We’re on to Day 67 of our countdown to the start of the New Orleans Saints’ 2024 regular season, which makes the current owner of the No. 67 jersey our Saints Player of the Day. So what are realistic goals for Landon Young in 2024? What’s the vision for him to make the team and help out this year? And what’s brought him to this point? Let’s answer each of those questions.
- Name (Age): Landon Young (26)
- Position: Offensive tackle/guard
- Height, weight: 6-foot-7, 321 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 9.18
- 2024 salary cap hit: $1,097,445
- College: Kentucky
- Drafted: Sixth round in 2021 (New Orleans Saints)
- NFL experience: 4 years
Young played left tackle almost exclusively in college, but he’s cross-trained on the right side during his time with the Saints, and there’s been some speculation that he could join the left guard competition this summer. He’s only started seven games through three years and has dealt with a couple of injuries, so that’s a factor in evaluating him, too.
While he’s logged more snaps at right tackle (257) with the Saints than at left tackle (155), Young was primarily working as Taliese Fuaga’s backup on the left side at minicamp and OTAs this spring. He does have that versatility to plug into either spot, though, so he shouldn’t be seen as limited to one side or the other.
So how can he make the team this year? There are two or three roster spots open for backup offensive linemen behind Fuaga, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Trevor Penning, Olisaemeka Udoh, and Nick Saldiveri. Young will be competing with veterans like Shane Lemieux, Lucas Patrick, and Justin Herron as well as rookies or second-year pros in Josiah Ezirim, Mark Evans II, Nouri Nouili, Kyle Hergel, and Sincere Haynesworth. He needs to show real improvement and look the part in a new blocking scheme to win one of those jobs. Young has the athleticism and positional versatility to help his case, now he needs to follow through at training camp.
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