Saints Lose 10-Year Starter to Month-Long Surprise Injury

The New Orleans Saints learned Wednesday night that long-snapper Zach Wood could miss significant time, a blow as the team tries to bounce back after opening the 2026 season with a loss. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell reported Wood is expected to be out “about 4-6 weeks” with a Grade II calf strain. He wasn’t on the Wednesday injury report because the issue was discovered after he felt tightness and then underwent tests. The Saints likely will need to bring in long-snapping options for tryouts and could use emergency snaps, as defensive tackle John Ridgeway III did during training camp. Wood has been a reliable starter since signing in 2017.