For Saints, Offensive Line an Underrated Need

It may not appear so on the surface, but the New Orleans Saints’ offensive line is close to falling apart. And it could ruin their chances in 2017.

Most analysts report DE, CB, and MLB as the New Orleans Saints’ biggest needs. But I’d argue that nothing could derail their 2017 season more than their offensive line. And with a weak OL draft class, I expect the Saints will make a major push for at least one veteran in free agency.

Many have written that this defense is just a few pieces away from effectiveness. An EDGE rusher, possibly a CB to add depth or injury insurance, possibly a MLB to quarterback the defense. And for the most part, I agree. Those will be important additions this offseason.

But even with solid hits at all three of those positions, this defense will be good. It won’t be great.

This team has a shot, in 2017, to be a contender.

And that chance depends on their defense emerging out of the NFL’s cellars. But it also depends on their offense remaining one of the best in the league. There’s just no chance that, in one year, this becomes a top-tier defense. The unit will need a few years to reach that point, if it does.

So whether or not this defense takes a solid step forward, it will need to rely on its offense to carry the brunt of the load. And if the Saints don’t do anything to address their offensive line, then that offense that they so rely on may very well fall apart.

That’s not to suggest that this offense will entirely collapse. With Drew Brees, Sean Payton, and their talent at the skill positions, it’s hard to picture the Saints with a below-average offense. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that, just because the team has Brees and Payton, their offense will lead the league again. That depends on strong offensive line play as much as it does from any team.

So let’s take a look at the situation.

The Saints don’t have a totally barren cupboard, and it’s even possible that, without any major changes, they can field a strong O-Line with what they have. But only so long as they entirely avoid injury. And with Terron Armstead on the left, and two aging vets on the right, I doubt they make it a year without a major injury.

Oct 23, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; New Orleans Saints tackle Terron Armstead (72) is helped off the field by trainers during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

But it is worth noting that this offensive line had a very solid season, even without their best player in Armstead for much of the year. Zach Strief had one of the best seasons of his career, and sophomore Andrus Peat finally looked like an NFL starter.

But Terron Armstead and Andrus Peat have both struggled with injuries over the years, and there’s every reason to believe that, as it stands, this unit would regress in 2017.

Aging Veterans

Zach Strief and Jahri Evans both put together impressive years. Strief especially. They’re both a major reason why this O-Line had such a solid season.

But both starters are now 33, and both will turn 34 early in the season.

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Between the two of them, age is much more apparent in Evans. The Saints actually cut him in the offseason, and then the Seahawks did likewise. But Evans managed to get back to New Orleans and proved himself a capable starter.

Evans is now entertaining the idea of retiring, but says that he “feels like he can do this for as long as [he wants] to.” I expect Evans will be back for at least one more year. He clearly loves the game, and can apparently still play it at a high level. He’s a free agent, so the Saints will need to make their bid for him. But no doubt he’ll feel inclined to stay in the Big Easy.

Strief, meanwhile, put together one of his most impressive seasons to date at 33. For a long stretch of the season, PFF had him ranked as their #1 RT.

There’s been no word from Strief’s camp about a possible retirement, so I expect he’ll be back. The question isn’t about willingness to play, or even whether or not he can keep performing at such a high level.

The question, with both Evans and Strief, is whether or not the Saints can rely on their bodies staying together. If either Evans or Stief went down with an injury, the Saints are dangerously thin behind them.

Unproven Backups

As of now, the Saints main OL backups are, in this order, Senio Kelemete, Tim Lelito, and Tony Hills.

But of the three, I’m only confident in Senio Kelemete. Tim Lelito seemed to regress in 2016, and Tony Hills has never been altogether impressive.

Lelito is a strong, leverage-type player who can make noises in the run game. But he consistently makes mental errors in pass-protection. And with a pass-happy team like the Saints, that’s somewhat of a fatal flaw. Lelito is the prospective backup at center and at guard, but is behind Kelemete in the OG picking order.

Sep 13, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints center Senio Kelemete against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Hills is basically the team’s only backup tackle. But he’s not a good option, and the Saints know that. If Terron Armstead goes down, then Andrus Peat will move over to LT and Kelemete will step in at LG. That’s how the Saints handled Armstead’s injury this year, and I expect they’d do the same if Armstead goes down again. And if Strief goes down, I expect they’d move Kelemete over to RT. Kelemete’s played LT in the past when Peat and Armstead were out with injury, and he played well. I’m not sure how he would handle the switch to the right side, but he’s a versatile player.

Considering the Saints are starting two injury-prone lineman on the left side, and two aging vets on the right, it’s safe to assume they’re will be some shuffling of the line as the season progresses. And if two of these players go down at any point, then the Saints will be forced to start some underwhelming players in Lelito or Hills.

The team does have some youth at the bottom of their depth chart. But until Landon Turner, Jack Allen, or any of their young OT prospects can show some consistency, they’re no fall-back option.

The Quarterback Situation

There are two situations where it is of the utmost importance to have a strong offensive line: when you have an aging, presumably fragile quarterback, or when you have a young and unproved one.

The Saints are teetering on the brink between these two situations. Drew Brees has shown little sign of regression so far, even at age 37. But there’s no looking past that number. And if the offensive line can’t keep Brees upright, there’s no telling how many games he’ll manage in 2017. You can be sure it will be on Payton’s mind to establish a consistent ground game to keep some of the wear off of Brees’s arm.

And when Brees eventually retires, his heir’s success will depend greatly on the offensive line. No young quarterback can find his rhythm if he has no time to throw in the pocket. More so than talented receivers, a good line can make or break a young QB. It will give them a balanced offense to work with, and time in the pocket to establish confidence.

Like I said, it’s not inconceivable that this offensive line, as it stands, puts together another solid season in 2017. But it would be foolish for the Saints front office to bank on the unit staying healthy. They don’t necessarily need to find starters, assuming Evans returns for next season. But solid depth is a must.