What happened: Perkins is set to return to the Superdome on Monday night after his journey began in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. He entered the league as a rookie linebacker selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of LSU.

Why it matters: The trip adds a hometown thread to an early-season road stage and puts extra focus on Perkins' role as his first NFL season unfolds. It also follows recent public backing for Perkins' early work, raising the stakes on how quickly he can carve out defensive snaps.

What to watch: Monday night's usage will offer the next read on where Perkins fits in the defensive rotation. Any larger snap share would sharpen the picture of his role moving forward.