The New Orleans Saints just made it official, placing their starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. on injured reserve, and this is a massive hit to their offensive line. Banks is now looking at a best-case scenario of 10 weeks for recovery after ankle surgery, meaning he’s sidelined for more than two months. This isn’t just some rotational guy either, folks. Banks is one of the youngest players on that team and already looks like a franchise cornerstone. Losing a talent like that for such a chunk of the regular season? That hurts.
The Big Blow to Tyler Shough’s Blind Side
This whole mess started back in Week 2 during their road win against the Baltimore Ravens, when Banks went down with that ankle injury. You know how critical a left tackle is, especially for protecting the quarterback’s blind side, and Tyler Shough needs all the protection he can get. The Saints are aiming to get Banks back in December for a potential playoff push, but the smart play is making sure he’s 100%. You don’t rush a player that young and that important back from a major ankle surgery. It’s a long season, and while a December return offers some hope, two months is a long time to navigate without your anchor.
Who Steps Up, and What Does It Mean For Fuaga?
With Banks out, the Saints are now leaning on Asim Richards to hold down Shough’s blind side. Richards, a veteran swing tackle, did an encouraging job after Banks left the Ravens game. That’s a good sign, but the depth chart behind him gets thin real quick. The only lineman behind Richards is Alan Herron, a rookie free agent from Maryland, currently chilling on the practice squad. That’s a lot of pressure on Richards, and one injury away from a rookie having to step up. Then there’s the Taliese Fuaga situation. He’s been struggling on the right side of the line. The Saints *could* move him back to left tackle, but they also might want to keep him at his natural spot after he’s been bounced around so much early in his career. It’s a real tightrope walk for Head Coach Kellen Moore and the coaching staff. Do you risk upsetting Fuaga’s development by moving him, or do you stick with the unproven depth at left tackle?
The Saints are going to have to figure this out fast. Protecting Tyler Shough is paramount, and keeping the offensive line stable is key. They’ve got a lot riding on Richards’ shoulders for the next couple of months, and the decisions they make about Fuaga could define their season. We’ll be watching closely to see how this O-line holds up with Banks out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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