The New Orleans Saints’ plan to fix their offensive line involves three new starters, two position switches and a reimagined blocking scheme.
Whatever works, right?
The Saints somehow gave up the eighth-fewest sacks in 2023 with 35, but that number doesn’t properly convey the overall struggles of the group — especially over the first half of the season. Twenty of the Saints’ 35 sacks allowed last year happened in the first seven weeks, fifth-most in that span. Though the unit cut down on sacks as the year progressed, the Saints’ line won just 51% of their pass blocks for the season, according to ESPN’s pass block win rate metric. That ranked 28th.
A good chunk of the damage was the result of the team’s tackles. The Saints’ tackles allowed 64 of 192 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. New Orleans used several players at left and right tackle last year, a rotation that was both coaching- and injury-related.
It was no wonder that the Saints overhauled the tackle spot this offseason. Let’s take a further look at what they did.
Current roster
- Taliese Fuaga
- Trevor Penning
- Josiah Ezirim
- Justin Herron
- Landon Young
- Oli Udoh
- Ryan Ramczyk (injured, not with team)
Burning question
How much do the Saints actually trust Trevor Penning?
As of now, weeks from training camp, New Orleans is penciled in to have the 2022 first-rounder be its starting right tackle with Ramczyk’s future uncertain because of a chronic knee injury.
That’s a bold plan. Penning gave up four sacks and 10 pressures in six games before he was benched last season. By moving the former left tackle to the right side, the Saints and Penning believe the switch is going to benefit them in the long run.
But a team’s tone can change quickly once the games start. It’ll be interesting to see what happens if Penning has a bad game. How long is his leash? Remember, Penning was so buried on the depth chart last season that the Saints wouldn’t even put him on the field as a swing tackle in jumbo packages.
Crucially, the Saints have other options if Penning doesn’t pan out. Even if Ramczyk is forced to miss the season, Udoh has starting experience at both tackle spots. Young filled in for Ramczyk last year and held up fine. New Orleans could even move Fuaga, its first-round pick, back to his natural position of right tackle.
Bold prediction
Gut feeling: Penning is benched in the first month of the season.
Despite the Saints’ vow that Penning has a clean slate, there have been moments this offseason in which the offensive lineman has struggled. Penning’s lack of balance, at times, is a glaring flaw and the sequences in which he ends up on the ground in a no-contact setting stand out. In April, after the Saints drafted Fuaga, The NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger made a point to note how Penning “has a long way to go.” It’s hard to picture that suddenly changing in one offseason, even if New Orleans’ new scheme helps offensive linemen.
The schedule does Penning no favors either. The Carolina Panthers, the Saints’ first opponent, may have lost their best pass rushers in Brian Burns and Frankie Luvu this offseason, but the Saints will be tasked with stopping Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. The Philadelphia Eagles, the opponent in Week 3, have also retooled their pass rush by signing former New York Jets defensive end Bryce Huff to a massive contract.
It would be great for the Saints (and Penning) if the 25-year-old can prove he's up for the job. Maybe he has greatly improved under this new offensive coaching staff, and it helps that he’s had a fully healthy offseason unlike last year. But no one would blame the Saints if they’re forced to pivot on a player who they haven’t been able to adequately rely on in his first two seasons.