Tag: andrus peat

Veteran OL signings are due to competition, not health-related, says Dennis Allen

The Saints signed multiple linemen, which Dennis Allen says is more about increased quality of competition than the health of Cesar Ruiz and Andrus Peat:

Many fans spent their summer imploring the New Orleans Saints to reinforce the depth chart along the offensive line, and they got their wish on Tuesday: The team announced that veteran guards Trai Turner and Max Garcia would be joining them for training camp.

Turner is a five-time Pro Bowler, while Garcia has logged thousands of snaps in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals. They’ll be pushing backups Nick Saldiveri, Calvin Throckmorton, Lewis Kidd and Mark Evans II for snaps in the rotation behind starting guards Andrus Peat and Cesar Ruiz. That’s a lot of players competing for what may be just two or three spots on the 53-man roster in September, and these heightened stakes are exactly what head coach Dennis Allen sought.

“Again, I mean I sound like a broken record, we’re looking for anything we can add to our football team and make us better,” Allen said with a grin while fielding questions during his pre-training camp press conference, acknowledging that increased competition has been a priority. “We feel like having a lot of competition within the team kind of brings out the best in everybody. Depth, competition, those are all things that we’re looking for.”

When asked whether the recent injury issues for Peat and Ruiz played a part in the search for better interior line depth, Allen responded, “This is not a health-related signing. This is a signing where we felt like there is a veteran player that we can bring in, put into the mix, and then let’s see how the competition plays out.”

Injuries limited Peat to just 11 games last year, and he’s never played a full season in the NFL. After not missing a snap in 2021, Ruiz missed the final three weeks in 2022 after suffering a foot injury that required surgery. Both guards are expected to fully participate in training camp practices, but it doesn’t hurt to have more depth with real pro experience backing them up in case they get banged up again.

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Saints hosting former Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner on free agent visit

ESPN reports the Saints are hosting five-time Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner on a free agent visit on the eve of training camp, potentially adding depth to the offensive line:

The New Orleans Saints are hosting five-time Pro Bowl right guard Trai Turner for a free agent visit on the eve of training camp, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Turner, 30, is a New Orleans native who rose to prominence in recruiting circles at St. Augustine High School and played college football at LSU.

Turner went on to start 118 games in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers (who drafted him in the third round back in 2014), Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and most recently the Washington Commanders. Last year, Pro Football Focus charting found he allowed just 22 pressures (2 sacks) and was penalized four times on 431 snaps in pass protection. For context, the player he’d be competing with in New Orleans, Calvin Throckmorton, was charged with yielding 18 pressures (3 sacks) and five penalties on 163 fewer reps.

Depth is the most pressing concern for this Saints team. They have the top-end talent to compete with anyone, but the backups and reserves aren’t quite up to par after waves of free agents left the team in recent years without being replaced by quality draft picks.

Adding Turner would do a lot to settle concerns at offensive guard. Andrus Peat has never played a full season and Cesar Ruiz ended his promising 2022 campaign with an injury. Their initial backup, Throckmorton, led the team in false start penalties. You’d think James Hurst would fill in at guard once Trevor Penning is starting at left tackle, but Penning’s own injury issues cloud the picture. Having Turner ready to go into a game if Peat or Ruiz goes down would be nice.

And the Saints can afford him. Turner has earned about $3 million from the Commanders and Steelers on one-year deals in the last few years, which the Saints can easily fit on their books (they’re under the salary cap by more than $13.3 million). If Turner is interested in coming home and the Saints are willing to meet his reasonable contract demands, it’s a team-up that makes too much sense not to happen.

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25 most important New Orleans Saints of 2023: No. 19, LG Andrus Peat

25 most important New Orleans Saints of 2023: No. 19, left guard Andrus Peat has a lot on the line in what may be his last year with the Saints | @crissy_froyd

The 2023 NFL offseason is in full swing, and with that, training camps edge ever closer to starting. We have seen a new wave of players enter the team both via the draft and free agency, but there is also a large group of returning players from last season as well. This has led to some debates to be had regarding which players will have the largest impact on the roster for the 2023 season.

Each day we will be counting down the 25 most important Saints for the 2023 season. This will be split up into the following categories:

  • Recap of their 2022 season
  • Projecting their 2023 success
  • What is the biggest question mark for them in 2023?

