Is Bryan Bresee playing at all in 2026?

No. He tore his ACL in a noncontact drill during the Saints' first camp practice and is having season-ending surgery. He's done for the year.

Has Bresee torn an ACL before?

Yes — this is his second, after tearing his left ACL at Clemson in 2021. It's a real pattern for dynasty managers to weigh once he's back on the field in 2027.

Why did Ja'Lynn Polk retire at 24?

Saints coach Kellen Moore cited "personal things" and didn't give more detail. Polk walked away less than a week into training camp, without having played a single snap for New Orleans since the Patriots traded him there.

Who takes Bryan Bresee’s snaps on the Saints’ defensive line?

John Ridgeway III and Michael Heldman were the next names on the depth chart behind Bresee at his spot before the injury. Neither has anything close to Bresee's track record, so expect New Orleans to look outside the current room too.

News

Saints Lose Bryan Bresee for the Year, Ja'Lynn Polk Retires at 24

Bryan Bresee tore his ACL in a noncontact camp drill and needs season-ending surgery. Ja'Lynn Polk retired the same week. Here's what both moves mean for Saints dynasty rosters.

By Kenny Flermoen · August 3, 2026

New Orleans lost two players from its 2026 roster in the same week — one to injury, one to retirement. Bryan Bresee tore his ACL in a noncontact injury during the Saints' first camp practice and needs season-ending surgery, head coach Kellen Moore confirmed. Days later, the Saints placed wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk on the reserve/retired list after he chose to walk away from football at 24.

Bresee: A Real Loss on the Defensive Line

Bresee got hurt working with the first unit in 11-on-11 drills — the kind of noncontact play that makes the injury sting more. It's his second ACL tear; he tore the other knee at Clemson back in 2021. He started all 15 games he played last season and finished with 37 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Across three seasons since New Orleans took him 29th overall in 2023, he's put up 14.5 sacks in 49 games — a legitimate building block on the Saints' interior.

Behind him on the depth chart sit John Ridgeway III and Michael Heldman, neither with Bresee's snap count or production. At 24, Bresee was one of the youngest full-time starters on New Orleans' defense, and losing him for the year is a real setback for a line that doesn't have an obvious next man up.

Polk: An Early, Unexplained Exit

Polk's retirement is the stranger story. New England took him in the second round of the 2024 draft, and he played all 15 games as a rookie. The Patriots traded him to New Orleans last season, but he never took a snap for the Saints — a shoulder injury kept him out the whole year. He was buried at WR5 on New Orleans' latest depth chart behind Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson, Devaughn Vele and Bryce Lance, with a clear path back onto the field this season. He walked away anyway, less than a week into camp. Moore cited only "personal things" and didn't elaborate.

Dynasty Impact

Bresee is the one that matters for rosters. He was a top interior IDP piece at 24 with three healthy years of tape, and a season-ending injury this early cuts his 2026 value to zero while raising a real medical flag for 2027 — a second ACL tear on a defensive lineman is worth pricing conservatively even after a full recovery. Polk barely registered on dynasty boards after a quiet rookie season and a lost 2025, so his exit is closer to a footnote — mostly a reminder that New Orleans' receiver room now leans even more on Olave staying healthy.

Reworking a roster after news like this? Open the Dynasty Trade Calculator and check where the value moved.

Join the founding waitlist

Founding leagues lock in $2.00 per player, forever. Price rises to $3.00 once the founding cohort is full.

Founding leagues also get permanent Founding Franchise status in your Vault history.

Try the Dynasty Trade Calculator →

FAQ

Is Bryan Bresee playing at all in 2026?: No. He tore his ACL in a noncontact drill during the Saints' first camp practice and is having season-ending surgery. He's done for the year.
Has Bresee torn an ACL before?: Yes — this is his second, after tearing his left ACL at Clemson in 2021. It's a real pattern for dynasty managers to weigh once he's back on the field in 2027.
Why did Ja'Lynn Polk retire at 24?: Saints coach Kellen Moore cited "personal things" and didn't give more detail. Polk walked away less than a week into training camp, without having played a single snap for New Orleans since the Patriots traded him there.
Who takes Bryan Bresee’s snaps on the Saints’ defensive line?: John Ridgeway III and Michael Heldman were the next names on the depth chart behind Bresee at his spot before the injury. Neither has anything close to Bresee's track record, so expect New Orleans to look outside the current room too.

← All guides