When the New Orleans Saints enter the 2024 NFL season, they will have quite a few unknowns. They won’t know how Klint Kubiak’s offense is going to go, the team won’t know if Chase Young is going to be the elite pass rusher that they’re hoping he is, and no one will really know how the offensive line is going to perform.
The performance of the offensive line may be the most important part of the entire equation. Everything, offensively, starts up front with the offensive line. Bad o-lines, lead to bad offenses, which leads to bad teams. With the Saints replacing two to three starters on the line, there will be a lot of anxiousness to see how they perform.
The spotlight will especially be on rookie lineman Taliese Fuaga. Selected with the 14th-overall pick, Fuaga has taken all the No. 1 left tackle reps in OTAs. The expectation is that he’ll hold on to that spot and start the season at left tackle. Because of the importance of that position, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder argued the biggest question for the Saints is: how will Fuaga hold up in pass protection?
Saints’ 2024 success could depend on Taliese Fuaga’s readiness
Holder pointed out how Fuaga was a right tackle in college, that projected better as a guard in the NFL because of some pass protection struggles. With all of that in mind, it’s clear why there would be concerns about him starting at left tackle, especially as a rookie. Holder went on to emphasize that quarterback Derek Carr has to be protected for New Orleans to get the most out of him.
Holder did ultimately point out that WWL’s Mike Detillier has been impressed with Fuaga so far, complimenting the rookie’s footwork and body balance. However, it’s still extremely early, and it’s only OTAs. The unfortunate truth is that the Saints won’t really get an answer until the preseason, or the actual season, and at that point, it could be too late. That’s just a gamble that the team has to take, that everyone is hoping works out.
