The New Orleans Saints announced a deal with one of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s former players on Tuesday, signing offensive lineman Oli Udoh (short for Olisaemeka) to a one-year deal. The Fayetteville, N.C. native played college football in-state at Elon before the Minnesota Vikings drafted him back in 2019.
Kubiak was on Minnesota’s coaching staff at the time, and he rose through the ranks to become the team’s offensive coordinator in 2021. That’s when Udoh first stepped into the starting lineup, playing 900-plus snaps at right guard. He’s also logged about 200 snaps at both left and right tackle through his pro career. The 27-year-old offers some versatility up front for New Orleans.
He’s also recovering from season-ending quadricep surgery in 2023, but Udoh told reporters Tuesday that he’s ahead of schedule in recovery and it sounds like he’ll be active in the offseason program. It’s unclear just yet which position the Saints will ask Udoh to play but he can help improve depth at a couple of different spots.
