoulder/hand). Safety Marcus Maye has practiced in a limited fashion as he works back from his achilles.
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If Turner can return to health and make an impact, it'll add fearsome depth to a pass-rush group that's among the best in the NFL when available. Turner played in just five games as a rookie, logging one sack, 12 tackles and 8 QB pressures.
Veterans are scheduled to report to camp in Metairie on July 26.
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