The New Orleans Saints won’t announce an official timeline for the on-field return of defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, but an “early target” was reported by Nick Underhill of The Athletic. And it makes perfect sense.
Per Underhill’s report, the Saints are hoping to get Rankins back on the field in games with the rest of the defense as soon as Week 4 of the regular season, or as late as Week 6. It depends on how he responds to treatment and an increased workload in the coming weeks.
Underhill also reports that the Saints activated him from the preseason physically unable to perform (PUP) list because he’s progressed to a point in his recovery where simple conditioning and rehabilitation work no longer benefit him.