Report: Nick Fairley missed Saints’ OTAs because of heart issue

One of the biggest moves the Saints made this offseason was retaining defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

Now the Saints need to figure out when and if he'll be able to get on the field this season.

Fairley has not taken part in organized team activities because of a heart issue, according to sources, and it's possible he'll miss much more than a couple of summer practices. Fox Sports' Jen Hale reported the condition is serious enough that there are concerns about the future of his career.

Losing Fairley for any period of time would be a big blow to a defense trying to fight its way up from the bottom of the league's rankings. The assumed starter at defensive tackle, he finished with 6½ sacks and finished with 47 pressures.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2017 at 8:41 PM with the headline "Report: Nick Fairley missed Saints’ OTAs because of heart issue."