As the New Orleans Saints wrapped up their roster cutdowns ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, the team made a move to bolster depth along the offensive line. Former fifth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, Asim Richards, was sent to New Orleans as part of a deal involving a couple of late-round pick swaps.
With a string of unfortunate preseason injuries to multiple Saints offensive linemen, Richards will be relied upon as a valuable depth piece moving forward. At just 24 years old, the former North Carolina standout brings versatility and upside, having experience at both tackle and guard.
Taking a closer look at Richards and his overall body of work, some of his best college tape came against a familiar name to Saints fans — Isaiah Foskey, the former Notre Dame defensive end and second-round pick of the Saints in 2023. Back at North Carolina, Richards dominated Foskey in their matchups, neutralizing the Fighting Irish’s sack leader and preventing him from generating many pressures. His performance against Foskey was indicative of his routine dominance against some of the ACC’s top pass rushers, displaying the great strength and balance on the edge.
#Cowboys 5th Round O Lineman Asim Richards is a pretty solid get, great lower body strength, good movement, Left Tackle and guard, a few coaching points away from being really good. Sometimes is an ugly winner but has won vs good competition. Gave Foskey fits pic.twitter.com/aMcENHVNlm
— Voch Lombardi (@VochLombardi) May 2, 2023
For what it’s worth, Foskey’s stint in New Orleans was an utter disappointment. Drafted with high expectations as a disrupter off the edge, he unfortunately wasn’t able to translate that to the NFL level. Whether it was inconsistencies in run defense, or a lack of pass rush ability, Foskey never quite found his footing.
As for Richards, at 6-foot-4, 315-pounds, he gives the Saints some versatility with a good blend of size and athleticism to play multiple spots. He should end up being a pivotal piece to this team, as he’ll likely be relied upon at some point this season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: New Saints trade acquisition bullied ex-second round pick in college