The New Orleans Saints are counting on rookie wide receiver Bryce Lance to be a key part of the future, and he already looks capable of contributing in the present.
He had three catches in his NFL debut, and he'll likely be the WR3 for the Saints for the near-term with first-rounder Jordyn Tyson out with an injury.
Lance does appear to be making a change for his second NFL game, though.
After wearing a standard helmet in his debut, he now has a bigger look on his head in Week 2.
Lance isn't actually wearing a bigger helmet. He's got a standard-issue helmet on his head. That's just not what you're seeing on the TV screen.
He's got a covering over his helmet. It's a Guardian Cap.
A Guardian Cap is a soft, protective, shell covering that goes over the regulation NFL helmet.
It is designed to help prevent head injuries. The idea is that it limits the overall damage that impact can do by softening the amount of force that actually goes onto the skull and brain.
Guardian Caps were first allowed to be worn on NFL practice fields in 2020.
The first time players could wear Guardian Caps in games was 2024.
Last season, approximately 20 players wore a Guardian Cap at some point, with the most prominent being former Packers and now-Patriots receiver Romeo Doubs .
Lance appears to be following in the footsteps of his teammate Chris Olave , who wore one for the first time in Week 1.
Lance hasn't specifically spoken about this, but he appears to be taking a step toward protecting his head against potential injury.
There's no record of Lance having any head injury in college, although injuries are less reported at that level, especially at the FCS school he played at, North Dakota State.
Yes, Lance is the brother of Trey Lance , the former first-round QB draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers .
The Saints' Lance is hoping to make his own name for himself. He wasn't picked in the first round, so he wouldn't warrant a bust label regardless, but so far, he's off to a good start.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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