New Orleans Saints' recent early-round draft pick is an experiment that may have to end soon

The New Orleans Saints have a clear missing piece from their 2023 NFL Draft class. He was an early pick, but you could argue that he should not be rostered for the 2024 season.

Saints' Isaiah Foskey should be at risk of losing roster spot

Foskey was taken 40th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by New Orleans. At the time, many folks around the league thought that was early for the former Notre Dame lineman.

Foskey was always a project-type of pass rusher. Of course he was - the Saints took him. That being said, his tools and size haven't come together whatsoever so far in the pros. He couldn't get on the field on defense in 2023. Foskey played some special teams snaps, but that's not ideal for a second-round pick edge player.

Heading into this season, there was some hope that he would emerge as a rotational pass rusher for the Saints defense. That has not come to fruition. Foskey's been invisible in the team's first two preseason games.

The young pass rusher played 45% of snaps against the San Francisco 49ers and totaled just one tackle.

No reports from training camp practice were gleaming, either. It's been mostly radio silence for Foskey, and that's not a good thing for a player trying to get on the radar for coaches.

In ten games, Foskey had just nine tackles last season. He did not record a sack or tackle for loss. Elsewhere on the DL, there are just better options for New Orleans.

Carl Granderson, Chase Young, and Cameron Jordan will all get plenty of snaps off the edge. Payton Turner has seemingly worked his way past Foskey on the depth chart, even without too many standout plays, either.

Past those guys, Tanoh Kpassagnon will miss time to start the season, but he certainly provides more value than Foskey will in 2024 or may ever in his pro career.

With Kpassagnon's injury to begin the year, Foskey may sneak onto the roster to begin the regular season. If he does, there's gonna be a lot of pressure on him to perform in a very limited role. That's not easy, at all.

Cutting Foskey would make plenty of sense if the Saints add a notable veteran to improve their pass rush depth. It simply does not seem like Fossey's second-round selection will ever prove smart for New Orleans.

Related: Don't let the preseason fool you about Taysom Hill's usage in the New Orleans Saints offense for 2024