Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler projected each team’s biggest storyline walking out of minicamps. The New Orleans Saints biggest storyline heading into training camp is questions of who will start at offensive tackle on each side. Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning are the leading contenders, but both are changing positions.
The Saints start training camp on July 24, and players will put on pads a few days later. Organized team activities, minicamp, and training camp practices before the pads are strapped on are valuable, but you can not get a full evaluation of an offensive lineman until they put on their pads. This is particularly true for Fuaga because he’s a rookie.
There is arguably no more impactful unknown around the Saints in this season. The offensive line is imperative to success in Klint Kubiak’s offense. Kubiak envisions a run first offense. In order to do that successfully, the Saints offensive line must be better than last year.
No quarterback wants to deal with defenders in the backfield, but Derek Carr didn’t show the ability to navigate through that traffic. The odds are it’ll be similar this year. Rather than ask Carr to be better in this aspect, the Saints should aim to minimize this issue.
The questions are different for Penning and Fuaga. The latter will get the benefit of the doubt as a rookie. Penning may be playing for his last opportunity to start on the outside for the Saints. Also, Fuaga can always slide to his natural position if if Penning struggles at right tackle. If all goes as planned these two former first-round draft picks will be the future of the position. It’s on them to answer that question.
