Another rookie draft pick is set to make his New Orleans Saints debut. Look for Nick Saldiveri to be active on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now that right guard Cesar Ruiz has been ruled out for a concussion. Saldiveri was the team’s first pick in the fourth round out of Old Dominion, where he played right tackle. He’s spent most of his time at left guard with New Orleans.
But hold your horses: Saldiveri likely won’t feature in the starting lineup with James Hurst taking Ruiz’s place at right guard and Andrus Peat filling in on the left side. Saldiveri has been inactive for each of the team’s first three games while veteran teammates like Peat, Max Garcia, and Landon Young were activated to wait their turn as backups.
Buy Saints TicketsThe Saints had a couple of offensive linemen on the practice squad in Tommy Kraemer and Mark Evans II (who was recently re-signed) but neither of them were elevated for Week 4’s game-day roster, which suggests Saldiveri will be the eighth lineman to dress on Sunday.
Still, let’s hope he makes the most of his opportunities whenever he does get to go into the game. The Saints’ rookie draft class hasn’t made a huge impact this season beyond first-round defensive tackle Bryan Bresee; specialists Lou Hedley and Blake Grupe haven’t been as consistent as hoped through the first month, and other draft picks like defensive end Isaiah Foskey, running back Kendre Miller, and wide receiver A.T. Perry have all been inactive at times. Getting something out of Saldiveri would do a lot to improve their standing as a group.
