New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen said that rookie offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga's (back) injury isn't serious and he should be ready to go for Week 1 of the 2024 regular season in early September. Fuaga has been held out of training camp practice this week due to back tightness, but it appears the Saints are erring on the side of caution with the 22-year-old offensive lineman, who was taken 14th overall in April's NFL draft. Fuaga's health will be worth watching heading into the start of the season, as the 6-foot-6 rookie is expected to start his first year in the NFL as New Orleans' starting left tackle as the blind-side protector for quarterback Derek Carr.
New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga (back) left individual drills on Thursday due to back tightness, which was later confirmed as a back injury, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. The rookie lineman was the 14th overall pick this year and is expected to step into a starting role to protect quarterback Derek Carr. His status for the team's next preseason game on Sunday is to be determined. Fuaga looked great in his first preseason game, as he allowed no pressures and received a pass-blocking grade of 77.2 from PFF. Having him healthy heading into the regular season will likely be the team's priority.
The New Orleans Saints signed No. 14 overall pick Taliese Fuaga to his rookie deal on Thursday, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. The first-round offensive tackle inked a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $17.3 million. His contract includes a $9.4 million signing bonus and a fifth-year option. Pro Bowl right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (knee) has an uncertain future after a series of knee injuries, so there's a chance Fuaga could be a Day 1 starter on the Saints' offensive line. If not, he'll likely develop behind Ramczyk with the intention of taking over at some point in his rookie or sophomore campaign. The 22-year-old was a First-Team All-American at Oregon State in 2023 and was a consensus first-round prospect during the pre-draft process.
With the No. 14 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Saints selected Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga. The 22-year-old had a lengthy college career with the Beavers. While he got off to a slow start, he ended his final season by being named an All-American. New Orleans has plenty of areas that need to be addressed, but the line was arguably the team's biggest weakness. Fuaga has a chance to start right away and should help keep Derek Carr vertical more often than he was during the 2023-24 campaign.
Saints Could Go With O-Line Upgrade In Taliese Fuaga
New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Trevor Penning, who was taken 19th overall in 2022, has struggled at tackle and has started only six games since he was drafted. It's why The Athletic's Bruce Feldman pegs the Saints to take Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 14th overall pick in this year's NFL draft. The 6-foot-6, 324-pounder played right tackle with the Beavers, but his coaches thought he was more than capable of playing on the other side and he could also end up being a dominant guard. "He's so physical and very explosive. He is a friggin' powerhouse. He really moves people in the run game. He's not super long, but he has quick feet and good awareness and balance. I thought he improved a lot last year, especially as a pass blocker," one coach said.
Taliese Fuaga
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