It'll be a pretty sharp age pivot at OL if Saints #stick with the OTA look
2023 (age during season)
– LT Peat: 30
– LG Hurst: 32
– C McCoy: 26
– RG Ruiz: 24
– RT Ramczyk: 29
Tot.: 1412024
– LT Fuaga: 22
– LG Saldiveri: 24
– C McCoy: 27
– RG Ruiz: 25
– RT Penning: 25
Tot.: 123— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) May 24, 2024
The New Orleans Saints offensive line is going through a youth movement. By their scheme, it is necessary. Trevor Penning highlighted Klint Kubiak’s wide zone scheme for utilizing the athleticism of the offensive line. That change of direction has also coincided with the unit getting much younger. Not every change can be tied scheme, but it does feel like an intentional shift.
Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz are the only returning starters from last season. Trevor Penning is excluded because he spent most of the season on the bench. The offensive line’s average age drops from 28.2 to 24.6 years old. Even if Shane Lemieux starts at left guard ahead of Nick Saldiveri, the average age only rises to 25.2, which would still be a 3-year drop from last year’s average age.
James Hurst was the oldest player on the line last year, and he simply didn’t fit the new offensive scheme Kubiak is installing. He was the one player who needed to be replaced. New Orleans has always valued athleticism, so the pieces were already there. Of the new starters, first round pick Taliese Fuaga is the only one who wasn’t on the roster in 2023. His experience in a similar scheme, however, may provide one of the smoother transitions to Kubiak’s offense.
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