Saints WR Jordyn Tyson says he's more explosive after hamstring injury

New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson says he feels 'more explosive' than ever as he nears his NFL debut after missing seven games with a hamstring injury.

The first-round pick, taken eighth overall in last April's draft, has been a limited participant in practice for two consecutive days since his 21-day return window from injured reserve opened Wednesday.

Tyson spoke to reporters Thursday and explained why his latest hamstring injury is different from the one that bothered him in college.

'It was a contact injury,' Tyson said.

'It's not like I was running and I just pulled it.

(The) guy pushed me very, very hard — a big dude at that — and kind of just went down on the sidelines.

I feel like a lot of people with a hamstring would do the same thing, but it was cool.'

The injury occurred during an Aug. 13 practice, three weeks before the regular season began.

Tyson said his hamstring now feels 100 percent healed.

'I ran my fastest time since I've been in rehab,' Tyson said.

'I feel more explosive than I ever have, so I think I'm pretty good.

I think I'm doing just fine.'

Before the injury, Tyson was one of New Orleans' top performers in training camp.

He demonstrated a strong connection with quarterback Tyler Shough and opened up the middle of the field with his shifty speed.

Shough spoke about what Tyson brings to the offense.

'He's a dawg,' Shough said.

'I think he brings this mentality, this elusiveness, this versatility to our offense that it's hard to replace.

At the same time, there's a lot of unknown.

We haven't had a lot of reps with him.'

Tyson's absence has been frustrating for fans, but the rookie put a surprising spin on his time on injured reserve.

'Got a slow start to the NFL, so I got to take my time and really adjust to it I feel like,' Tyson said.

'So, I think it's been a blessing.'

He used the weeks on the sideline to watch and learn from his teammates, particularly Chris Olave, who had a strong start to the season.

Tyson also watched how Devaughn Vele creates space at the line of scrimmage in the red zone.

Saints coach Kellen Moore has not committed to Tyson playing Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

The team would likely want Tyson to log at least one full practice before seeing game action, according to reports.

Tyson has three weeks to be activated from injured reserve.

His college coach, Hines Ward, visited practice this week to watch Tyson's return.

Shough acknowledged the uncertainty around how much Tyson will contribute immediately.

'It could be even greater than we could imagine,' Shough said.

'It could be not a significant role as we may think.

And both are extremely OK.

We have to do a better job as a whole offense.'

Tyson declared he believes he is in game shape right now.

He said he feels normal — and then clarified that he feels better than normal.

The Saints have been cautious with their top pick, who had a history of hamstring issues dating back to his final collegiate season.

Tyson's previous hamstring injury lingered into the lead-up to the NFL draft, which caused some teams to scrutinize his medical history.

But Tyson insists this injury is fundamentally different.

A contact injury, he said, is not the same as a muscle strain that occurs during running.

The difference matters because it suggests the hamstring itself is structurally sound, and the injury was caused by an external force rather than a recurring weakness.

Tyson stayed engaged with the team throughout his recovery.

He attended meetings, watched film and studied how professional preparation differs from what he did in college.

'I've just been trying to be me throughout it all,' Tyson said.