The 19th-ranked player by the Saints Wire staff is left guard Andrus Peat:

Mock Draft Monday: Saints projected to pick Boston College guard Christian Mahogany

Mock Draft Monday: New Orleans Saints projected to pick fast-rising Boston College guard Christian Mahogany, a name high on our 2024 watch list

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It’s time for another 2024 mock draft as we continue to build our New Orleans Saints watch list in anticipation of the college football season. The Saints were projected to pick fast-rising Boston College guard Christian Mahogany, a name already high on our 2024 watch list, in this admittedly way-too-early model from ESPN’s Jordan Reid. Here’s Reid’s reasoning:

Interior offensive line is a major question mark for the Saints, with their top three options — Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz and Calvin Throckmorton — all scheduled to become free agents following the season. Mahogany was getting early-round buzz before tearing his right ACL heading into the 2022 season, and now that he is healthy, scouts are watching to see if he can follow Chris Lindstrom (2019) and Zion Johnson (2022) as the next Boston College first-round lineman. Mahogany has spent time at both guard spots, and at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, he is tough to beat.

Few teams invest early-round picks in the trenches like New Orleans. Since Jeff Ireland was hired to oversee their college scouting department in 2015, New Orleans has picked offensive or defensive linemen with 11 of their 19 selections in the first two rounds. As Reid observed, the Saints will be looking for new blood at guard next offseason with all three of their top players at the position headed for free agency.

If Mahogany meets expectations and helps the Boston College line return to form, he could very well end up being their pick next April. But first he needs to prove he’s fully recovered from last year’s knee injury, and that he can play at a high enough level to justify that kind of buzz. So which other positions are on Reid’s radar when it comes to New Orleans?

Beyond the interior offensive line, Reid highlighted wide receiver and the defensive line as positions of need. Some prospects in his mock draft who could fit what the Saints typically look for include Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy (though he’s skinny at just 160 pounds; Rashid Shaheed is the lightest receiver in New Orleans at a listed 181 pounds) and Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton, a disruptive player who lined up at both end and tackle. We’ll add them both to the list.

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Cameron Jordan leads the Saints’ longest-tenured players in 2023

Cameron Jordan is the New Orleans Saints’ longest-tenured player in 2023. Here are the 15 active leaders for games played in black and gold:

Here’s a stat that sounds fake, but isn’t: Cameron Jordan has appeared in nearly as many regular season games for the New Orleans Saints (192) as their second- and third-ranked active players combined, with neither long snapper Zach Wood (98) nor kicker Wil Lutz (97) yet to pass the century mark.

We’ve talked often about Jordan’s durability, but this also reflects the big turnover the team has experienced in recent years. Well-established players like longtime punter Thomas Morstead (190 games), defensive linemen David Onyemata (106), Marcus Davenport (63), and Shy Tuttle (63) have all moved on to other teams, as has Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead (97) and former franchise tagged free safety Marcus WIlliams (76). The Saints look a lot different in the years since Drew Brees (228) hung up his cleats. Mark Ingram II (123) might be next to join him.

So who are the veteran presences left in the locker room? These 15 Saints players have hit the field for more games in black and gold than all of their teammates:

75 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 75 for New Orleans

75 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 75 for New Orleans

The New Orleans Saints will kick off their 2023 regular season against the Tennessee Titans at home in the Caesars Superdome on Sept. 10, which is now 75 days away.

We’ll be counting down the days until kickoff by looking back on every Saints player who wore the corresponding jersey number.

Who stands out in No. 75? Defensive end Bruce Clark (1982-1988) was a key player for the Saints in his day, having won a Pro Bowl nod in 1984. Lately it’s been used by left guard Andrus Peat (2014-2023) who has been selected for three Pro Bowls as an alternate. Peat’s own position coach Doug Marrone wore No. 75 in his single game appearance for the Saints back in 1989. Here’s the full list from Pro Football Reference:

Offensive line is the make-or-break unit for the Saints in 2023

Offensive line is the make-or-break unit for the Saints in 2023. It doesn’t matter how skilled the weapons are if there isn’t time to throw | @southexclusives

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There are quite a few reasons to be excited about the New Orleans Saints offense in 2023. There is a new quarterback in the building, Derek Carr, and his arrival has injected life into the fanbase. Carr has been praised by his teammates repeatedly during offseason activities. Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller join Alvin Kamara in the running back room to form a dangerous trio. The pass-catching threats looked stacked at wide receiver between Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Rashid Shaheed and improved at tight end with the addition of Foster Moreau.

