Tag: kentucky football

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It’s tough for a rookie to crack the New Orleans Saints’ 53-man roster. It’s tougher for a late-round pick at a position group already swarming with veteran backups. But Landon Young played well this summer — really well. He displaced his competitors like Derrick Kelly and Jordan Mills and earned a spot on the initial opening-day depth chart. Whether he can hold onto it in the days ahead as the Saints navigate the next phase of roster construction remains to be seen, but so far the sixth rounder out of Kentucky has held his own.

And he’s received high marks for his performance in two preseason games, as illustrated by Pro Football Focus analyst Michael Renner. Here’s what Renner had to say about Young’s rookie debut:

“The Saints have developed offensive linemen at a higher clip than just about anyone else in the NFL over the past decade. With Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk manning the starting tackle spots, Young quite obviously won’t start anytime soon, but he played well enough to secure a roster spot. He allowed only one pressure on 26 pass-blocking snaps in two games.”

I’ll have to agree with Renner in guessing that Young doesn’t see the field much as a rookie. James Hurst is ahead of him on the depth chart as a swing tackle backing up both Armstead and Ramczyk, while Will Clapp and Calvin Throckmorton have shown the versatility to slide inside to guard or even snap the ball themselves at center. Young is probably a healthy scratch on game days for much of the 2021 season.

But that’s okay. It gives him time to continue getting his body right for the demands of NFL combat, as well as a potential position-switch to right tackle. The Saints had him cross-train on the right side over the summer and for much of training camp. There’s good reason for that.

While Ramczyk signed a mega-deal earlier this summer tying him to New Orleans for years to come, Terron Armstead’s future is less clear. The Saints put an incentive into Ramczyk’s contract that boosts his base salary if he is named an All-Pro specifically at left tackle, replacing Armstead if he leaves in free agency. Additionally, Hurst was signed to a three-year extension with pay escalators should he be named a starter.

All of these factors combined suggest the Saints are preparing a contingency plan for Armstead’s departure, with Ramczyk moving to the left side while Hurst and Young compete to start on the right side. That’s hardly an ideal fit, but it’s going to be tough to re-sign everyone in the spring with Armstead, Marcus Williams, Marshon Lattimore, and Jameis Winston all headed for free agency. Hopefully the Saints find a way to make it work with Armstead. But it’s still wise to be prepared, and Young appears to be on the right path to doing his part.

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