If the primary tell is the back of his head, it may take a little longer to recognize Taliese Fuaga. The rat tail is gone. It could make a reappearance, but at present, it's history.
"Fresh start, man," said Fuaga, the Saints' starting right tackle who is entering his third NFL season. "That's my thing. I'm growing my hair out. I've got to grow it out and everything. If I grow it out and I end up cutting it, I'll cut it all off and leave that tail again. It can grow back. We're going to see it again."
Fuaga, a first-round draft pick in 2024, also figures we will see a better version of him this year, starting with the offseason. New Orleans' voluntary workout program began on April 20, and OTAs will begin May 27.
Last season, his first at right tackle after playing left tackle as a rookie, Fuaga missed four games in part due to left and right high ankle sprains.
"I was trying to fight through that Rams game, I got that high ankle sprain and that was pretty bad," he said. "That was tough, I was out about three weeks after that. Came back, I'm feeling good and at the end of the game, another high ankle in the other one. It's tough because you can't really control those."
Now he's healthy and he's working, including sessions with former Saints standout Terron Armstead, a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro in nine seasons with New Orleans. Armstead added two more Pro Bowl berths in three seasons with the Dolphins.
"I've been majority here this offseason, training with the strength staff and just getting right with the trainers, trying to keep up on everything," Fuaga said. "I just got back from Dallas, training with Terron Armstead. That was pretty good work.
"(I want to) be more consistent in my game. I know I can get to the spot — I can get there, pass pro or run — just got to stay consistent. Me and K.B. (left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.), we showed a lot of reasons why we can play this game and we can be good. As long as we can stay consistent, we'll be all right."
The two expect to trend upward, along with an offense that breathed life in the second half of last season, with the Saints winning five of their last nine games, including four consecutive games in December.
"I see a lot of things where we're becoming a younger team," Fuaga said. "But at the same time, those little wins that we had in December — which turned out to be big because we went undefeated in December — I think that's a great way to get a little confidence and a little momentum for this season. But at the same time, it starts in the offseason, right now."
Check out photos of New Orleans Saints offensive tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga in action throughout the 2025 NFL season.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) prepares to block during New Orleans Saints game against the Arizona Cardinals for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 7, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) blocks QB Spencer Rattler (2) during the New Orleans Saints game against the Arizona Cardinals for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 7, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the San Francisco 49ers for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season on Sept. 14, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) gets in position to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Seattle Seahawks for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 21, 2025 at Lumen Field.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Buffalo Bills for Week 4 of the 2025 NFL Season on Sept. 28, 2025 at Highmark Stadium.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the New York Giants for Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 5, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) takes a three-point stance during the New Orleans Saints game against the New England Patriots for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season on October 12, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the New England Patriots for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season on October 12, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the New England Patriots for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season on October 12, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) prepares for the snap during the New Orleans Saints game against the New England Patriots for Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season on October 12, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Chicago Bears for Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 19, 2025 at Soldier Field.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Chicago Bears for Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 19, 2025 at Soldier Field.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 26, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season on Oct. 26, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Los Angeles Rams for Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 2, 2025 at SoFi Stadium.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) gets in position during the New Orleans Saints game against the Los Angeles Rams for Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 2, 2025 at SoFi Stadium.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 23, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 23, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) prepares to tackle during the New Orleans Saints game against the Miami Dolphins for Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 30, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Miami Dolphins for Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 30, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) prepares to block during the New Orleans Saints game against the Miami Dolphins for Week 13 of the 2025 NFL season on Nov. 30, 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) gets in position during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 7, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers for Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 14, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) gets in position during the New Orleans Saints game against the New York Jets for Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 21, 2025 at Caesars Superdome.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) slides during the New Orleans Saints game against the New York Jets for Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 21, 2025 at the Caesars Superdome.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) gets in position during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tennessee Titans for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 28, 2025 at Nissan Stadium.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tennessee Titans for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 28, 2025 at Nissan Stadium.
T Taliese Fuaga (75) blocks during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tennessee Titans for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 28, 2025 at Nissan Stadium.
T Kelvin Banks Jr. (71) gets in position during the New Orleans Saints game against the Tennessee Titans for Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season on Dec. 28, 2025 at Nissan Stadium.
OT Taliese Fuaga (75) in action during the New Orleans Saints game against the Atlanta Falcons for Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season on Jan. 4, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
