Banks (ankle) is out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Falcons.
Banks was able to walk off the field after having his leg rolled over by a teammate in the first half of Sunday's game, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, but he will not be able to return in the Saints' season finale. Asim Richards will replace Banks for the remainder of Week 18.
The Saints selected Banks in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, ninth overall.
The retirement of Ryan Ramczyk and the disappointing start to Trevor Penning's career left the Saints in an untenable position at right tackle, but the addition of Banks could be enough to stabilize the situation for the long term. Although Banks (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) is still developing and might not be immediately sharp as a 21-year-old rookie, his development trajectory at Texas bodes well for his NFL skill set and his athleticism is otherwise very good (5.16-second 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical jump). The hope is that Banks will be able to kick it into a high gear by 2026 at the latest, but he might have a chance to start Week 1 at right tackle for the Saints.
