3 under-the-radar players to keep an eye on during Saints training camp
- Lewis Kidd should deliver in sophomore season
- Lucas Krull will be all about excellent route running
- When it comes to depth, D'Marco Jackson could be key
By Randy Gurzi
2. Lucas Krull, Tight End
It appears the Saints found a new starting tight end this past season when Juwan Johnson took off in the second half of the year. He finished with 42 receptions for 508 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now in 2023, he's expected to do even more but New Orleans won't be counting on him alone at the position. They've also brought in Foster Moreau and feel really good about second-year player Lucas Krull — and head coach Dennis Allen even had some excellent praise for the former collegiate journeyman.
"Yeah look, I’m excited about Lucas, I think he’s a young guy that showed some promise last year. He’s got pretty good vertical speed down the field. Really good in terms of one-cut route running, seams and things of that nature. We’re excited about him."
- Dennis Allen on Lukas Krull
Krull took an interesting route to the NFL, going through Jefferson, Florida, and Pittsburgh before signing with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent. As a rookie, he wound up playing in just one game with 11 snaps but he's still someone to watch after impressing during the previous offseason.
Known for his ability to stretch the field from the tight end position, Krull needs to improve as a blocker to see the field. If so, he could give them an interesting trio at the position — and that's not even counting the times they can use Taysom Hill as a tight end.