NEW ORLEANS — Cam Jordan may be getting his right hand back, just in time for the Saints' huge Week 4 test against the Dallas Cowboys.
According to Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, interior defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) will return for Sunday Night Football after being sidelined for almost 10 months with a torn Achilles tendon.
In a tweet, Rapoport said Rankins will make his season debut in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome "barring a setback in pre-game warmups."
25-year-old Rankins was a key piece of the Saints defense last season. He started all 16 regular games, put up 40 combined tackles with eight sacks and contributed to a complete turnaround of the Black and Gold's run stop.
When asked about Rankins' play style, All-Pro defensive lineman and team leader Cameron Jordan said "I've never had an interior guy eat the way he has."
"If you try and double me, that means you're probably going to try and single him. And he's winning those. If you double Ranks', I appreciate it. Because now I might catch that single, and you done messed up," Jordan said.
Rankins was injured in the Saints divisional playoff win against the Philadelphia Eagles in January and was on Injured Reserve since. In April, the team added the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
The 6'2", 305 lb tackle was drafted 12th overall by the Saints in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Louisville.
The team listed Rankins as limited in all practices in anticipation for his return before Week 6 this season. Without Rankins, the Black and Gold are 28th in the league in yards allowed per rush, according to NOLA.com.
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