From a skill position perspective, there are quite a few reasons to be excited about the New Orleans Saints offense in 2023. The offensive line has the potential to ruin that excitement. They are the make-or-break unit on the offense. Let Pro Football Focus tell it, the front five will break the offense. It doesn’t matter how skilled the weapons are if there isn’t time to throw or holes to run through. 

You feel like you trust you’re going to get quality play from Erik McCoy and Ryan Ramcyzk. You’re just looking for them to stay healthy. But you could honestly apply health questions to the whole line. Outside of Ramczyk, who was limited in practice throughout the year, the other projected starters either missed significant time or had a season-ending injury. Even at full strength, this group still has major questions.

There are three pivotal players across the line: Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz and Trevor Penning. Health isn’t a question for Peat; it’s almost assured he’ll miss at least a couple of games each season. He’s also struggled with inconsistent play at times when healthy. Prior to missing the end of the year, Ruiz had the best season of his career. Penning missed the majority of the year with injuries, so he is just as unknown as he was when drafted. 

How those three perform could decide whether this unit makes or breaks the offense. If you can get 2022-quality Ruiz and a relatively-healthy Peat, this unit likely won’t be weak. Trevor Penning’s performance at left tackle will be a deciding factor on whether the unit will be strong instead of just serviceable.

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Pro Football Focus says the Saints have one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines

Pro Football Focus says the Saints have one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines. It’s a bit of a cop out, but the group just needs to play better:

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Ouch. It was a rough year for the New Orleans Saints offensive line, but were things really this bad? Pro Football Focus ranked the Saints’ big men up front at No. 24 out of 32 as a unit, with PFF analyst Sam Monson writing:

Rookie Trevor Penning got his first start at left tackle in the final game of his rookie year; now he needs to step in and be an upgrade over the solid James Hurst in his second season.

The Saints will be another line operating with a very different quarterback situation as Derek Carr comes in to offer his influence under center.

Best Player: Ryan Ramczyk

It wasn’t his best season, but Ryan Ramczyk was still the class of this line in 2022. He allowed three sacks and 20 total pressures over the year and was by far the team’s best run blocker.

This year’s configuration should look much like the 2022 offensive line: Penning at left tackle, Andrus Peat at left guard, Erik McCoy at center, and Ruiz at right guard with Ramczyk anchoring the right tackle spot. The Saints probably aren’t going to be able to find anyone in free agency right now who can unseat one of those starters — former Denver Broncos guard Dalton Risner will have easier paths to a starting job available to him.

It’s a bit of a cop out, but the group just needs to play better. Penning needs to be available and meet expectations as a former first-round draft pick. Peat can’t be making mental mistakes for someone of his experience and letting rushers get by him. That goes for McCoy, too, whose five penalties last year led the starters. Ruiz made real progress in 2022 and he needs to keep pushing forward. The Saints have invested too many draft picks and too much money in their offensive line for the unit to be a weakness.

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Which Saints players weren’t spotted at voluntary workouts during OTAs?

Which Saints players weren’t spotted at voluntary workouts during OTAs? Several star players and starters along the offensive line weren’t reported to be in attendance:

The New Orleans Saints will report for a three-day mandatory minicamp this week, beginning Tuesday, June 13, and it’s going to be the first opportunity for local media to put eyes on some players who weren’t available for voluntary workouts earlier this offseason during organized team activities.

Now, it’s possible some of these players were around for practices that weren’t open to the media — reporters were only allowed to observe three of the Saints’ ten workouts at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, so maybe some players just happened to miss those days. But between injury concerns, personal responsibilities, and, frankly, star player status, some guys haven’t been in the building yet.

84 of the 90 players currently under contract participated in at least one of those three practice dates. Here are the six players who were not reported to be in attendance for any of the voluntary organized team activities open to the media ahead of mandatory minicamp:

7 New Orleans Saints returning from injuries in 2023

High-profile players like Michael Thomas and sleepers like D’Marco Jackson and Smoke Monday are among 7 New Orleans Saints returning from injuries in 2023:

The New Orleans Saints have an interesting mix of high-profile starters and sleeper talents returning from injuries in 2023. We’re not counting new additions and rookie draft picks like running back Kendre Miller (meniscus) or others dealing with health challenges (such as tight end Foster Moreau), only players who were on the team last year and who have been brought back for the upcoming season.

Some of them are going to vital to the team’s overall success. Let’s recap each situation with organized team activities on the horizon: